Britain’s highest-paid prisoner earned a staggering £36,715 after tax last year, surpassing the £32,448 salary of the prison officers tasked with guarding them, shocking new figures have revealed.
The pay disparity has come to light through a Freedom of Information request by The Telegraph, which shows that nine other inmates also earned more than £22,900 in net pay during the same period.
These earnings place some prisoners in a higher income bracket than the officers responsible for their supervision.
Under the current rehabilitation system, certain prisoners in low-security facilities are permitted to work outside prison walls, provided they return each evening.
Certain prisoners in low-security facilities are permitted to work outside
GETTY
Prisoners perform a variety of jobs but some of the highest earning inmates secure positions as lorry drivers.
This release on temporary licence programme allows offenders, particularly those approaching the end of their sentences, to spend part of their day working in the community.
The scheme forms a crucial part of efforts to prepare inmates for life back in society whilst enabling them to continue supporting their dependents during their sentence.
Working prisoners are subject to standard tax deductions and court fines, whilst their earnings fall under the scrutiny of the Prisoners’ Earnings Act 1996.
The Act empowers prison governors to impose a levy of up to 40 per cent on earnings exceeding £20 per week, with these funds directed to Victim Support.
This charitable organisation utilises the contributions to support victims and affected communities across Britain.
However, reports suggest that in cases involving some of the highest-earning prisoners, governors have opted not to implement the maximum permitted deductions.
The top-earning prisoner’s salary exceeds that of several respected healthcare professionals, surpassing the take-home pay of midwives (£36,622), biochemists (£36,586), and physiotherapists (£36,602).
The total pay distributed to working prisoners reached £22.5million in 2023
PA
These figures, drawn from the Annual Survey for Hours and Earnings, highlight the unexpected income potential for some inmates engaged in external work programmes.
A Prison Service spokesman emphasised the rehabilitative value of such schemes, stating: “Time spent working in the community significantly reduces a prisoner’s likelihood of reoffending, cutting crime and making our streets safer.”
The scale of prisoner employment is significant, with an average of 1,183 inmates working each month throughout the previous year.
The total pay distributed to working prisoners reached £22.5million in 2023, according to the Ministry of Justice data.
This translates to an average annual income of approximately £19,000 for each working prisoner.
Two additional prisoners earned net sums exceeding £30,000 last year, whilst seven others deposited more than £22,900 into their private bank accounts.