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The prison service, who does what and where.
Bands instead of ranks, 15 contracted-out prisons, categories from A to open, a union that cannot strike. This hub maps the jobs, the organisations and the numbers behind them, with every figure dated and sourced.
Most people meet the prison service as a single job title. In practice it is a ladder of bands (officer, supervising officer, custodial manager, then governors), a set of specialist roles such as dog handlers, security officers and escort staff, and an estate split into categories, regions and public and private operators. Pay, training and daily work all depend on where you sit in that map.
These guides cover England and Wales (HMPPS) unless a page says otherwise. Scotland and Northern Ireland run separate services. Looking for a specific establishment? The prison directory has a page for each one, and the prison finder filters them by category, region and operator.
How to use this hub
Read, calculate, then go deeper
1
Find your place on the map
Start with how bands, roles and the prison estate fit together.
Ranks and grades2
Look up a prison
Compare category, region, operator and pay for a specific establishment.
Browse the directory3
Plan the next step
The paid Promotion Prep Pack structures a move to Band 4 or 5 when you are ready.
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Prison finder
Search every prison by category, region and type.
Open the toolFreeJob offer comparator
Compare two prisons or roles on pay, supplements and travel.
Open the toolFreePromotion pay calculator
See what moving up a band is worth after tax and pension.
Open the toolFreeSalary calculator
Gross to net pay for your band, region and pension choice.
Open the toolPromotion Prep Pack
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Prepare your evidence and see what promotion is worth.
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Guides
Roles, bands and the career ladder
What each job involves, where it sits on the pay structure and how it differs from the one above.
Prison Officer Ranks and Grades: Bands 2 to 12 ExplainedPrison officer ranks and grades in England and Wales: Band 2 to Band 12 titles, what each covers, headcount, old closed grades and what is not published.12 min read · updated 3 October 2026
Operational Support Grade (OSG) Role: Prison Band 2 ExplainedWhat an HMPPS Operational Support Grade does in a prison: gate security, searches, visits and CCTV, pay structure, routes to officer, and what is unpublished.11 min read · updated 3 October 2026
Supervising Officer Role in Prison: Band 4 ExplainedWhat a Band 4 supervising officer does in an HMPPS prison, how it differs from a specialist officer, how to apply, and what the grade involves day to day.11 min read · updated 3 October 2026
Custodial Manager Role: Band 5 Prison Manager ExplainedWhat a prison custodial manager does, how Band 5 differs from Band 4 and governors, how the accreditation route works, and what HMPPS does not publish.11 min read · updated 3 October 2026
Prison Governor Roles: Governor, Deputy and Head of FunctionWhat prison governors do: Governing Governor, Deputy Governor and Head of Function roles, legal powers, grades, and the routes to reach them in HMPPS.12 min read · updated 3 October 2026
Key Worker Scheme for Prison Officers: How It Works in 2026What a prison officer key worker does, how much key work time is expected, how it differs from a POM, and what inspectors have found. England and Wales, 2026.11 min read · updated 3 October 2026
Prison Officer Powers and Legal Authority in England and WalesWhat legal powers prison officers have in England and Wales: constable powers, arrest, searching, use of force, the Prison Rules, and what officers cannot do.12 min read · updated 3 October 2026
Prison Officer Uniform and Equipment: What Officers CarryWhat prison officers in England and Wales wear and carry in 2026: new uniform, keys, radio, camera, handcuffs, baton, PAVA, body armour and storage rules.12 min read · updated 3 October 2026
Body-Worn Cameras and PAVA in Prisons: Rules and EvidenceHow HMPPS body-worn cameras and PAVA work in prisons in England and Wales: when they are used, the rules, retention, aftercare and what the evidence shows.13 min read · updated 3 October 2026
Guides
Specialist and related roles
Prison Security Officer: Roles, Departments and PayThere is no single prison security officer grade. How security roles work in HMPPS: security intelligence, gate OSGs, security departments, searches, pay.11 min read · updated 3 October 2026
Prison Dog Handler: Role, Training, Allowance and PayWhat a prison dog handler does in HMPPS: dog types, selection, 20 to 40 day courses, fitness standards, the £2,945 allowance, kennelling and annual licensing.12 min read · updated 3 October 2026
Prison Escort Officer (PECS): Role, Powers, Training and PayWhat a prisoner escort and custody officer does, who runs PECS in England and Wales, the legal powers, training, shifts and pay versus prison work.11 min read · updated 3 October 2026
Prison Healthcare Staff Roles: Who Does What in 2026Who provides healthcare in prisons in England, Wales, Scotland and NI, the roles in a prison healthcare team, and how officers and clinicians work together.11 min read · updated 3 October 2026
Prison Custody Officer in Private Prisons: Role, Powers, PayWhat a prison custody officer in a private prison does, how their powers differ from a prison officer, who runs contracted prisons and how to compare offers.11 min read · updated 3 October 2026
Youth Custody Officer (Youth Justice Worker): Role and PayWhat a youth custody officer, called a youth justice worker by HMPPS, does in young offender institutions: duties, training, MMPR, pay, entry rules and sites.11 min read · updated 3 October 2026
Guides
The prison estate
How many prisons there are, how they are categorised and who runs them.
How Many Prisons Are in the UK? 143 in 2026, by NationHow many prisons are in the UK? 143: 123 in England and Wales, 17 in Scotland and 3 in Northern Ireland, plus 2026 prison population and capacity figures.12 min read · updated 3 October 2026
UK Prisons List 2026: All 143 Prisons by Category & RegionUK prisons list 2026: every prison in England, Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland named by region, category and operator, plus London, Cat A and open prisons.22 min read · updated 3 October 2026
Prison Categories Explained: Category A, B, C, D and OpenPrison categories explained: what Category A, B, C and D mean, how open and closed conditions work for women and young offenders, and how prisons are grouped.13 min read · updated 3 October 2026
Open Prisons UK 2026: Category D List and Officer PayOpen prisons in England, Wales and Scotland explained: what Category D means, the full 2026 list with capacity and pay zone, absconds data and officer pay.12 min read · updated 3 October 2026
Private Prisons UK 2026: All 15 and Who Runs ThemThe 15 contracted-out prisons in England and Wales with their current operators, Addiewell in Scotland, and how pay differs from HMPPS prison officers.12 min read · updated 3 October 2026
Women's Prisons UK 2026: All 12 in England and WalesAll 12 women's prisons in England and Wales with capacity, region and officer pay, plus population, safety and staffing figures and what to check first.12 min read · updated 3 October 2026
Youth Custody Estate UK 2026: YOIs, STCs and Staff PayHow youth custody works in England and Wales: the Youth Custody Service, YOIs, Oakhill, 18-20s in adult sites, 2026 capacity and youth justice worker roles.12 min read · updated 3 October 2026
HMPPS Structure Explained: Who Runs the Prison ServiceHow HMPPS is organised: the MoJ agency, prison groups and regions, governors, private prisons, inspectors and pay review body, and where an officer fits.11 min read · updated 3 October 2026
Guides
Unions, staffing and statistics
Who represents officers, how many there are and what the official figures show about pressure on the job.
POA Explained: What the Prison Officers' Association DoesWhat the POA is, who can join, how it is run, what its legal scheme covers and excludes, its PSPRB pay evidence and how it differs from the PGA. Neutral.12 min read · updated 3 October 2026
Prison Governors Association (PGA) Explained for 2026What the Prison Governors Association is, who it represents, its 2026 PSPRB pay proposals, governor hours, band 7 to 12 pay and how it differs from the POA.12 min read · updated 3 October 2026
Prison Staffing and Attrition 2026: Officer Numbers ExplainedHow many prison officers are there? Official 2026 figures: 22,001 FTE, staffing against target, joiners, leavers, leaving rates, experience and sickness.14 min read · updated 3 October 2026
Prison Capacity Crisis 2026: Numbers, Causes and Staff ImpactHow full are prisons in England and Wales? Official 2026 population, capacity, crowding, SDS40, Sentencing Act and build figures, and what they mean for staff.13 min read · updated 3 October 2026
Prison Officer Assault Statistics 2026: Official FiguresHow many assaults on prison staff happen? Official 2026 figures for England and Wales: 9,833 a year, serious assaults, 11-year trend, women's estate, caveats.12 min read · updated 3 October 2026
Guides
More guides
Questions
Frequently asked questions
Do prison officers have ranks?
Not in the way the police do. HMPPS uses pay bands: Band 3 prison officer, Band 4 supervising or specialist officer, Band 5 custodial manager, then Bands 7 to 12 for heads of function, deputy governors, governors and prison group directors. Band 2 operational support grades are a separate grade. See ranks and grades.
How many prisons are there in the UK?
Our directory lists 143 establishments across England and Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland. HMPPS statistical tables count 120 prisons in England and Wales because some sites are combined. See how many prisons are in the UK for the breakdown and the population and capacity figures.
Which prisons are privately run?
Fifteen establishments in England and Wales are contracted out: Altcourse, Ashfield, Bronzefield, Doncaster, Dovegate, Five Wells, Forest Bank, Fosse Way, Millsike, Northumberland, Oakwood, Parc, Peterborough, Rye Hill and Thameside. Their staff work for the operator, not HMPPS. See private prisons in the UK.
What do the prison categories mean?
Categories A to D describe security level for adult male prisoners, with open prisons at the lowest. Women's and youth prisons use different systems. Prison categories explained covers each one and what working there involves.
Can prison officers join a union or go on strike?
Officers in England and Wales can join the Prison Officers' Association (POA), which gives evidence to the pay review body each year and provides representation. They cannot lawfully strike under section 127 of the Criminal Justice and Public Order Act 1994. See POA explained.
Is the prison service short of officers?
The published figures say so. At 30 June 2026 there were 22,001 FTE Band 3 to 5 officers in post against a target gap of 1,823, with 2,116 appointed and 2,095 leaving in the previous twelve months. Read the detail in staffing and attrition; it excludes private-prison staff.
Does a Scottish or Northern Irish prison officer follow the same bands?
No. HMPPS covers England and Wales only. The Scottish Prison Service and the Northern Ireland Prison Service have their own pay scales, recruitment and training. Our guides say which nation applies on each page; start with HMPPS structure explained.
Keep going
Related hubs and pages
Figures are the latest published at the dates shown on each guide. HMPPS organisation, bands and staffing change; check your establishment or HR for your own position. Independent: not affiliated with HMPPS, the Ministry of Justice or any union.
Find a prison near you
Category, operator, region and officer pay on one page for each establishment.