A new thematic inspection from HM Inspectorate of Probation on the delivery of unpaid work (UPW) in the Probation Service has found that, while recent improvements in delivery are encouraging, its full potential to deliver effective punishment and essential life skills has yet to be realised.

Martin Jones, Chief Inspector of Probation said: “This inspection took place during a challenging time for the Probation Service. Probation regions were preparing for the early release of prisoners under the SDS40 arrangements, and service delivery was being adjusted in line with the probation reset. Positively, we found that performance in this area has improved significantly over the past two years. However, building a renewed confidence in unpaid work will be crucial in delivering effective punishment and making a positive impact on people’s lives.”

The main purpose of unpaid work is community punishment, although it has always been recognised that the sentence can simultaneously provide a positive opportunity for employment, training, and rehabilitation. More could be done to highlight the value of this work to the public and local communities. A positive example is the work being done nationally with the Canal & River Trust (CRT) who are working with UPW teams to undertake vital maintenance to the canal network. The CRT have estimated the added value of the work undertaken so far by UPW teams is £2.5 million.

Whilst we saw some positive work, this inspection also raised concerns about the quality of education, training, and employment (ETE) available. There are limited practical opportunities for people on probation to acquire skills to improve their employability and the online courses, which in some cases can be used for up to thirty per cent of an UPW requirement. However, these are not accredited and not always relevant to the individual’s situation.

Mr Jones continued, “We saw many impressive projects during this inspection which have made significant contributions to the maintenance of community spaces such as parks, schools, and canals. However, there needs to be a range of placements available which suit the individual needs of the person on probation. This includes placements where, as well as making reparations, they can acquire skills to enhance future employment prospects.”

Policy strategy and leadership

• Governance and strategic direction at both national and regional levels have improved UPW performance and efforts have been taken to reduce the backlog, which has reduced from 30 per cent in 2022 to seven per cent during this inspection.

• Multi-requirement orders, including on suspended sentence orders, showed lower performance compared to standalone UPW teams.

• Staffing on UPW teams has improved in the placement coordinator role and many supervisors observed in this inspection demonstrated excellent practice. However, they had inconsistent access to training in key areas and, with 13 per cent of the UPW caseload being assessed as high risk of serious harm, this required urgent review.

The delivery of unpaid work

• The digital assessment tool to be completed by probation practitioners prior to a UPW sentence often contained incomplete or insufficient information which did not allow for appropriate placement decisions to be made.

• Unpaid work placements did not consistently support the acquisition of employment-related skills. However, people on probation highly valued their relationships with UPW supervisors.

• Findings from the User Voice (see notes to editor) survey strongly indicated UPW requirements can have a positive impact on soft skills, such as teamwork, and on an individual’s confidence and self-esteem.

• The arrangements for ensuring UPW supervisors had comprehensive risk information were inadequate. The communication methods were inconsistent and the information available frequently insufficient. The potential role of UPW staff in risk management generally was underestimated.

Education, training, and employment (ETE), and unpaid work placements

• Community Campus, the only approved online ETE platform since 2023, offers courses in 10 languages but participants do not receive a valid, useable certificate after course completion. Feedback from focus groups was negative, with most people feeling that these courses were not useful. One in 10 people on probation completed 30 per cent of their hours through ETE activities.

• The shortcomings of the online ETE arrangements are recognised, and plans are in place to address this when the contract comes up for renewal in August 2025. Currently, the use of online learning was not sufficiently targeted, and was too often simply a means of completing hours.

• At regional level, there were some impressive arrangements with local colleges and employers that provided appropriate work-related, practical training. These, however, were not part of a national strategy. As a result, the potential of UPW to provide skills training to improve employability is not being realised.

This report makes nine recommendations to HM Prison and Probation Service, designed to further improve the delivery of UPW and fully utilise its potential as a community sentence that both punishes and supports rehabilitation. These include to ensure all practitioners complete high-quality assessments for unpaid work cases, to incorporate a thorough analysis of relevant risk information before making placement decisions, and to increase the number of UPW placements that offer practical vocational training and meaningful employment opportunities.

ENDS

1. The report is available at justiceinspectorates.gov.uk/hmiprobation on 06 February 2025

1. HM Inspectorate of Probation is the independent inspector of youth justice and probation services across England and Wales.

1. User Voice are a charity who work with people with lived experience of the justice system. We commissioned them for this inspection to gain insight into people’s experiences of UPW.

1. Fieldwork for this inspection took place over six regions of the Probation Service between July and September 2024.

1. For media enquiries, please contact Louise Cordell, Head of Communications 07523 805224 / media@hmiprobation.gov.uk (E-mail address)