Key Points
- A vote by probation and family court staff in England and Wales, represented by their trade union Napo, in favor of industrial action and action short of a strike has resulted from a row over pay and workloads.
- The first phase of industrial action, which involves refusal to work overtime, will commence on 23 November.
- As for pay, 74.8% of voters chose to take strike action and 85.8% of voters chose to take action short of a strike; regarding workloads, 75.84% voted in favor of strikes while 87.4% opted for action short of a strike.
- The trade union refused a government offer of a 5% pay rise as “inadequate,” adding that workloads are “chronic.”
- Napo claims that its members have clocked tens of thousands of hours of overtime to meet their caseloads.
- This conflict is emerging against the backdrop of a decision by the government to release prisoners early to decongest jails, resulting in an increase in workload for probation officers.
- According to the Ministry of Justice, there was a “strong offer,” and 1,300 extra probation officers are being recruited in order to reduce workloads.
- Moreover, the government claims that it has contingency plans in place to maintain “the same rigorous supervision of offenders” despite the industrial action.
- Ian Lawrence, Napo’s general secretary, pointed out that the results of the ballot “demonstrate real concern about pay and workloads.”
Wales (Wales Times) November 13, 2026 — Probation officers and family-court staff across England and Wales have voted in favour of industrial action in a dispute over pay and excessive workloads, potentially complicating the government’s plan to release thousands of prisoners early to ease prison overcrowding.
Members of Napo, the National Association of Probation Officers, backed both strike action and less disruptive measures, including a ban on overtime. The union said action short of a strike was likely to begin on 23 November, while arrangements for a full walkout would be developed at a later stage.
As reported by The Guardian, the vote represents a blow to the government’s early-release plans because probation staff are responsible for supervising prisoners released into the community. The BBC reported that Napo members voted against taking overtime from 23 November and may strike if the union decides that escalation is necessary.
How Did Members Vote?
The ballot produced clear majorities in two separate votes: one on pay and one on workloads.
| Issue | Action short of a strike | Strike action |
|---|---|---|
| Pay | 85.8% | 74.8% |
| Workloads | 87.4% | 75.84% |
As reported by Yahoo News and The Independent, 85% of members supported action short of a strike on pay, while 74% backed full strike action. In the workloads ballot, 87% supported action short of a strike and 75% supported strikes.
Napo said the high turnout and result validated its campaign for a pay rise to address lost earnings relative to other staff employed by His Majesty’s Prison and Probation Service (HMPPS).
Why Are Staff Taking Action?
Napo launched the ballot after what it called an “inadequate” 5% pay offer from ministers and the employer’s failure to agree measures to reduce workloads. The union said probation salaries had stagnated since 2010, leaving some reception staff paid just above the minimum wage and making them the lowest paid across the civil service.
The union said: “Workloads are in a chronic state, with Napo members undertaking thousands of hours of unpaid overtime just to stay on top of the demands placed upon them.”
Napo had sought a 12% pay rise. As reported by Yahoo News, the union argued that the 5% offer did not go far enough to restore earnings lost since 2010 or match pay in comparable sectors, including local government, prisons, the NHS and the police.
What Does the Early-Release Scheme Mean?
The dispute has intensified since the government introduced an early-release scheme intended to reduce overcrowding in prisons. Probation staff are required to supervise offenders released under the scheme in the community.
According to the BBC, 700 eligible offenders sentenced to a maximum of 19 months were released on 1 October. Two further groups of 650 prisoners were released on 13 October and 10 November.
The BBC reported that nine more release groups are expected over the following seven months, including prisoners serving longer sentences. It said approximately 250 prisoners serving sentences of more than 12 years were expected to be released on 9 June.
Napo said concerns over staff capacity had worsened since the launch of the scheme. The union said its members had tried to deliver early-release programmes introduced by both the previous Conservative government and the current Labour government, but had done so with insufficient staff and resources.
What Has the Government Said?
A Ministry of Justice spokesperson said the government had put forward a “strong offer” and was recruiting an additional 1,300 probation officers to “significantly cut workloads”.
The spokesperson also said the government had “robust contingency plans” to ensure offenders continued to receive “the same rigorous supervision” during any industrial action.
The government has said electronic monitoring devices and probation interventions would help manage early releases. Most people eligible for early release are required to wear electronic tags, which monitor curfews and compliance with court or prison orders.
However, a September report by His Majesty’s Inspectorate of Probation (HMIP), cited by the BBC, found that nearly half of electronic tags intended to track offenders’ movements were not installed in a timely manner.
What Did the Union Leader Say?
Napo general secretary Ian Lawrence said the vote reflected members’ anger over both pay and workloads.
“The high turnout by our members, and the result vindicates the campaign to achieve a pay rise to make up lost ground in comparative pay with other staff employed within HMPPS,” Lawrence said.
He added: “The vote also reflects serious anger at the state of probation workloads, which were already in crisis before the latest version of the prisoner early release scheme.”
Lawrence said staff had been expected to meet the demands of successive governments despite “inadequate staffing” and a lack of community resources to provide rehabilitation as an alternative to reoffending.
What Happens Next?
The immediate action is expected to be a refusal to work overtime from 23 November. Napo has not announced a date for a full strike, but union officials confirmed that arrangements were being developed to launch strike action at a later stage.
The ballot gives the union a mandate to escalate industrial action if negotiations do not resolve the dispute. The government, meanwhile, says it will continue recruitment and has contingency arrangements in place.
Background of the Development
The probation service supervises offenders in the community, including people released from prison under early-release arrangements. Its staff also work in family courts, where they contribute to assessments and reports concerning children and families.
Prisons in England and Wales have faced sustained capacity pressure, leading the government to introduce early-release measures. The scheme releases eligible prisoners before the end of their sentences, with probation staff responsible for managing risk, supervision and rehabilitation in the community.
Napo has repeatedly raised concerns about caseloads, staffing shortages and pay. The union said the latest ballot followed an employer failure to agree workload solutions and a pay offer it considered insufficient.
The Ministry of Justice has responded by pointing to a 5% pay offer and plans to recruit 1,300 more probation officers. The government says these measures are intended to reduce workloads and maintain supervision standards.
Prediction: How This Could Affect the Public
For people living in communities across England and Wales, the immediate effect may be increased pressure on probation supervision at a time when more prisoners are being released early. If overtime bans reduce staff availability, the government’s contingency plans will be tested, particularly in areas with high caseloads.
For prisoners and their families, the dispute could affect the pace and quality of supervision arrangements after release. The government says electronic tagging and probation interventions will support early releases, but the HMIP report highlighted delays in installing tags, raising questions about operational capacity.
For probation staff, the vote may lead to further industrial action if pay and workload concerns remain unresolved. For the government, the result increases pressure to address staffing and pay in the probation service while continuing a release programme designed to prevent prisons from becoming dangerously overcrowded.
