Additional data
Additional information on the operation of the Probation Service.
On 26th June 2021 the privatised probation services (the Community Rehabilitation Companies) were returned to public control, and absorbed into the newly named "Probation Service". The unified Probation Service is now responsible for managing all those on a court order or licence following their release from prison in England and Wales. There are now 12 probation regions across England and Wales, introducing 11 new probation regions in England; arrangements in Wales remain unchanged.
Visit prisons and probation statistics for data sources and more details.
Staff in post (Probation Service)
Full time equivalent staff in post for the Probation Service (PS) at the end of each financial year. (Workforce data for private sector Community Rehabilitation Companies is not published).
During November and December 2019, over 1,200 PS staff moved to the Community and Interventions directorate, part of HMPPS HQ and areas services. In the same quarter, over 300 staff in Wales were transferred from privately run CRCs to HMPPS, into the new "PS Wales UM transition".
In late June 2021, more than 7,000 staff from private sector Community Rehabilitation Companies (CRC) came together with probation staff already in the public sector in the new Probation Service.
March 2023
19,850
Update 31-Dec-2023
At 31 Dec 2023 there were 20,477 FTE staff in post.
Data source
The data source for this measure and more detailed information can be found in the HM Prison & Probation Service workforce quarterly publication.
Publication date
Published: 17 August 2023. Next publication: 16 May 2024 9:30am.
Staff sickness (Probation Service)
Sickness absence (average working days lost per FTE staff) for all Probation Service staff. (Workforce data for private sector Community Rehabilitation Companies is not published).
| Period | Staff sickness (Probation Service) |
|---|---|
| Apr 2014 to Mar 2015 | 11.9 days |
| Apr 2015 to Mar 2016 | 11.7 days |
| Apr 2016 to Mar 2017 | 11.5 days |
| Apr 2017 to Mar 2018 | 10.0 days |
| Apr 2018 to Mar 2019 | 10.5 days |
| Apr 2019 to Mar 2020 | 11.1 days |
| Apr 2020 to Mar 2021 | 8.9 days |
| Apr 2021 to Mar 2022 | 12.9 days |
| Apr 2022 to Mar 2023 | 12.7 days |
Apr 2022 to Mar 2023
12.7 days
Update 31-Dec-2023
For the 12 months to 31 Dec 2023 there were an average of 12.3 working days lost to sickness for PS staff.
Data source
The data source for this measure and more detailed information can be found in the HM Prison & Probation Service workforce quarterly publication.
Publication date
Published: 17 August 2023. Next publication: 16 May 2024 9:30am.