Advance Into Justice

If you're a service leaver or armed force veteran, you have a wide range of transferable skills that are a good match for prison officer roles. Available in 50 prisons, 'Advance into Justice' provides an opportunity to fast track into a second career where you can continue to protect the public.

With our shorter recruitment process, you could fast track from assessment day to employment and prison officer paid training (POELT) in as little as four to six weeks*. You can agree a mutually convenient start date for after you've left the armed forces if you're still in your transition period.

*Dependent on personal circumstances.

Applications re-opening later this year

Applications are currently closed. To qualify for the great benefits that Advance into Justice offers Armed Forces service leavers and veterans, register your interest below and we’ll email you once applications open again in late summer this year.

If you don’t want to wait, you can apply to be a prison officer now via our standard recruitment process which takes 6 to 7 months to complete. You’ll find our latest vacancies here.

Is this scheme for you?

Find out more and apply today if you are a:

Service leaver in your last 12 months' of service
or an armed forces veteran and are currently unemployed or not in full-time employment*, having spent at least a year in service as a regular or reserve in His Majesty's Armed Forces and left within the last five years.

*Working part-time or on a zero hours contract are considered as 'not in full-time employment.'

If neither of these apply to you, we'd still love to hear from you. You can find our current vacancies and more insights into working as a prison officer on our website. If you meet the eligibility criteria, the 'Making the Civil Service a Great Place to Work for Veterans' initiative guarantees you an interview.

To apply to be a prison officer you'll need to:

be at least 18 years old
have the right to work in the UK
be reasonably fit, have good eyesight and hearing.

If you are not a UK or EU citizen, you will need a leave to remain entitlement of approximately 24 months or more at the point you apply.

To work in a high security prison, you must have been resident in the UK for the last three years.

Fast track into employment

We've significantly reduced the length of the application process, compared to our standard one:

Fast track application process: a short, online application form followed by a one-day assessment centre.
Fast track assessment: complete your interview, tests and fitness checks all in one day
On-the-day recruitment decision: if successful, you'll receive a job offer on the same day as your assessment.

What's on offer?

An opportunity to defer your start date if you are still in your transition period.
A two-year fixed-term contract, with an opportunity to move to permanent after one year.
Fast track access to your paid prison officer Training and Progression.
To support your resettlement, generous home-to-work travel expenses if you live within 75 minutes of the prison you'll be working at, or up to £12k relocation expenses if you live more than 75 minutes away.
Access to a range of support networks and a 'buddy' when you first start in post.

All this, plus a range of attractive Civil Service benefits, ongoing training, and career progression opportunities.

Read about prison officer pay

Working as a prison officer

As a key worker, you'll work with a range of people and perform a variety of tasks - from keeping the prison safe and secure, to helping vulnerable people through a difficult time in their lives.

Visit our prison officer website to find out more about day-to-day life as a prison officer.

Find out more about the different categories of prisons

Our commitment to diversity and inclusion

We welcome and encourage applications from everyone irrespective of background, identity, experience or circumstance, and particularly those underrepresented in our workforce. We strive for a workforce that is representative of our society and pride ourselves as being an employer of choice.

When people come to work for us we want them to feel safe and that they belong, are treated with empathy and respect, and have the support and solidarity of their colleagues and managers, so we can all deliver our services fairly and in response to individual needs. In joining us, you join an organisation which is committed to the values of humanity, openness, together and purpose.

Find out more about how we champion diversity and inclusion in the workplace.