MINISTERS were urged to prioritise probation workloads today after announcing an additional 1,300 trainee officers will be recruited in England and Wales over the next year.

The Ministry of Justice said that a £700 million investment in probation in March would include recruiting the trainee probation officers in 2026-27, on top of the 2,300 pledged since Labour came to power in 2024.

Prisons and Probation Minister Lord Timpson, who resigned soon after the announcement amid the incoming new government, said: “Probation officers play a vital and often overlooked role at the heart of our justice system.

“They protect the public, reduce reoffending and support people to make lasting changes, with benefits felt by families and communities across the country.”

Trainees complete training over 15, 21 or 27 months, depending on existing qualifications.

Ministers said the recruitment drive is aimed particularly at people with transferable skills from education, health, social care, the military and other public-facing roles.

A National Association of Probation Officers (Napo) spokeswoman welcomed a recruitment drive, saying: “After many years of our members being in a workload and staffing crisis, an increase in numbers will help. 

“However, it takes two years to train as an officer and many more to be able to take on complex cases. 

“This will not be an overnight fix, and we urge the government to prioritise probation workloads. 

“We look forward to hearing what ideas the new Prime Minister and new Justice Secretary have to improve the lives of our members. 

GMB national officer George Georgiou said: “More probation officers are badly needed, but an organisation cannot recruit their way out of a workforce crisis if experienced staff continue to leave.

“It takes up to 27 months to train a probation officer, so the service will continue to rely heavily on its existing workforce for years to come.

“Better pay, improved conditions and manageable workloads are essential if the government wants to retain the skilled staff needed to make this recruitment drive a success.”

New research commissioned by the Ministry of Justice has found only 21 per cent of adults correctly identified the probation service as being mainly responsible for supervising offenders serving sentences in the community.