Operational Support Grade Salary (Band 2)
Band 2 OSG Pay — Spot Rate (1 April 2026)
| Contract | National | Outer London | Inner London |
|---|---|---|---|
| 37 hours — base pay | £25,409 | £28,841 | £30,627 |
| 37 hours + 25% unsocial | £31,761 | £36,051 | £38,284 |
| 39 hours (2× ACHP) + unsocial | £33,478 | £38,000 | £40,354 |
Operational Support Grades keep a prison running: gate and visits duties, control room, searching, patrols, escorting contractors and supporting officer teams. Band 2 is a spot rate, so there are no pay points to progress through — every OSG on the same contract is on the same salary.
The national base rate is £25,409. OSGs receive a higher unsocial hours allowance than officer grades — 25% rather than 20%, temporarily raised in the Review Body's 2025 report — which takes the figure to £31,761, or £33,478 on a 39-hour contract with pensionable additional committed hours.
On £31,761, an OSG takes home about £2,102 a month after tax, National Insurance and the 4.60% alpha pension tier. On the base rate without unsocial hours it is about £1,740 a month.
Band 2 base pay also has to keep pace with the National Living Wage, which is why the 2026 figure rose by more than the 3.5% headline award.