Supervising Officer Salary (Band 4)

£34,440 – £43,562
Effective 1 April 2026 — HMPPS national spot rate, England & Wales
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Band 4 Supervising / Specialist Officer Pay (1 April 2026)

ContractNationalOuter LondonInner London
37 hours — base pay£34,440£37,872£39,658
37 hours + 20% unsocial£41,328£45,446£47,590
39 hours (2× ACHP) + unsocial£43,562£47,903£50,162

Band 4 covers supervising officers and specialist roles — including offender supervisors, and specialists in security, intelligence and dog handling. Like Band 2, it is a spot rate with no pay points.

Base pay is £34,440, rising to £41,328 with the 20% unsocial hours allowance and £43,562 on a 39-hour contract with pensionable additional committed hours.

On £41,328, take-home is about £2,623 a month. This is the salary level where the alpha pension contribution steps up: pensionable pay above £36,199 moves you from the 4.60% tier to 5.45%, so a Band 4 with unsocial hours pays the higher rate.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is a Band 4 Supervising Officer paid?
£34,440 base for a 37-hour week from 1 April 2026, £41,328 including the 20% unsocial hours allowance, or £43,562 on a 39-hour contract with pensionable committed hours.
What is the difference between Band 3 and Band 4?
Band 3 is the main prison officer grade; Band 4 covers supervising officers and specialist roles such as offender supervisor, security and intelligence posts. Band 4 is a spot rate, so unlike Band 3 there are no pay points to progress through.
What pension tier is a Band 4 on?
Pensionable pay of £41,328 falls in the 5.45% alpha tier for 2026/27, which covers pensionable earnings from £36,200 to £56,000. On the base rate of £34,440 without unsocial hours you would be in the 4.60% tier.
How much does a Band 4 take home?
About £2,623 a month on £41,328 including unsocial hours, after income tax, National Insurance and the 5.45% alpha pension contribution.

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