Prison Officer

Ministry of Justice; Preston; On-site; GBP 33,000 - 39,000; Full time

Job summary

A government department in the UK is seeking a prison officer to support prisoners at their lowest points and build positive relationships. The role involves teamwork, multifaceted responsibilities, and requires strong communication and resilience. Applicants must be at least 18 years old and pass medical assessments. This position offers competitive salaries ranging from £33,746 to £38,003 based on hours worked, and provides various employee benefits including generous holiday allowances and pension contributions.

Benefits

25 days annual holiday

Civil Service pension with contributions

Cycle to work scheme

Qualifications

• At least 18 years old upon employment start.
• Resident in the UK for the last 3 years for high security roles.
• Pass medical and fitness assessments.

Responsibilities

• Build constructive relationships with prisoners.
• Support colleagues and work as part of a team.
• Communicate effectively and manage a quality service.

Skills

Empathy

Self-confidence

Great communication skills

Resilience

Job description

Eligibility and Right to Work

This role is not eligible for new Skilled Worker visas in accordance with the current immigration rules. From 22 July 2025, the Government introduced changes to the Skilled Worker visa route. The department cannot consider sponsoring you for this role unless you have held a Skilled Worker visa prior to the 22 July 2025 changes. If you have held a Skilled Worker visa continuously, please raise this during your vetting checks and eligibility will be assessed in accordance with the immigration rules and transitional provisions in place. If you are applying for this role and you have not held a Skilled Worker visa prior to the 22 July 2025 changes, you will need to consider your options for obtaining and/or maintaining your right to work in the UK in light of these changes. Successful applicants must ensure they have and maintain the legal right to live and work in the Civil Service and in the United Kingdom.

Nationality Requirements

• Nationals of Commonwealth countries who have the right to work in the UK
• Nationals of the EU, Switzerland, Norway, Iceland or Liechtenstein and family members of those nationalities with settled or pre-settled status under the European Union Settlement Scheme (EUSS)
• Nationals of the EU, Switzerland, Norway, Iceland or Liechtenstein and family members of those nationalities who have made a valid application for settled or pre-settled status under the European Union Settlement Scheme (EUSS)
• Individuals with limited leave to remain or indefinite leave to remain who were eligible to apply for EUSS on or before 31 December 2020
• Turkish nationals, and certain family members of Turkish nationals, who have accrued the right to work in the Civil Service

Role Overview

Someone like you. There's no such thing as a typical prison officer. Our officers come from different walks of life, just like the offenders they work with. Whether you're a parent, a teacher, have worked in retail, the armed forces, or just feel like you're a natural people person, you'll have the empathy, self-confidence, great communication skills and resilience we want. No matter the challenge, you'll take the time to build constructive, positive and professional relationships with prisoners who could be at the lowest point in their lives. Teamwork plays a vital role in this environment, so you'll need to be fully committed to supporting your colleagues and understand the importance of acting as one team to keep the prison, and everyone who works here safe. You will be required to work various shifts and some weekends. An extraordinary job. In this unique career, you'll have the opportunity to carry out many different roles in any one day. One minute you're a peacekeeper, the next you're a counsellor or a teacher. You'll work directly with prisoners in a unique environment, helping to protect the public and make a positive impact.

Key Responsibilities

• Communicating and influencing
• Managing a quality service
• Making effective decisions
• Caring

Assessment and Selection Process

Online Tests. Once you have completed your initial application form, you will be invited to complete stage 1 of the online test to see if you have the basic judgement and numerical skills expected of a prison officer. If you are successful, you will be invited to the stage 2 online test (task‑based assessment) to see if you have the natural behaviours and qualities needed to be an effective prison officer. On successful completion of the online tests, you will be invited to an online assessment centre where we test to see if you have the abilities, behaviours and strengths to be a prison officer. Read more about the application process.

Job offers: merit vacancy. This is a merit job vacancy. If you are successful at the online assessment centre, you will be added to a merit list based on your score. When all applicants have completed the assessment centre, the prison will make job offers to individuals with the highest scores first when positions become available. You can stay on the merit list for 12 months. After this, you'll need to apply again. If your application is unsuccessful at the sift/assessment stage, a six month waiting period will be applied during which time you will not be allowed to submit any further applications for prison officer positions.

Operational Support Grade Role

Our Online Assessment Centre (OAC) will not only assess you against the key criteria to become a prison officer but will also determine your suitability for appointment as an operational support grade (OSG). If following attendance at your OAC, you are unsuccessful in your application to become a prison officer, we may instead offer you an alternative role as an OSG.

Medical and Fitness

• Eye test
• Hearing test
• Basic health screening, including a blood pressure check

Minimum Requirements

• Be at least 18 years old at the point you commence employment
• Meet the Civil Service Nationality requirements (see nationality requirements section above)
• Pass a medical and fitness assessment as part of the application process
• Meet the required eyesight standard in both eyes (both with and without corrective lenses)
• Have a suitable standard of hearing (without the use of hearing aids)
• Tattoos must not be offensive, discriminatory, violent or intimidating
• For safety reasons, a resident in the UK for the last 3 years is required to work in high security category A prisons

Working Conditions

To work in a high security prison (category A) you must have been a resident in the UK for the last 3 years. Travel to Work: Some prison establishments are situated in rural locations with limited public transport options; therefore, a driving licence and own transport is beneficial but is not an essential requirement of the role (unless specified). Please note that shift start, and finish times are fixed, and it is your responsibility to get to and from your place of work on time for the start of your shift. Please carefully consider the location of this vacancy and your transport options before applying.

Training and Salary

• Initial training is 37 hours a week.
• After training, you can choose to work 37, 39 or 41 hours a week.
• Annual salary reflects your weekly hours.
• 37 hours a week = £33,746 a year
• 39 hours a week = £35,875 a year
• 41 hours a week = £38,003 a year

Benefits

• 25 days’ annual holiday (rising to 30 days after 10 years’ service)
• Paid time off for public holidays and 1 extra privilege day
• Civil Service pension with employer contributions of 28.97%
• Cycle to work scheme, travel loans and other benefits

Additional Information

Diversity & Inclusion. The Civil Service is committed to attract, retain and invest in talent wherever it is found. Reasonable adjustment support. The MoJ is a Disability Confident employer. If you need adjustments, arrange them in advance of tests. Veterans and Redeployment Interview Scheme. ... (summary of initiatives and schemes)