HMP Welland Oaks – First Time Prison Officer Scheme
HM Prison & Probation Service (HMPPS) is recruiting 20 permanent Prison Officers for the new HMP Welland Oaks prison. This opportunity is designed for people starting their prison officer career who want to gain experience at an established prison before transferring permanently to HMP Welland Oaks.
HMP Welland Oaks will be a new Category B training prison in the Long Term & High Security Estate, with capacity for 1,715 prisoners. It is currently under construction and is expected to open in early 2029.
Successful applicants will initially work at an established prison for approximately 23 months, gaining paid training and frontline experience before transferring to HMP Welland Oaks.
Job Details
- Job Title: Prison Officer – First Time Prison Officer Scheme
- Employer: HM Prison & Probation Service
- Reference: 22401 / 481220
- Job Grade: Administrative Officer
- Contract: Permanent
- Number of Vacancies: 20
- Salary: Starting from £34,928 per year
- Higher Starting Salaries: £36,928 or £38,428 at selected prisons
- Working Pattern: Full-time, part-time, flexible working and job share
- Hours: 37 hours per week during initial training, with the option to increase to 39 or 41 hours afterwards
- Closing Date: 15 October 2026 at 11:55pm
Locations
The recruitment scheme covers a range of prisons across England, including:
- Cowlinge, East of England – CB8 9YG
- Onley, East Midlands – CV23 8AP
- Startforth, North East England – DL12 9BG
- Grove, South West England – DT5 1DL
- Fortuneswell, South West England – DT5 1EQ
- Bovingdon, East of England – HP3 0NZ
- Griston, East of England – IP25 6RL
- Clipsham, East Midlands – LE15 7RD
- Eastchurch, South East England – ME12 4DZ
- Norwich, East of England – NR1 4LU
- Upper Arncott, South East England – OX25 1PZ
- Lichfield, West Midlands – WS14 9QS
Applicants can select three preferred prisons for their initial 23-month deployment. HMPPS will aim to accommodate preferences where possible, but placement will depend on operational requirements.
About the Role
The First Time Prison Officer Scheme provides an opportunity to begin a prison officer career before HMP Welland Oaks opens.
Successful candidates will spend around 23 months at an established prison, working alongside experienced prison officers and developing the skills required for their permanent role at HMP Welland Oaks.
The new prison is expected to welcome its first prisoners in early 2029. Staff joining through this scheme will have the opportunity to become part of the team responsible for establishing its culture, standards and ways of working.
Prison officers work directly with prisoners, helping maintain a safe and secure environment while supporting positive relationships and rehabilitation.
The role can involve different responsibilities throughout a working day, including maintaining security, supporting prisoners and responding to changing situations.
Key Responsibilities
As a Prison Officer, you will be expected to:
- Maintain a safe, secure and orderly prison environment.
- Build constructive and professional relationships with prisoners.
- Communicate effectively with prisoners and colleagues.
- Make appropriate decisions in challenging situations.
- Work as part of a team to maintain safety and security.
- Support prisoners during their time in custody.
- Apply prison procedures and professional standards consistently.
- Respond appropriately to incidents and changing circumstances.
- Work a range of shifts, including evenings, some nights, weekends and public holidays.
Requirements / Person Specification
You do not need formal qualifications to become a prison officer. HMPPS states that personal qualities and relevant skills are particularly important.
Applicants should demonstrate:
- Strong communication and influencing skills.
- The ability to make effective decisions.
- Commitment to providing a quality service.
- Care, understanding and empathy.
- Resilience and self-confidence.
- The ability to work effectively as part of a team.
- Professionalism and integrity.
Applicants must also:
- Be at least 18 years old when employment begins.
- Meet the applicable Civil Service nationality requirements.
- Pass the required medical and fitness assessments.
- Meet the required eyesight standard in both eyes, with or without corrective lenses.
- Meet the required hearing standard without hearing aids.
- Be able to fulfil the spoken aspects of the role confidently in English, or Welsh where specified.
A driving licence and personal transport may be beneficial because some prisons are located in rural areas with limited public transport. However, this is not generally an essential requirement unless specified.
Applicants should consider how they will travel to and from work because shift start and finish times are fixed.
Salary & Benefits
The standard starting salary is £34,928 per year, based on a 37-hour contract and including the applicable unsocial hours allowance.
Higher starting salaries are available at selected establishments:
- £36,928: HMP Highpoint, HMP Stocken and HMP The Mount
- £38,428: HMP Bullingdon and HMP Elmley
The salary at HMP Welland Oaks will change when successful candidates transfer after their initial deployment, according to the salary applicable at that prison.
Additional benefits include:
- Accommodation costs covered up to £750 per month for up to 23 months for eligible candidates relocating for the scheme.
- Reimbursement of the cost of a monthly trip from the deployment prison to the prison closest to the employee’s home.
- A £1,500 recruitment and retention bonus after the first 12 months and again after 23 months, subject to the scheme’s conditions.
- 25 days’ annual leave, increasing to 30 days after 10 years’ service.
- Paid public holidays plus one additional privilege day.
- Civil Service pension.
- Cycle-to-work scheme.
- Travel loans and other Civil Service benefits.
- Opportunities to work additional paid hours.
Working Pattern
Prisons operate 24 hours a day, seven days a week.
Prison officers therefore work various shift patterns, which may include:
- Evenings
- Some night shifts
- Weekends
- Public holidays
The role is available on full-time, part-time, flexible-working and job-share arrangements, subject to operational requirements.
Visa / Right-to-Work
Skilled Worker visa sponsorship is not guaranteed.
The advert states that Skilled Worker sponsorship may be available subject to eligibility and the UK Immigration Rules in force at the time of application. However, HMPPS specifically warns that candidates who require Skilled Worker visa sponsorship are unlikely to be sponsored for this campaign because of current immigration requirements and recruitment timescales.
Applicants should therefore carefully check that they have, and can maintain, the appropriate right to work in the UK before applying.
Assessment & Selection Process
The recruitment process assesses the behaviours, strengths and abilities required for prison officer roles.
Applicants may be assessed on:
- Communicating and influencing
- Managing a quality service
- Making effective decisions
- Caring
- Numerical ability
- Written English
- Spoken English
The process includes an initial application followed by online assessments.
Stage 1 – Online Test
Applicants who complete the initial application will be invited to complete an online test assessing basic judgement and numerical skills.
Stage 2 – Values-Based Assessment
Successful candidates will progress to a second online test assessing the values required for an effective prison officer.
Candidates who were unsuccessful at the Stage 2 online test within the previous six months may now reapply.
Online Assessment Centre
Candidates who pass the online tests will be invited to an online assessment centre, where their abilities, behaviours and strengths will be assessed.
Candidates who successfully complete the assessment centre will then be invited to a medical and fitness assessment, including eyesight, hearing and basic health screening.
Merit Vacancy
This is a merit-based vacancy.
Candidates who successfully complete the online assessment centre will be placed on a merit list according to their assessment score. Job offers will be made as positions become available, with candidates receiving offers according to their position on the merit list.
The merit list can remain valid for 12 months.
A successful assessment centre pass can also be valid for 12 months when applying for vacancies at other prisons.
Applicants unsuccessful at the sift/interview stage will normally be subject to a six-month waiting period before submitting another prison officer application.
Nationality Requirements
The role is broadly open to eligible:
- UK nationals
- Republic of Ireland nationals
- Commonwealth nationals with the right to work in the UK
- Eligible EU, Swiss, Norwegian, Icelandic and Liechtenstein nationals and qualifying family members with settled or pre-settled status under the EU Settlement Scheme
- Eligible individuals with limited or indefinite leave to remain who qualified for the EU Settlement Scheme before 31 December 2020
- Turkish nationals and certain eligible family members who have accrued the right to work in the Civil Service
Applicants should check the current Civil Service nationality requirements before applying.
Security & Medical Requirements
Successful candidates must undergo the required pre-employment checks, which may include:
- Enhanced or equivalent criminal record checks.
- Baseline Personnel Security Standard checks.
- Medical assessment.
- Fitness assessment.
- Eyesight and hearing assessments.
Application / Selection Process
Applications should be submitted through the official HMP Prison & Probation Service recruitment website.
Closing date: 11:55pm on 15 October 2026
Applicants should review the eligibility, nationality, right-to-work, medical and fitness requirements before submitting an application.
For application assistance, applicants can contact the SSCL Recruitment Enquiries Team on 0345 241 5358, Monday to Friday, 8am–6pm, or email Moj-recruitment-vetting-enquiries@gov.sscl.com. Quote job reference 22401.
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