NOMS Careers

Are you eligible to work in the UK?

First things first. You’ll need to meet our essential criteria. This means: having the right to work in the UK undergoing security and identity checks prior to taking up the post 12-month probationary period all staff must declare if they are a member of a group or organisation which HM Prison Service considers to be racist existing prison officers are not eligible to apply for this campaign

How's your maths?

+ % I + You'll need a decent level of maths to be a prison officer. As well as being able to do prisoner headcounts, you'll have to write reports. As part of your application, you'll take an online maths test. Here are some practice questions. Test your maths here 1 2 3 4 5 Question 46

Are you physically fit enough?

Being a prison officer is a physically demanding job. For starters, you’ll be on your feet for much of the day. You’ll also have to respond quickly in emergency situations. As part of your recruitment assessment day, you’ll have to pass a fitness test. Here’s an overview of what you can expect. You’ll also find a

What's your eyesight like?

Good eyesight is crucial. You’ll need to meet a minimum standard in both eyes of not less than 6/36 in each eye on the Snellen scale (uncorrected) and not less than 6/12 in the best eye (corrected with glasses/contact lenses if necessary). You also need to have normal binocular field vision with at least 120 degrees of vision in the horizontal plane. Your eyes will be tested at the assessment day.

What's your employment history?

to If you pass our assessment day, you'll go into our vetting process. This is where we ask for your employment history, and do a thorough background check, so it can take a while to complete – between three and six months. Please bear with us during this time. It's definitely a career worth waiting for.