HMPPS have confirmed their decision to shut down the Workload Measurement Tool (WMT) at 4pm on Friday 25 September 2026.
HMPPS determination to continue with this deeply flawed and dangerous step reconfirms our assertion that they are not taking adequate steps to measure, manage and address workloads in the Probation Service.
This email contains guidance that we are asking every member who currently has access to the WMT to take. Prior to and during our ballot on industrial action we will continue to meet with HMPPS representatives to press them on what members need to see on workloads. That should not be understood by anyone as a lack of commitment on our part to conduct this ballot and then, if voted for by enough members, to take industrial action. We are disappointed that our continued engagement with the employer appears to be mischaracterised in some of their communications, to be clear there are no agreement with this decision from Napo and we are deeply concerned about what this will mean for our members.
Napo’s Position
Napo absolutely oppose this dangerous move by the employer. Our long-standing position over years has been to improve the WMT to properly reflect the excessive workloads we are dealing with in ‘Sentence Management’ and extend this tool to as many other Probation roles as possible, e.g. Prisons, Victim Liaison and Courts.
Since Napo won an extension to the employer’s plans - Employer listens to Napo - WMT extended until September! - NAPO Magazine – we’ve continued to represent members and push our position in numerous meetings with HMPPS representatives, based on the crucial demands we’re making linked to our upcoming ballot on industrial action - Napo pressing for change - 7 key issues.
Despite this HMPPS remain fixed on their decision, which we absolutely oppose. Napo’s view is that there has been ample time to properly review and extend the WMT, using the most up to date activity timings.
This change sees the employer, two years into a Labour Government, abdicate responsibility at the level of senior ‘leadership’ for defining what they believe is an acceptable level of workload for thousands of its employees. Many members have already concluded that, given its abject failure to deal with excessive workloads to this point, HMPPS have simply decided it’s easier to deny access to one of the strongest pieces of evidence employees have to show they’re being overworked.
Crucial questions remain about HMPPS’s plans, such as how reasonable adjustments can be properly applied going forward for staff in ‘sentence management’ when the employer has decided not to indicate what an acceptable level of work is for roles in this area. It’s also important that members know that while the employer has announced the introduction of a Log & View Reductions (LVR) tool from next week this has not been consulted on with the trade unions, who have also not been provided with an Equality Impact Assessment.
Next Steps.
Our advice to members and Branches is to attempt to capture the relevant final WMT data as it relates to you as close to 4pm this Friday so you can refer to it over the coming weeks.
If you are going to capture this data it must only be done on a device (laptop or mobile phone) owned by MoJ/HMPPS. Under no circumstances should anyone use their personal mobile, or any other method, to do this.
If you don’t use the camera on your work phone you can take a screenshot on your laptop (that can be saved in your Pictures folder) - How to Take Screenshots on Windows 11 | Microsoft Windows
For individual members:
Go into the Workload Measurement Tool application.
Click through the National, Region and PDU views until you are seeing the list of names of people in your Team.
Click on your name; this should bring you to the Overview tab.
Capturing only the relevant data (Grade, Team, Capacity, Cases, Contracted Hours and Reduction) take a photo on your work phone or a screenshot on your laptop.
Click on the Capacity tab (next to Overview); this will should show a line graph representing WMT percentages for capacity and reduction for the previous 12 months.
Capturing only the graph take a photo on your work phone or a screenshot on your laptop.
For Branches:
Follow the process detailed above to capture the same Overview and Capacity data for the Region and each PDU your Branch represents (not data for individuals).
All the evidence that we have to this point indicates HMPPS do not intend to change course on this or a wide range of issues related to their failures to address the systemic problem of excessive workloads that is harming so many of us. That means we need to take collective action to protect our interests as workers.