Probation officers vote to reject pay offer and refuse overtime

Probation officers in England and Wales have voted to reject a 5% pay rise and refuse overtime from 23 November, saying the early release of prisoners is adding to pressure on an already overstretched service.

The union Napo said members could also strike if it considers that necessary. Its general secretary, Ian Lawrence, said the service was “already in crisis” before the early release scheme began, with probation staff responsible for supervising people released into the community.

The Ministry of Justice said the government had made a “strong offer” and was recruiting 1,300 additional officers to cut workloads. It said contingency plans would ensure offenders continued to receive the same rigorous supervision if staff took industrial action.

The government introduced early releases as prisons neared capacity. Three groups have been released so far: 700 eligible prisoners on 1 October, followed by groups of 650 on 13 October and 10 November. A further nine groups are expected to leave prison over the next seven months, including some people serving longer sentences. The BBC reported that 250 prisoners serving more than 12 years are expected to be released on 9 June.

Napo says officers have been asked to implement early release schemes introduced by both Labour and Conservative governments without adequate staffing and resources. The government says electronic tags and probation supervision will help manage those released early.

A September report by His Majesty’s Inspectorate of Probation found that almost half of electronic tags used to track offenders’ movements were not fitted on time. The union’s planned overtime ban comes as probation staff face a growing caseload linked to the release programme.