With pay high on every member’s agenda, Napo General Secretary Ian Lawrence breaks down what’s really going on behind the scenes — and why this year’s negotiations could be among the toughest yet.
What’s in the claim?
Napo, alongside sister union UNISON, has submitted a formal pay claim for the 2025–26 year. The headline demand? A 12% increase for probation staff.
“Some might say that sounds like a lot,” Ian admits, “but our members have suffered a lot. Over ten to twelve years of being treated badly on pay.”
Napo’s claim is backed by research comparing pay rates across similar sectors — including policing and social care. The data paints a clear picture: probation has fallen significantly behind.
Four pay systems, one employer
Even within HMPPS, there are major inconsistencies. “We’ve got four sets of terms and conditions in play,” Ian explains — probation pay, two forms of prison service pay, and MoJ contracts for seconded staff. “For an organisation that prides itself on being one HMPPS, it needs to answer the question: why are there so many different pay systems?”
This disparity undermines morale and fuels inequality across the service.
The reality of negotiations
Pay negotiations don’t happen in a vacuum. They’re influenced by government spending plans and shaped by civil service guidance. Right now, Ian warns, the outlook isn’t promising.
“We’re hearing talk of a 2.8% average public sector pay settlement,” he says. “That’s not even worth walking into the room for, if that’s all the employer has to offer.”
Talks will begin once the government issues its civil service pay remit — the framework that departments must follow when making offers.
“It’s not about shouting louder”
Members often ask why unions don’t just demand more, more loudly. Ian’s response is clear: results come from making a strong, evidence-based case. “I can shout louder, bang the table harder… but that doesn’t produce any money.”
He believes it’s about having a rational, persuasive argument — backed by facts and member experience.
What if negotiations stall?
“If our negotiations don’t produce what we want, then it’s back in the hands of our members,” Ian says. As a member-led union, Napo’s negotiators will present any final offer to members through a formal ballot. “And if the offer isn’t good enough, members have the right to say no — and push us into a campaign of industrial action.”
He’s under no illusions: “It would take a very, very serious campaign to move the employer. That’s true under any government.”
The wider context
This year’s talks come during significant economic pressure. “The squeeze on public spending is real,” Ian acknowledges. “More money is going to defence, and we have to factor that in.”
But Napo’s position remains clear. The work of probation professionals must be valued. “We are looking for a down-to-earth settlement to try and redress the imbalance. That’s what our members deserve.”
27 responses
As always nothing is ever done in a realistic time frame.. Although we are kept in the loop by our union this does not help in the immediate time as we are all suffering from the cost of living rises. Retail staff and other industries are being paid a higher hourly rate and they are not under the pressures we all are under in Probation. Reception and admin staff being paid at the lowest rate but have some really aggressive behaviours from POPs to deal with. I have personally been discriminated against in my pay due to band being removed twice and after 8 years in the service am still on the bottom of the pay band even though my CBF is recorded as advanced.
I am retiring this year and have worked for Probation for 23 years. Let me tell you Probation colleagues truly believe in what work they do and work endlessly to help and support People on Probation to make long and lasting changes with their lives. Probation has suffered many set backs with endless changes in process’s and policy’s. They are not recognised for their skill and passion in what they believe and the things that can help and assist people to move on in their lives. Probation works because everyone of my colleagues works day after day over and above their working day because they believe in helping people to achieve their goals. The government do not recognise the quality of work which is done daily, pay is atrocious for the amount of work everybody does. From Admin all the way through, Admin just on Minimum Wage – Disgusting. Constant changes daily dealing with, housing issues, drug and alcohol, MH, a constant deluge of making people working harder day by day to meet the requirements expected of them, cuts in all the services for the mentioned – what are Probation supposed to do? Moral is low and we are still pushed more and more. Please recognise and reward Probation for the work that is done Every Single Day. Probation believe they can make a difference, Government need to be aware of the increases in workload, constant changes, endless reports, I don’t know the answer but you need to be aware of our current situation and reward for the hard dedicated work people do daily. People being let out of prison early due to the current situation in prisons, being let back out into the community putting more pressure on Probation letting people out homeless living on the streets. Also, if you did pay fairly you would get more interest in people wanting to work for Probation with better skills and offer them learning and development opportunities. Currently Probation are advertising my job as I am leaving starting pay £23,250 – appalling. The current justice system is not working and we cannot move forward without adequate support. However, I will never regret working for Probation and putting my heart and soul into what I have truly loved and believed in as an employee. It has been a hard but wonderful experience.
Thank you Lesley. A very happy retirement from all of us here in Lewisham PDU.
That is so true what you stated and wanted to reach out to you and say a well deserved retirement
This sounds like it could go on for a quite a while longer before a resolution has been reached, in the meantime our current pay deal has been frozen and so we didn’t get our April increase! It’s absolutely disgusting
I have worked for probation for over 14 years, as part of the interventions team at band 3 because i didn’t deliver Horizon (Band 4). We have now been told we are to deliver a generic programme for all types of offenders including those convicted of a sexual offence, formally a band 4 role. Although the unions took this up, asking for a pay review to bring programmes facilitators up to band 4, this appeared to fall on stony ground. Not only are we now doing a job that was at band 4 we are now solely working with only High risk individuals. In case management band 4 and above POs are only able to hold High risk cases, yet programme facilitators, at lowly band 3 are instructed to work with them ‘in groups’!
There is no consistency whatsoever in pay structure. We need to shout louder and take action quickly. we should no longer roll over and wait to have our belly’s rubbed by those in power, and accept this as ok.
The Unions need to take lessons from other unions like the Doctors and get a fair rate of pay for a job that takes a special person to do.
Programmes Facilitators are being discriminated against, in all aspects of work. I emplore the unions to get their act together and push harder to highlight the injustices we all face in Probation from Admin all the way up for those on the coal face.
I am under no illusion. We will not be offered a fair pay deal that narrows the wide pay gap that we have experienced since 2007 year upon year. We were lied to by the employer during the last pat deal. We fell for it hook line and sinker. Result … in real terms we are once again worse off than we’re were 3years ago.
Enough is enough colleagues. We must stick together and stand our ground. For younger colleagues don’t forget that every £ you don’t get not only affects your current standard of living but it also affects your pension. It is never too early to think about that. Believe me after 35years of pension contributions my expected pension is derisory (because of poor pay deals since 2007). Don’t kid yourself. This is happening to you as well …. NOW!
So when the time comes … and it will come be ready to stick together and think about the long term and not just tomorrow. The CJS will collapse without us just as it would if prisons were allowed to be declared full … and look how quickly the Government have been acting to avoid that occurrence. The same goes for probation. I implore you all to make a stance when the time is right
Of all the emails I have received from NAPO concerning Probation’s pay struggles, not one, to my knowledge have been concerned about the pay of Probation Admin. Why is it that my colleagues in the prison service, the same grade receive a higher wage? Is it that they are better negotiators?
As a band 4 PO single parent, I am still eligible for universal credit top up as the Government has decided I do not have enough money to live above the poverty line on my current pay. How is this even acceptable?
When my mother worked for Probation she was admin and the job was considered a good job with good pay, she supported the family single handedly financially on her salary as my father was sick and she had 3 children.
I feel incredibly exploited having had to obtain 2 degrees to get here. I could earn the same working in Llidl with less stress, more manageable workload and significantly less risk of harm!
Also when I started 2002 my F/Time pay as Admin was £15,000 roll on 23 years to my retirement my F/Time pay as Admin is £25,250 that is £10,250.00 in 23 years this is appalling and needs to be dealt with.
I found an advert for a PO from 2017, only 8 years ago. The top of band 4 was 36K then. According to the bank of England inflation calculator, this is equivalent to 48K as of April 2025. Yet, the top of band 4 is only 42K, and the top of band 5 is 46K. So basically, POs were earning comparatively more money in 2017 than SPOs (their managers) are today. In just 8 years!! Make it make sense!
As a case administrator band 2, I could be on more money working for McDonalds. If it wasn’t for the working hours and pension I would seriously consider it. It makes me sick the fact we handle such sensitive information that could really impact the public, and we are being treated like fast food workers salary wise. It absolutely disgusts me.
I am so sad that we are all underpaid and overworked, I have friends on minimum wage (being paid for every hr they work) taking home only £100 per month less than me… they clean swimming pools for a living, no stress and are laughing at me doing what I do and working all the hours I do holding on in hope that one day our employer will actually rectify the huge pay gap we face.
Add on the fact that where I live, Cambridge, is the second most expensive city to live in to London (and we get no geographical allowance) it is just a joke. I would be better off on benefits… not had a holiday in 10 years, cannot afford one… I am broke each month and dread the food bills… please stand together so we all get a fairer pay deal, we must not back down to less than 12%…. every other public sector has outstripped us.
I am band 5 by the way! Police officers are paid more than band 5 roles in probation now and I recall being told by an SPO back in 2002 that their pay was the same as Inspectors in the Police…
Four pay systems, one employer
Even within HMPPS, there are major inconsistencies. “We’ve got four sets of terms and conditions in play,” Ian explains — probation pay, two forms of prison service pay, and MoJ contracts for seconded staff. “For an organisation that prides itself on being one HMPPS, it needs to answer the question: why are there so many different pay systems?”
This disparity undermines morale and fuels inequality across the service.
I am confused because during One HMPPS we were led to believe NAPO was against harmonising the pay and T&C’s of NPS, HMPPS, Prison Service. So we now have staff working on the same portfolios of work with glaring pay difference e.g. HMPPS Band 8 v NPS Band 5.
The ‘three year pay deal’ put a big emphasis on how the Geographical Supplements (including London Weighting) had all been increased in value. There was an intention replace the use of Market Force Allowances with Geographical Supplements and for them to be more widely used.
Despite this, I have heard that no staff outside of London receive a Geographical Supplement, despite the three year pay deal now coming to an end. Staff in certain regions are being disproportionately affected by the COL crisis and the one tool which could ease this is not being applied to ANY staff. How were they so proud of increasing an allowance which did not impact anyone at all? How has this been allowed to continue for the full three years and beyond?
It saddens me to read the messages. I have dedicated more that 30 years as a PO. I still have a passion to assist those who offend choose a different path and protect the public but I find that the working conditions are oppressive and extremely stressful. I could work over 60 hrs in a week but not allowed to claim overtime/weekend pay because it is dictated that I should be able to do the work within the time they predict which we all know is not doable . How can this be fair? there isn’t the option to ‘work to rule’ because we have never been able to do our jobs within our contractual hours. It aggrieves me so much. We talk about the wrongs of modern day slavery but the Probation Service does not appreciate its staff (other than empty sentiments), don’t want us to have the pay we deserve and refuses to pay for the hours we do work. I am definitely financially worst off than when I started in probation in the 1990’s.
NAPO need to take heed of other public sectors striking for better pay deals and put a ballot out for us to strike when the time is right. They should also be more visible in the offices, so people understand why they need to join.
We have all had enough. The government need Probation more than ever, if they want to reduce prison capacity. Now is the time to strike! No more pathetic pay rises. All grades need an increase, for the risk and sheer workload we manage on a daily basis. Enough of being treated like we mean nothing.
Pays more to be a prison officer than a PO these days and they don’t need a degree! Things like this won’t attract all these staff the government keep banging on about, nor will the fact that trainees wages are probably less than McDonalds pay! How about do something to retain your current staff and offering competitive pay to attract new staff.
Come on NAPO fight for us!
Prison officers are looking at another 4% . As a ex prison officer this is great and really hope that they get this they deserve it. Probation service is so under valued in society the general public don’t realise how hard probation work to keep them safe in their homes and on the streets. 2.8% An insult to the NPS and all the hard work they do.
I do not have any faith that the pay rise will be much above 3 per cent. There are constant changes as the Government panics about prison places. I personally believe the Government is in panic mode because they fear riots in the summer and need prison places for a two tier policing system. Probation are the ones that carry the additional workload; we always do and never get rewarded other than a top brass email saying how grateful he/she is.
I read about programmes above being e-skilled. Very sad. I cut my teeth in CDVP and boy what a valuable ride it was. As for the programmes, they were great back then and not wrapped in cotton wool. Programme staff should be band 4.
I digress. I also asked for a career break back in 2014 to go and work abroad (for Probation) but was told the Union had not negotiated that as part of the TR reforms. I had to quit and then re-apply when I came back to home shores. Annoying,
So, will we get 12 per cent. No. 3.5 per cent was the recent announcement.
Would it not be a breach of contract for the employer to make increases to supplements part of the previous pay deal, if they didn’t actually benefit any staff? How can we trust they will give us a good deal when the last one panned out so badly?
Costs my husband nearly £300 each month to get to work as a Probation service officer he has to pay for a bus then sometimes one or 2 trains depending where he is sent as we live in the area he gets no help thats a lot of money from his probation pay and no decent pay rise has ever come his way in the last 15 years he has done the job
Can he not work from home some days?
This is so frustrating to happen year on year- disagreements around pay. As many have already said, people are not in the job for the money, however the responsibility and pressures that keep piling up on Probation is ludicrous for the salary we are paid. Understandably HMPPS are in crisis over various matters, however, to retain staff and attract more, pay will be a very serious contender. We all need to unite on this one and not stand for this any longer.
You really have no clue, lawyers demanded 25% got 15, we ask for 12%, we won’t get it, most staff work thru their breaks (illegal), and work extra for free, probation only survives on the goodwill of staff, strike and we lose pay, governments like that as they save money and once the strike is over we clear the backlog SO WORK TO RULE, only do your hours, no extra free, don’t cover colleagues work, don’t chase the dashboard or deadlines, take your legal breaks, the service would crumble targets wouldn’t be met and those at the top would not get their bonuses (yes this really happens), we are not respected and they don’t care so fight back and stop the goodwill because we haven’t been shown any
I have worked within the Prison and Probation service for 6 years now, I have been physically assaulted, spat at, called all the names under the sun and continue to pursue a career in helping keep the public safe. I am a Probation Service Officer on pretty much just above minimum wage, my child care bill is at least £500 each month, amongst a mortgage and rising bills. Without the Probation Service and the hard work of each and every member of staff, Prisons would be over crowded and there would be a substantial increase in crime and violence. We deserve to be paid a wage that reflects the work we do and the danger we put ourselves in to keep others safe. Our minimal pay rises are not in line with inflation.
Any update on our Pay rise.