Probation officers: pay and what the work involves

Occupation 2462 · Professional occupations

Probation officers

Probation officers work to rehabilitate offenders. They supervise, counsel and help them before trial, during any prison or community sentence and on release from prison

How people enter it

Candidates are recruited with a variety of academic qualifications or with relevant experience. In England and Wales all candidates must complete a two year Diploma in Probation studies. In Scotland and Northern Ireland, entry requirements are the same as for social workers. Background checks including a DBS check are required.

What the work involves

produces pre-sentence reports to the court about an individual’s crime, their personal circumstances, the suitability of sentencing, the likelihood of re-offending and the future risk to the public
enforces court orders and serves the public by providing a wide range of supervision programmes for those in receipt of a community sentence
draws up probation plans with offenders and helps them follow it, advises them on any work and helps them with any family or social problems
works with prisoners in giving advice on problems such as drug and alcohol abuse, addressing training needs, finding work and getting accommodation
keeps accurate and comprehensive records

Also called

Inspector (National Probation Service) · Probation officer · Youth justice officer

What it pays

Measure	Hours	Basis	Period	Value	Source
2462 : Probation officers	None	None	2026-03	10,200.00	ONS, Annual Population Survey - employment by occupation (SOC 2020)
2462 : Probation officers	None	None	2026-03	11,300.00	ONS, Annual Population Survey - employment by occupation (SOC 2020)
2462 : Probation officers	None	None	2026-03	11,700.00	ONS, Annual Population Survey - employment by occupation (SOC 2020)
2462 : Probation officers	None	None	2026-03	—	ONS, Annual Population Survey - employment by occupation (SOC 2020) Not published: Estimate is less than 500
2462 : Probation officers	None	None	2026-03	—	ONS, Annual Population Survey - employment by occupation (SOC 2020) Not published: Estimate is less than 500
2462 : Probation officers	None	None	2026-03	11,900.00	ONS, Annual Population Survey - employment by occupation (SOC 2020)
2462 : Probation officers	None	None	2026-03	1,100.00	ONS, Annual Population Survey - employment by occupation (SOC 2020)

Every regional figure

ONS does not publish occupational pay below region. Cells the survey could not support are shown as withheld, with its reason — adding a region split to a specific occupation leaves roughly a tenth of cells publishable.

Region	Measure	Hours	Value	Period
East	2462 : Probation officers	None	2,000.00	2026-03
East Midlands	2462 : Probation officers	None	withheld	2026-03
London	2462 : Probation officers	None	withheld	2026-03
North East	2462 : Probation officers	None	900.00	2026-03
North West	2462 : Probation officers	None	1,500.00	2026-03
Northern Ireland	2462 : Probation officers	None	withheld	2026-03
Scotland	2462 : Probation officers	None	withheld	2026-03
South East	2462 : Probation officers	None	2,200.00	2026-03
South West	2462 : Probation officers	None	1,300.00	2026-03
Wales	2462 : Probation officers	None	1,100.00	2026-03
West Midlands	2462 : Probation officers	None	withheld	2026-03
Yorkshire and The Humber	2462 : Probation officers	None	2,100.00	2026-03

Common questions

Does pay for probation officers vary by region?

ONS publishes regional pay for this occupation where the survey sample supports it — 7 of 12 cells on this page. The rest are withheld by ONS, and are shown as withheld with the reason, rather than left out.

Where do these pay figures come from?

The Annual Survey of Hours and Earnings, published by the Office for National Statistics. Figures are shown exactly as ONS publishes them — we do not adjust, model or fill them in, and every number on this page carries the series and period it came from.

Classified alongside this

Clergy · Social workers · Welfare professionals n.e.c. · Youth work professionals