Prisons: Staff

We know that sufficient and skilled frontline staffing is fundamental to delivering safe, secure, and rehabilitative prisons. We remain committed to ensuring prisons are sufficiently resourced and that we retain and build levels of experience. The latest prison staffing numbers can be accessed in the HMPPS workforce quarterly publication: HM Prison and Probation Service workforce quarterly: June 2025 - GOV.UK.

Substantive recruitment efforts will continue at all sites where vacancies exist or are projected, with targeted interventions applied to those prisons with the most need. We closely monitor staffing levels across the estate and look to provide short-term support where needed. Where prisons consider that their staffing levels will affect stability or regime, they can draw on support from other establishments in the short term, through processes managed centrally by HMPPS.

On 22 May, the Government accepted all 13 of the recommendations put forward by the independent Prison Service Pay Review Body (PSPRB) for 2025/26. This year’s award represents an increase of at least 4% for all frontline prison staff, delivering another real-terms pay rise on top of the one provided last summer. This brings the starting salary for an entry-level officer (on the national rate, 39 hours with unsocial hours) from £34,494 to £35,875. The award was announced two months earlier than last year, recognising our commitment to accelerating the PSPRB timetable to deliver a timely pay award to staff.