Probation officers across England and Wales have voted to strike over pay and workloads, dealing a blow to government plans to release thousands of prisoners early. Members of the Napo union backed overtime restrictions and other action short of a strike, likely to start on 23 November, with plans for full strike action at a later stage.
The union, whose members work in probation offices and family courts, said the ballot was launched because of an “inadequate” 5% pay offer from ministers and a failure to cut workloads. Napo had sought a 12% increase.
Probation officers have come under increasing pressure since the launch of the latest early release scheme in October, designed to ease prison overcrowding. By the end of the year, about 2,500 offenders, including sex offenders, domestic abusers and stalkers, will be released under the scheme. Officers monitor offenders’ behaviour, oversee rehabilitation, check electronic tags and recall them to prison for breaches.
In the ballot on pay, Napo members voted by 85% in favour of action short of strike action and 74% in favour of strike action. On workloads, the vote was 87% in favour of action short and 75% in favour of strikes.
Napo general secretary Ian Lawrence said: “The high turnout by our members and the result vindicates the campaign to achieve a pay rise to make up lost ground in comparative pay with other staff employed within HMPPS [HM Prison and Probation Service]. The vote also reflects serious anger at the state of probation workloads, which were already in crisis before the latest version of the prisoner early release scheme.” Napo said probation wages have stagnated since 2010, with reception staff on a salary just above the minimum wage.
The Ministry of Justice is recruiting an additional 1,300 trainee probation officers for the 2026-27 financial year as part of a £700m investment package extending through 2028-29. A ministry spokesperson said: “Probation staff do a vital job protecting the public, which is why we have put a strong offer on the table, giving every worker a further 5% pay rise, which follows the biggest probation pay increase in over a decade alongside record investment. We’re also recruiting an additional 1,300 officers to significantly cut workloads. While we are disappointed that some have voted against this competitive deal, it will not change our first responsibility of protecting the public and we have robust contingency plans in place to ensure offenders are still subject to the same rigorous supervision.”
The Institute for Government said slow recruitment meant probation practitioners were still overstretched, with the number of probation officers consistently 25-30% below target staffing. As of March 2026, nine probation delivery units (8% of the total) had a vacancy rate of 40% or more.
Analysis
Why This Matters
- The strike action could disrupt supervision of offenders released under the early release scheme, potentially increasing risks to public safety.
- It highlights chronic understaffing and pay issues in the probation service, which has struggled with high caseloads for years.
- The dispute may escalate if the government does not improve its offer, leading to full strikes and further strain on the justice system.
Background
Probation officers in England and Wales supervise offenders in the community, monitor compliance with court orders and licence conditions, and recall those who breach. The service has faced persistent staffing shortages, with officer numbers running 25-30% below target. The latest early release scheme, launched in October 2026, aims to reduce prison overcrowding by releasing thousands of prisoners early. Unions have warned that workloads became unmanageable even before the scheme began.
Key Perspectives
Napo union: says the 5% pay offer is inadequate, that wages have stagnated since 2010, and that workloads were already in crisis before the early release scheme added further pressure.
Ministry of Justice: says it has put a strong offer on the table, given every worker a 5% rise following the biggest probation pay increase in over a decade, and is investing £700m and recruiting 1,300 additional officers to cut workloads. It says it has robust contingency plans to maintain public protection.
Institute for Government: says slow recruitment means probation practitioners remain overstretched and ill-equipped to absorb additional demand, noting that the number of officers has been consistently 25-30% below target.
What to Watch
- Whether action short of a strike from 23 November escalates to full strike action, and how that affects supervision of early release offenders.
- The government's response to the ballot result and whether it revises its pay offer or accelerates recruitment.
- The impact of industrial action on the early release scheme's capacity to reduce prison overcrowding as planned.
Checked
12 claims in this story checked against 1 source: 12 supported.
Show each claim
- SupportedProbation officers in England and Wales voted for strike action over pay and workloads.World news | The Guardian: “probation officers across England and Wales voted to strike over pay and excessive workloads.”
- SupportedNapo members backed action short of a strike, likely to start on 23 November, with strike action planned for a later stage.World news | The Guardian: “Members of the union, Napo, backed overtime restrictions and other forms of action short of a strike, which is likely to start on 23 November. Plans are being made for strike action to follow at a later stage.”
- SupportedThe vote dealt a blow to government plans to release thousands of prisoners early.World news | The Guardian: “The government’s plans to release thousands of prisoners early were dealt a blow on Friday after probation officers across England and Wales voted to strike”
- SupportedNapo said it launched the ballot because of an “inadequate” 5% pay offer and a failure to cut workloads.World news | The Guardian: “The union, whose members work across probation offices and in family courts, said it launched its ballot because of an “inadequate” 5% pay offer from ministers and a failure to cut workloads.”
- SupportedThe latest early release scheme launched in October and was intended to ease prison overcrowding.World news | The Guardian: “Probation officers have come under increasing pressure since the launch of the latest early release scheme in October, which is meant to ease overcrowding in prisons.”
- SupportedAbout 2,500 offenders, including some sex offenders, domestic abusers and stalkers, were due to be released under the scheme by year’s end.World news | The Guardian: “By the end of the year, about 2,500 offenders, some of whom are sex offenders, domestic abusers and stalkers, will be released under the scheme.”
- SupportedOn pay, 85% voted for action short of strike action and 74% for strike action.World news | The Guardian: “On pay, Napo members voted by 85% in favour of action short of strike action and 74% in favour of strike action.”
- SupportedOn workloads, 87% voted for action short of strike action and 75% for strikes.World news | The Guardian: “In a ballot on workloads, the vote was 87% in favour of action short of strike action and 75% in favour of strikes.”
- SupportedIan Lawrence said the vote reflected anger at probation workloads, which were already in crisis before the latest early release scheme.World news | The Guardian: “The vote also reflects serious anger at the state of probation workloads, which were already in crisis before the latest version of the prisoner early release scheme.”
- SupportedNapo said probation wages had stagnated since 2010 and reception staff earned just above the minimum wage.World news | The Guardian: “Napo said probation wages have “stagnated” since 2010, with reception staff on a salary just above the minimum wage”
- SupportedThe Ministry of Justice was recruiting 1,300 additional trainee probation officers for 2026–27 as part of a £700m investment package through 2028–29.World news | The Guardian: “The Ministry of Justice is recruiting an additional 1,300 trainee probation officers for the 2026-27 financial year as part of a £700m investment package extending through 2028-29.”
- SupportedThe Ministry of Justice spokesperson said probation staff do a vital job protecting the public and that the offer gave every worker a further 5% pay rise.World news | The Guardian: “Probation staff do a vital job protecting the public, which is why we have put a strong offer on the table, giving every worker a further 5% pay rise”