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How London pay works

London scales are built by adding a differential to the National band maximum and scaling the other pay points proportionally. From 1 April 2026 the differential is £5,218 for Inner London and £3,432 for Outer London. Inner London covers Brixton, Pentonville, Wandsworth, Wormwood Scrubs and Westminster headquarters. Outer London covers Belmarsh, Downview, Feltham, High Down, Isis, and the controllers’ offices at Bronzefield and Thameside.

Your contracted hours and allowances change your salary — pick the line that matches your payslip.
ACH, ACHP and unsocial hours explained

Unsocial Working Hours (UWH) adds 20% to base pay for Bands 3 to 5, and 25% for Band 2 Operational Support Grades. It is pensionable.
ACH (Additional Committed Hours) pays you for contracted hours above 37. It is not pensionable, so no pension contribution is taken from it.
ACHP (Pensionable Additional Committed Hours) is the pensionable version. This is why a 39 hour ACH contract pays slightly more in cash than a 39 hour ACHP contract — you keep the pension contribution instead of building pension with it.
RHA (Required Hours Addition) adds 20% of base pay for Bands 7 to 12 and is pensionable.

Scottish income tax rates apply if your home is in Scotland, whichever prison you work at.

Pension

Extra contributions, deducted before income tax.

Extras & Deductions

Additional Pay Not active +
Payment Plus and on-call allowances are taxable and attract National Insurance, but they are not pensionable.
Paid at £23 an hour from 1 April 2026.
£9.00 per period of 12 hours or more.
£25.00 per 24 hour period, including public holidays.
Tax Code & Deductions Not active +
The standard code for 2026/27 is 1257L.
Deducted from take-home pay after tax.
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Important Notes:
Uses 2026/27 tax year rates (April 2026 – April 2027) and HMPPS pay effective 1 April 2026
England & Wales only — the Scottish Prison Service and Northern Ireland Prison Service run separate pay systems
Tornado, detached duty, bedwatch and constant watch payments are not modelled — add them under Other allowances
This is for estimation purposes only — please check your payslip or payroll team

Frequently Asked Questions

Which prison grades does this calculator cover?
Every Fair & Sustainable band in England & Wales: Band 2 Operational Support Grade, Band 3 Prison Officer, Band 4 Supervising and Specialist Officer, Band 5 Custodial Manager, and Bands 7 to 12 from Head of Function up to Prison Group Director. The closed (non-Fair & Sustainable) Prison Officer, Senior Officer and Operational Support Grade rates are included too. The Scottish Prison Service and the Northern Ireland Prison Service run separate pay systems and are not modelled.
What are ACH and ACHP, and why do they change my pay?
ACH stands for Additional Committed Hours — contracted hours above the 37 hour base week. ACH is not pensionable, so no pension contribution is taken from it. ACHP (Pensionable Additional Committed Hours) is the pensionable version. This is why a 39 hour ACH contract pays slightly more in cash than a 39 hour ACHP contract: you keep the pension contribution rather than building pension with it. The calculator splits your salary into the pensionable part and the ACH part so your pension deduction is right.
Is the unsocial hours allowance pensionable?
Yes. The Unsocial Working Hours allowance adds 20% to base pay for Bands 3 to 5, and 25% for Band 2 Operational Support Grades, and it is pensionable. Required Hours Addition for Bands 7 to 12 is 20% of base pay and is also pensionable.
Which pension scheme do prison officers pay into?
Prison staff are civil servants, so the pension is the Civil Service alpha scheme — a career average scheme with contribution rates banded by pensionable earnings. For 2026/27 the rates are 4.60% up to £36,199, 5.45% up to £56,000, 7.35% up to £150,000 and 8.05% above that, with the employer paying 28.97% on top. The partnership defined contribution scheme is the alternative, where your own contribution is voluntary.
How is Payment Plus taxed?
Payment Plus is the hourly rate for additional shifts, £23 an hour from 1 April 2026. It is taxable and subject to National Insurance like normal pay, but it is not pensionable, so it does not increase your pension contribution or your pension benefits.
Which prisons count as Inner and Outer London?
Inner London covers Brixton, Pentonville, Wandsworth, Wormwood Scrubs and Westminster headquarters. Outer London covers Belmarsh, Downview, Feltham, High Down, Isis, and the controllers' offices at Bronzefield and Thameside. From 1 April 2026 the London differential is £5,218 for Inner London and £3,432 for Outer London, applied to the band maximum with the other pay points scaled proportionally.
Which pay scales does the calculator use?
The pay scales published by the Prison Service Pay Review Body in its Twenty-Fifth Report on England and Wales (2026), Appendix E. The 2026 award of at least 3.5% was accepted in full by Government and took effect on 1 April 2026, with Bands 3 and 5 also moving up one pay point.
Is this calculator official?
No. This is an independent estimation tool and is not affiliated with HMPPS, the Ministry of Justice, the POA or any prison. Check your payslip or ask your payroll team before making financial decisions.