Prison service officers (below principal officer) roles in the UK earn a median of £41,000 per year, equivalent to £20.36 per hour as of 2025. Pay increased 2.6% compared to the previous year. Regionally, pay ranges from £38,500 in Yorkshire and The Humber to £46,500 in London. Pay has risen over the past 5 years. The ONS national median for this occupation is £41,287/yr (1% below our computed national average).
Median Annual Pay
£41,000
as of 2025
High confidenceMedian Hourly Pay
£20.36
per hour
Year-on-Year Change
+2.6%
vs 2024
Annual Pay Range
£31,000 – £45,500
25th – 75th percentile
There is currently not sufficient data available for this occupation to say anything about the labour market.
Median annual pay for Prison service officers (below principal officer) across UK regions.
Source: ONS ASHE. Based on broad UK regions (NUTS1).
| Region | Median Pay |
|---|---|
| London | £46,500 |
| South East | £43,500 |
| East | £42,000 |
| Scotland | £41,000 |
| South West | £39,500 |
| North West | £39,500 |
| East Midlands | £39,500 |
| West Midlands | £39,500 |
| Wales | £39,000 |
| North East | £39,000 |
| Yorkshire and The Humber | £38,500 |
| UK | £41,000 |
Annual pay grew by +2.6% from 2024 to 2025.
National average (NUTS1 actuals) based on ONS ASHE April snapshot.
Annual percentage change in median pay for Prison service officers (below principal officer).
Percentage change from the prior year's April figure.
The median salary for a Prison service officers (below principal officer) in the UK is £41,000 per year (about £20.36 per hour), based on official ONS data for 2025.
Most Prison service officers (below principal officer) earn between £31,000 and £45,500 a year (the 25th to 75th percentile of UK pay).
Prison service officers (below principal officer) pay rose by 2.6% from 2024 to 2025.
The highest median pay for Prison service officers (below principal officer) is in London, at £46,500 per year.
For job seekers
Check your salary against official UK data for Prison service officers (below principal officer) roles — broken down by region and seniority level. Free, instant, no sign-up required.
For employers & recruiters
Prison service officers (below principal officer) direct, co-ordinate and participate in guarding inmates and maintaining discipline in prisons and other detention centres.
There are no formal academic requirements for entry, but candidates must pass a pre-entry test and full medical examination. Basic training is followed by a 12 month probationary period during which further on-the-job training is provided. Background checks are required for entrants, and there are generally nationality restrictions and a lower age limit of 18 years.
Salary data is sourced from official UK pay datasets and updated periodically.