Prison Officer Starting Salary
What a New Prison Officer Earns (Band 3, pay point 1)
| Contract | Gross annual | Take-home per month |
|---|---|---|
| 37 hours — base pay | £29,107 | £1,951 |
| 37 hours + 20% unsocial | £34,928 | £2,282 |
| 39 hours (2× ACH) + unsocial | £37,131 | £2,414 |
| 41 hours (4× ACH) + unsocial | £39,334 | £2,545 |
Recruitment adverts usually quote one number, and it rarely matches the first payslip. The base rate for a new Band 3 Prison Officer is £29,107 for a 37-hour week, but most operational officers also receive the 20% unsocial hours allowance, which takes the advertised figure to £34,928.
On top of that, many establishments contract officers for additional committed hours above 37. Each step adds roughly £1,100 a year: 38 hours pays £36,030, 39 hours £37,131, and 41 hours £39,334 at entry.
Take-home is what matters. On £34,928 with unsocial hours, a new officer keeps about £2,282 a month after income tax, National Insurance and a 4.60% alpha pension contribution. The employer adds 28.97% of pensionable pay into the pension on top of that — it does not show on your payslip, but it is part of the package.
Officers in the prison establishments covered by London pay start higher: £38,840 in Outer London and £40,876 in Inner London, both including unsocial hours.