A Prison Officer (Band 3, qualified) on £35,772 takes home £27,162/year (£2,264/month) after income tax, NI and 5.45% Civil Service Alpha pension in 2026-27.
Prison officers are members of the Civil Service Alpha pension — a defined benefit career average scheme. The employee contribution rate is 5.45% on earnings up to £32,000. The employer contributes approximately 27.9% — one of the highest employer contribution rates in the public sector, making the total package significantly more valuable than the gross salary suggests. Officers also receive unsocial hours supplements for night, weekend and bank holiday working.
Common questions about prison officer pay and take-home.