Skip navigation
Back

Probation Officers

Probation officers work to rehabilitate offenders. They supervise, counsel and help them before trial, during any prison or community sentence and on release from prison

Wages

New workers
AVERAGE
Experienced
£17,699
£35,023
£47,151

New workers start around £17,699. Normal pay is £35,023 per year.
Highly experienced workers can earn up to £47,151.

Available jobs

In the past year there were 9,559 vacancies for this type of job

3.87%

Projected job growth over the next 8 years

Related courses

People work towards these careers by taking these courses at college and uni.

What they do most days?

  • Keeps accurate and comprehensive records.

  • Works with prisoners in giving advice on problems such as drug and alcohol abuse, addressing training needs, finding work and getting accommodation.

  • Draws up probation plans with offenders and helps them follow it, advises them on any work and helps them with any family or social problems.

  • Enforces court orders and serves the public by providing a wide range of supervision programmes for those in receipt of a community sentence.

  • Produces pre-sentence reports to the court about an individual’s crime, their personal circumstances, the suitability of sentencing, the likelihood of re-offending and the future risk to the public.

Hard Skills

Hard skills are specific, learnable, measurable, often industry or occupation-specific abilities related to a position.

Skills are ranked based on the number of job adverts that list them as required skills.

  • Probation

  • Job Evaluation

  • Child Safeguarding

  • Anti-Social Behaviour

  • Data Modeling

  • Social Behaviour

  • Risk Management

  • Settlement

  • Baseline Personnel Security Standard (BPSS)

  • Case Management

Soft Skills

Soft skills can be self-taught and usually do not necessitate a certain completed level of education.

Skills are ranked based on the number of job adverts that list them as required skills.

  • Management

  • Communication

  • English Language

  • Resilience

  • Report Writing

  • Empathy

  • Planning

  • Leadership

  • Honesty

  • Literacy

How do I get a job like this?

People in these types of job started their career paths after studying courses like the ones below.

Routes to this career

See all

Criminology

Manchester Metropolitan University

BSc (Hons) · 3 Years · Full-time · Manchester · 22/09/2025

Tariff points: 104/112

Psychology with Placement Year

University of Sheffield

BSc (Hons) · 4 Years · Full-time with year in industry · Sheffield · 29/09/2025

Tariff points: N/A

Psychological Studies

Birkbeck, University of London

BA (Hons) · 3 Years · Full-time · London · 10/2025

Tariff points: 96/96

Criminology and Law

London Metropolitan University

BA (Hons) · 4 Years · Part-time · Islington · 09/2025

Tariff points: 112/112

Criminology

University of Bedfordshire

BSc (Hons) · 3 Years · Full-time · Luton · 09/2025

Tariff points: 96/112

Childhood and Youth Studies

University of Portsmouth

BA (Hons) · 3 Years · Full-time · Portsmouth · 22/09/2025

Tariff points: 104/112

Psychology

Lancaster University

BSc (Hons) · 3 Years · Full-time · Lancaster · 01/10/2025

Tariff points: N/A

Criminology

De Montfort University

BA (Hons) · 3 Years · Full-time · Leicester · 09/2025

Tariff points: N/A

Criminology

University of Sunderland

BSc · 3 Years · Full-time · Sunderland · 15/09/2025

Tariff points: 104/120

Psychology

University of Derby

BSc (Hons) · 3 Years · Full-time · Derby · 09/2025

Tariff points: 128/128

Psychology

Bridgend College

FD · 2 Years · Full-time · Bridgend · 09/2025

Tariff points: 48/48

Child and Youth Studies

University of the Highlands and Islands (UHI)

BA (Hons) · 4 Years · Full-time · Elgin · 09/2025

Tariff points: 63/64

Criminology

Nottingham College

BA (Hons) · 3 Years · Full-time · Nottingham · 15/09/2025

Tariff points: 64/64

Criminology

Richmond American University London

BA (Hons) · 4 Years · Full-time · London · 09/2025

Tariff points: 120/120

Psychology

Bangor University

BSc (Hons) · 3 Years · Full-time · Bangor, Gwynedd · 22/09/2025

Tariff points: 120/144

Criminology

University of Chichester

BSc (Hons) · 3 Years · Full-time · Chichester · 22/09/2025

Tariff points: 104/120

Psychology with Foundation Year

Sheffield Hallam University

BSc (Hons) · 5 Years · Sandwich including foundation year · Sheffield · 22/09/2025

Tariff points: 64/64

Psychology

University of Leicester

BSc (Hons) · 3-4 Years · Full-time · Leicester · 22/09/2025

Tariff points: 120/147

Psychology (with Foundation Year)

Cardiff Metropolitan University

BSc (Hons) · 4 Years · Full-time including foundation year · Cardiff · 22/09/2025

Tariff points: 48/48

Psychology with Sociology

Nottingham Trent University

BSc (Hons) · 4 Years · Sandwich · Nottingham · 15/09/2025

Tariff points: 112/120

Related careers

Speech and Language Therapists

Social Workers

Youth Work Professionals

Youth and Community Workers

Child and Early Years Officers

Housing Officers

Counsellors

Police Officers (Sergeant and Below)

Careers Advisers and Vocational Guidance Specialists

Police Community Support Officers

Related industry guides

See all

Protective services