PR 301: PRISON OFFICERS DEMAND SAME TREATMENT AS MPS

Prison Officers are demanding the same treatment as MPs when it comes to pay. 

This week The Independent Parliamentary Standards Authority (IPSA) recommended MPs receive a 5% pay increase from April 2026, taking their salary to £98,599.

IPSA chairman Richard Lloyd said the role of an MP had "evolved", with parliamentarians "dealing with higher levels of complex casework, and abuse and intimidation".

It is expected that by the end of this Parliament an MPs salary will rise to £110,000.

Commenting POA General Secretary, Steve Gillan said: 

“MPs have been told that this latest pay increase is due to them having to deal with “higher levels of complex case work, abuse and intimidation.”

If this is the criteria being applied to the pay of these public servants, then it should also apply to the country’s 40,000 Prison Officers who, every working day face violence, abuse and aggression from some of the most dangerous people in the country.” 

Mark Fairhurst, POA National Chair added: 

“Whilst MPs may indeed be subjected to increased levels of abuse and intimidation, it is nothing compared to the vitriol, violence and threats our members face in jails across the country. 

Prison Officers have to deal with extremely complex cases in an atmosphere of abuse and intimidation that MPs could not even begin to comprehend.

If MPs are seeing their pay increase for these reasons, it is only fair that Prison Officers are treated in the same way, if not then this is another example of the hypocrisy and double standards the public have come to expect from their elected representatives.”

 

 

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