The National Audit Office’s new report has confirmed what probation staff have been shouting about for years: the service is at breaking point.
In our latest podcast, Napo General Secretary Ian Lawrence lays bare the scale of the crisis — a 34% underestimate in staffing needs, workloads spiralling beyond safe limits, and only 28% of cases properly risk assessed. Public safety is being gambled with, while members are pushed to burnout and fear.
Ian is clear: politicians can run, but they can’t hide. Napo will be taking this fight straight to Parliament, demanding urgent investment, fair pay, and action to keep staff safe — especially after shocking incidents like the near-fatal attack in Preston. This report is a wake-up call. Now it’s time for the government and HMPPS to face the consequences and fix the mess they created.
