Labour has implemented the first pay rise for prisoners in eight years, costing £4.4m. Approximately 85,000 inmates in England and Wales will receive an additional £1 per week, raising their average pay to about £15. This increase, described as a “modest” adjustment, aims to address the stagnation of wages since 2016, which had fallen behind inflation. A Prison Service spokesman said: “Earning money for honest work is vital in helping offenders stay on the straight and narrow.” The rise is funded from existing budgets, with the intention of motivating prisoners to engage in work and education, thereby reducing reoffending risks.
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