Custodial Manager Salary (Band 5)
£37,417 – £49,600
Effective 1 April 2026 — HMPPS national scale, England & Wales
Calculate Your Take-Home Pay
Band 5 Custodial Manager Pay — National (1 April 2026)
| Contract | Pay point 1 | Pay point 2 | Pay point 3 |
|---|---|---|---|
| 37 hours — base pay | £37,417 | £38,305 | £39,214 |
| 37 hours + 20% unsocial | £44,900 | £45,966 | £47,057 |
| 39 hours (2× ACHP) + unsocial | £47,327 | £48,451 | £49,600 |
Custodial Managers are the first line of operational management in a prison — running residential units and functions, managing officer teams, chairing adjudications and taking incident command. Band 5 has three pay points, normally one step a year.
Base pay runs from £37,417 to £39,214. With the 20% unsocial hours allowance that becomes £44,900 to £47,057, and a 39-hour contract with pensionable committed hours tops out at £49,600.
A Custodial Manager at pay point 1 with unsocial hours takes home about £2,824 a month; at the top of the band on a 39-hour contract it is about £3,089 a month. All of these sit in the 5.45% alpha pension tier.
Frequently Asked Questions
What does a Custodial Manager earn?
Band 5 base pay is £37,417 to £39,214 across three pay points from 1 April 2026. With the 20% unsocial hours allowance it is £44,900 to £47,057, and up to £49,600 on a 39-hour contract with pensionable committed hours.
How do you become a Custodial Manager?
Custodial Manager is the promotion step above Band 4, usually reached through internal promotion boards. HMPPS also runs direct-entry and accelerated leadership routes into operational management.
How long is progression through Band 5?
Band 5 has three pay points, normally one step per year. The 2026 award moved Bands 3 and 5 up one pay point on top of the 3.5% headline increase.
What is a Custodial Manager's take-home pay?
About £2,824 a month at pay point 1 with unsocial hours (£44,900), rising to about £3,089 a month at the top of the band on a 39-hour contract (£49,600), after tax, National Insurance and the 5.45% alpha pension tier.