Home / Careers / Social Worker

Social Worker jobs in the UK

Live social worker roles plus reconciled 2026 salary data by region.

11518 live social worker roles

Social Worker salary by region (2026)

RegionSalary range (median)
South West (indicative)
5 live adverts		 £29,000 – £124,500 (midpoint £100,092)
London (indicative)
no live adverts yet: baseline range		 £42,000 – £55,000 (midpoint £48,500)
Midlands (indicative)
2 live adverts		 £35,000 – £57,750 (midpoint £47,875)
South East (indicative)
no live adverts yet: baseline range		 £38,000 – £50,000 (midpoint £44,000)
Scotland (indicative)
no live adverts yet: baseline range		 £36,000 – £48,000 (midpoint £42,000)
Yorkshire (indicative)
no live adverts yet: baseline range		 £34,000 – £46,000 (midpoint £40,000)
East of England (indicative)
6 live adverts		 £23,512 – £71,500 (midpoint £39,550)
North West (indicative)
3 live adverts		 £31,860 – £62,500 (midpoint £38,441)

Methodology: medians reconcile live advertised UK salaries for this role and region; 25th–75th percentiles are shown only where at least 5 live salaried listings back them. They are measured or omitted, never interpolated. Rows marked indicative are anchored to our curated 2026 baseline ranges until enough live data accrues. Listings advertising an implausible annual figure (a mislabelled hourly or daily rate) are excluded rather than converted, because converting one means guessing the hours behind it.

Market view. Newly qualified social workers start around £34,000–£38,000, experienced and senior practitioners sit in the middle of the band and team managers above it (£50,000–£60,000). Agency locum rates of £35–£45 an hour run well above permanent pay. Family support and housing roles are typically £26,000–£34,000.
Full salary guides →

FAQs

What does a social worker earn?

Indicatively £34,000–£55,000 permanent, with London weighting and children's services at the top; locum £35–£45 an hour.

Do I need to be registered?

Yes. Social Work England (or the Scottish, Welsh or Northern Irish councils) registration is a legal requirement.

What do employers check?

Registration, enhanced DBS, right to work, references and often a practice assessment.

Search all social worker roles

Browse Social Worker jobs by location

Social Worker in London Social Worker in Manchester Social Worker in Birmingham Social Worker in Leeds Social Worker in Derby Social Worker in Nottingham Social Worker in Liverpool Social Worker in Glasgow Social Worker in Edinburgh Social Worker in Oxford Social Worker in Reading Social Worker in Southampton Social Worker in Sheffield Social Worker in York Social Worker in Warrington Social Worker in Preston Social Worker in Leicester Social Worker in Northampton Social Worker in Milton Keynes Social Worker in Slough Social Worker in Basingstoke Social Worker in Portsmouth Social Worker in Doncaster Social Worker in Bradford Social Worker in Wakefield Social Worker in Rotherham Social Worker in Aberdeen Social Worker in Stoke-On-Trent Social Worker in Lincoln Social Worker in Chesterfield Social Worker in Stockport Social Worker in Bolton Social Worker in Wigan Social Worker in Barnsley Social Worker in Huddersfield Social Worker in Brighton Social Worker in Bristol Social Worker in Cambridge Social Worker in Cardiff Social Worker in Newcastle Upon Tyne Social Worker in Exeter Social Worker in Swindon Social Worker in Plymouth Social Worker in Peterborough Social Worker in Norwich Social Worker in Ipswich Social Worker in Bedford Social Worker in Gloucester Social Worker in Colchester Social Worker in Middlesbrough Social Worker in Hemel Hempstead Social Worker in Belfast Social Worker in Luton Social Worker in Bournemouth Social Worker in Poole Social Worker in Swansea Social Worker in Kent Social Worker in Essex Social Worker in Surrey Social Worker in Oxfordshire Social Worker in Chester Social Worker in Sunderland Social Worker in Oldham Social Worker in Cheltenham Social Worker in Wrexham Social Worker in Blackburn Social Worker in Inverness Social Worker in Worcester Social Worker in Bath Social Worker in Wirral Social Worker in Southend-on-Sea
Help others hire with confidence

Reviews on Trustpilot

Worked with Verifera as a candidate or employer? Your honest review helps the next person trust verified hiring.

See our reviews on Trustpilot