3314 Prison service officers (below principal officer)

In short

• ONS unit group 3314, in minor group 331 (Protective service occupations) and major group 3 (Associate professional occupations).
• Appendix Skilled Occupations (figures as at 3 August 2026, re-checked 26 October 2026): Transitional tables only: Table 1a, Table 2aa.
• Going rate as the tables print it:
  • Table 1a, Going rate (SW – options A and D): £38,800 (£19.90 per hour)
  • Table 2aa, Going rate (SW – options F and I, GBM and SCU): £31,600 (£16.21 per hour)

What the ONS says

Description

Prison service officers (below principal officer) direct, co-ordinate and participate in guarding inmates and maintaining discipline in prisons and other detention centres.

Typical entry routes

There are no formal academic requirements for entry, but candidates must pass a pre-entry test and full medical examination. Basic training is followed by a 12 month probationary period during which further on-the-job training is provided. Background checks are required for entrants, and there are generally nationality restrictions and a lower age limit of 18 years.

Tasks

• escorts prisoners to and from cells and supervises them during meals, recreation and visiting periods
• watches for any infringements of regulations and searches prisoners and cells for weapons, drugs and other contraband items
• guards entrances and perimeter walls
• investigates disturbances or any other unusual occurrences
• escorts prisoners transferred from one institution to another
• runs prisoner rehabilitation and support programmes
• provides care and support to prisoners in custody including prevention of self-harm
• trains and supervises prison staff
• reports on prisoners’ conduct as necessary

Related job titles

• Custodial manager
• Prison custodial officer
• Prison escort officer
• Prison officer
• Prison warden

What the Appendix Skilled Occupations says

The Appendix lists this code in the tables below, with the tables’ own caption and the row as printed. Read the full table, and any condition in it, on GOV.UK.

Table 1a: Additional eligible SOC 2020 occupation codes and related going rates for Skilled Worker applicants granted permission under the rules in place before 22 July 2025

SOC 2020 occupation code

3314 Prison service officers (below principal officer)

Examples of related job titles (non-exclusive)

• Operational support grades
• Prison officers
• Prison service officers (below principal officer) not elsewhere classified

Going rate (SW – options A and D)

£38,800 (£19.90 per hour)

90% of going rate (SW – option B)

Not applicable

80% of going rate (SW – option C)

Not applicable

70% of going rate (SW – option E)

£33,400 (£17.13 per hour)

Eligible for PhD points (SW)?

No

Table 2aa: Additional eligible SOC 2020 occupation codes and related going rates for Skilled Worker applicants granted permission under the rules in place before 22 July 2025

SOC 2020 occupation code

3314 Prison service officers (below principal officer)

Equivalent SOC 2010 occupation code(s)

3314

Examples of related job titles (non-exclusive)

• Operational support grades
• Prison officers
• Prison service officers (below principal officer) not elsewhere classified

Going rate (SW – options F and I, GBM and SCU)

£31,600 (£16.21 per hour)

90% of going rate (SW – option G)

Not applicable

80% of going rate (SW – option H)

Not applicable

70% of going rate (SW – option J, GTR)

£25,000 (£12.82 per hour)

Eligible for PhD points (SW)?

No

Other unit groups in minor group 331

• 3311 Non-commissioned officers and other ranks
• 3312 Police officers (sergeant and below)
• 3313 Fire service officers (watch manager and below)
• 3319 Protective service associate professionals n.e.c.

Sources

Occupation text: Office for National Statistics, SOC 2020 Volume 1: structure and descriptions of unit groups (file dated 27 August 2026, version V13). Contains public sector information licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0. Open Government Licence v3.0. Tables: Home Office, Immigration Rules Appendix Skilled Occupations on GOV.UK, page updated 3 August 2026; re-checked against the page updated 8 October 2026 on 26 October 2026, tables unchanged.

All 412 occupation codes

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