HM Prison and Probation Service
202607: Prison Officer - HMP Wealstun
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HMP Wealstun – Prison Officer (Grade 3)
Role Location & Pay
📍 Address: HMP Wealstun, Thorp Arch, Wetherby, LS23 7AZ 📍 City/Town: Wetherby (near Leeds/York) 💰 Starting Salary: £36,816/year (39-hour week, inc 20% unsocial hours allowance)
About the Role
This is a Merit (Not Competitive) vacancy. You’ll contribute to protecting the public and supporting rehabilitation in a fast-paced environment. Every day, you could perform diverse roles—from keeping the peace and guiding prisoners to offering educational or pastoral support.
This role is ideal for people who:
- Possess empathy, self-confidence, and resilience
- Excel in teamwork and communication
- Are looking for a challenging but rewarding career
Key Responsibilities
Core Duties
- Ensure security, order, and discipline in a prison setting
- Act as a mediator in conflict situations (physical de-escalation required)
- Provide pastoral care, support, and rehabilitation to prisoners
- Implement drug testing, search procedures, and visitor checks
- Oversee prison structures (literacy, education, work schemes) and cell cleaning routines
- Mentor others (including new officers, civilian inmates, or assigned groups)
- Maintain accountability and administrative tasks (timekeeping, incident reporting, etc.)
- Support maintenance and infrastructure tasks (e.g., care of prison grounds)
- Respond to emergencies (fire, weapons, escape attempts, etc.)
- Monitor public visiting areas and issue passes
Shift & Location Requirements
- Rotating shifts, including evenings, nights, weekends, and public holidays, during both day and nights.
- 24/7 prison operations demand adaptability.
- Own transport is encouraged but not guaranteed (some remote establishments lack public transport).
Requirements & Eligibility
Nationality
This role is available to: ✅ UK nationals ✅ Republic of Ireland/NI occupants ✅ Commonwealth nationals with UK work rights ✅ EU/Swiss/EEA nationals (with settled/EUSS status or pre-settled status under the EUSS) ✅ Turkedish nationals (with specified work rights) ✅ Workers with limited/indefinite leave eligible for EUSS (pre-Dec 2021)
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⚠️ For Category A prisons (high security), applicants must have lived in the UK for 3 of the last 5 years.
Health & Safety Conditions
- 18+ years old
- Flight equivalent physical fitness (medical and fitness test required)
- Target eyesight (corrected at borders of the Snellen’s Letter Check E7/8 at 6 metres)
- Hearing norm of 20db minimum (or usage of hearing aids)
- Visible/full body tattoos must not be offensive, intimidating, or deemed inappropriate—facial tattoos are generally disallowed.
Essential Skills
Qualifications not required—but evidence of these personal attributes is critical:
- Communication & influencing (engaging prisoners, team collaboration)
- Commitment to quality in decisions and duties
- Effective decision-making (split-second judgement)
- Care and empathy (understanding vulnerable individuals in distress)
Salary Structure
The service spans 37–41 hour workweeks:
- 37 hrs × £34,928/year
- 39 hrs × £36,816/year
- 41 hrs × £39,334/year
Pension support: HM Prison & Probation contributes 10,118/year to your Civil Service defined benefit pension.
Assessment Process
Online Tests (Telephone Line: [0345 241 5358])
- Stage 1: Evaluates judgement & numerical skills.
- Stage 2: Values-based assessment (essential behaviour alignment with the role).
Applications taking the Stage 2 online test within the last 6 months can reapply.
Online Assessment Centre (OAC)
Tests for:
- Strengths, behaviours, and abilities
- Sensorimotor & communication skills
- Ethical decision-making (hypothetical scenarios in a real-time online environment)
Post-Screening Steps
- Merit rating based on test scores.
- Success duration: 12 months on the merit list (then re-application required).
- A 6-month blackout period after assessment non-success.
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*Alternative role: If unsuccessful as prison officer, eligible for Operational Support Grade (OSG) position.
Working for HM Prison & Probation
Security Clearance & Medical Standards
- Full criminal record disclosure
- Basic security standard check required.
Diversity & Inclusion
✔ Disability Confident Scheme available. ✔ Veteran Recruitment Scheme guaranteed interviews if eligible. ✔ Redeployment Interview Scheme (if facing redundancy).
Language Requirement: Must be fluent in spoken English. Welsh noted for a Welsh-populated establishment.
Benefits
- 25 annual leave days (rising to 30 after 10 years toolong)
- 1+ Prodigy Holiday/Published Festival Day
- £39,537 – £69,807 literacy entry-funds-investment pension
- Turf 'N' Ride Benefits Starter &
- Cycle-to-work scheme
- Travel advice, loans, and flexible spending accounts.
Closing Date & Application Assistance
🗓 Closing: 23rd July 2026 🔹 Supporting Docs: Downloadable attachment Safe Decent & Secure JD048
📞 Contact Enquiries: Email: Moj-recruitment-vetting-enquiries@gov.sscl.com Telephone: 0345 241 5358 (Mon–Fri, 8am–6pm)
Everything Else You Need to Know
📄 Recruitment Candidate Info:HM Prison Recruit Webpage
:warning: Artificial Intelligence Disclaimer: AI-generated content in applications can result in immediate disqualification. Always report real-life examples.
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