Prison Officer Back Pay Explained: How It Works (2026)

In shortBack pay is the difference between old and new pay for the months worked before the new rate reached your payslip.

A pay award for prison officers in England and Wales takes effect on a fixed date, 1 April, but the machinery that produces it takes months. Until HMPPS changes its payroll systems you are paid at the old rate. When the new rate is applied, HMPPS pays the difference for the months already worked.

In shortFor each month between the effective date and the first month at the new rate, take new monthly pay minus old monthly pay and add up the differences.

Because annual pay is divided across twelve monthly payments, the monthly difference is the annual difference divided by twelve.

Headline award

3.5% on base pay and the allowances built on it. The 20% unsocial hours allowance is a percentage of base, so it rises too.

Band 3 and Band 5 progression

Staff in post on 31 March 2026 who were not on formal poor performance procedures also move up one pay point from 1 April, which adds more than the headline.

Bands 8 to 11

A 3 1/3% progression capped at the new band maximum.

1. Take the new monthly pay for the month.
2. Subtract the old monthly pay.
3. Repeat for each month before the first month at the new rate.
4. Add up the differences.

In shortBack pay is gross earnings, so tax, National Insurance and pension come off it; our rough net for the point 3 example is about £138.09.

Back pay is paid as gross earnings and goes through payroll like any other pay.

Income tax

Normally operated through PAYE when the arrears are paid, so the extra income is taxed at your usual marginal rate for the period (20% for a basic rate taxpayer in England, Wales and Northern Ireland in 2026/27). Scottish taxpayers have different rates and bands, so the percentage can differ.

National Insurance

Calculated on each pay period's earnings, so a large lump of arrears added to one month can change that month's NI. Employees pay 8% on earnings between the primary threshold and the upper earnings limit and 2% above it (GOV.UK 2026/27 rates). The limits are annual figures applied monthly (about £4,189 a month for the upper limit, our arithmetic from £50,270).

Pension

Back pay of pensionable pay (base pay and the unsocial hours allowance are pensionable, as the PSPRB notes) normally attracts the same employee contribution as the pay it replaces, and the pensionable earnings figure for your pension also rises. The 2026/27 Civil Service Alpha employee contribution rates on the scheme's own page are 4.6% up to £36,199 and 5.45% from £36,200 to £56,000.

In shortPayment Plus and several allowances also changed on 1 April 2026, and we found no HMPPS statement on how payroll handles arrears on them.

• Payment Plus£22 to £23 an hourFrom 1 April 2026; a £1 an hour shortfall at the old rate (forty hours would be £40, our arithmetic)
• Dogs allowance£2,845 to £2,945About £8.33 a month, or about £16.67 for two months (our arithmetic)
• London differentials+3.5%London arrears are larger in cash terms

Base pay is not the only line that changed on 1 April 2026. Payment Plus rose by £1, from £22 to £23 an hour, effective 1 April 2026 (Recommendation 9).

• Payment Plus: we could not find an HMPPS statement on how payroll handles arrears, so look for a separate line or check with your payroll team. See Payment Plus explained and prison officer overtime.
• London: see the pay bands guide.
• Market supplements, the PEI payment and ORRU on-call did not rise in 2026 (see specialist roles pay).

In shortThe simple calculation assumes one band, point and contract all period; anything else needs the calculation split, and for leavers and sickness we found no published rule.

The straightforward case above assumes you worked the full period on one band, point and contract. Real careers are messier.

Changed hours

If you changed hours (for example from 37 to 39 hours) during the arrears period, your back pay for each month should reflect the pay in that month, so the calculation splits at the change date.

Promotion after 1 April

The award applies to your old band until the promotion date and then the new band's rate applies; the new rate on the new band is the PSPRB table figure, not the old rate plus 3.5%.

Joiners, leavers, unpaid leave, reduced sickness pay

We found no published HMPPS rule about arrears, so we do not state one. The general principle is that back pay relates to the pay you were entitled to for the period, so someone who left after 1 April but before the payment date would expect to be considered for arrears, but check with HMPPS payroll or your union. The same applies to those on half pay or nil pay in the period.

Band 3 and Band 5 pay point progression

Staff in post on 31 March 2026 who were not on formal poor performance procedures moved up one pay point from 1 April. If your payslip does not show that and you believe it should, ask your line manager or HR with your pay point history.

In shortA ten-minute check gives you a basis to raise an error with payroll or your POA rep.

Most back pay is paid correctly, but errors do happen, especially for staff with changes of hours, pay point moves or part-year service. The steps below assume you are on the Fair and Sustainable structure in England and Wales.

1. Find your pay point and contract hours on your April and June payslips and in your contract.
2. Look up the 2025/26 and 2026/27 figures for your band, point, hours and location in the pay bands guide.
3. Work out the annual difference and divide by 12 to get a monthly figure.
4. Count the months between 1 April 2026 and the first payslip at the new rate; multiply.
5. Compare with the 'back pay' or 'arrears' line on your payslip (gross).
6. Check the pay point move if you are Band 3 or Band 5, and the progression if you are Band 8 to 11.
7. Check any Payment Plus hours, dogs allowance or other allowances for the period.
8. If there is a difference, ask payroll to explain it with your calculation, and speak to your POA rep if it is not resolved.

In shortThe effective date is confirmed, the June implementation is reported, and your payslip is the proof.

As at 3 October 2026 the only source we found for the June implementation was the POA's April circular quoting HMPPS's stated intention. We did not find an HMPPS or Ministry page confirming that payment had been made.

The Government's July remit letter confirms acceptance of the award but does not give a payment date. If you are in a prison where the date differed, tell us through the contact page and we will update this guide.