Official pay data
Updated 15 October 2026
Salary guide
Official annual estimates for the whole country, mapped to the closest published occupation.
United Kingdom · gross annual earnings estimate
25th percentile
£39,517
Median
£44,550
75th percentile
£49,959
This ASHE benchmark covers full-time employee jobs, not self-employed income or part-time jobs. ASHE gross earnings include basic pay, overtime, incentive pay such as bonuses and commissions, shift premiums, and other cash pay. They are before deductions, exclude payments in kind, and are not take-home pay or the whole benefits package. Compare the benchmark with an offer on the same working-hours and annual-pay basis.
This is a country-level occupation benchmark, not a local offer estimate. Pay can differ by location, employer, duties, and working pattern.
Source: ONS, 2025-04-30. Mapped to Social workers; the occupation is broader than the page role. Figures are estimates, not advertised salaries.
The national benchmark maps directly to the broad Social workers occupation. It is useful for comparing a Social Worker employee offer because that occupation covers identifying care and support needs, reassessment, safeguarding and case records. It cannot determine pay for a particular children's, adult-services or specialist post.
Benchmark fit
Social Worker is a close fit for the mapped Social workers occupation: both cover identifying care and support needs, checking that care remains appropriate, intervening where safeguarding is needed, and maintaining case records. The benchmark spans different practice areas; it is not a pay estimate for one service or caseload.
The comparison stops at the broad occupational level. A post may focus on a narrower service-user group or setting, and its duties can differ with the service, client group and statutory setting.
Role scope
Social workers support individuals and families through difficult periods, seek solutions to problems and safeguard vulnerable children and adults from harm.
Find out what care and support a person needs, and carry out assessments to check that care remains appropriate. · Intervene when support or safeguarding is needed. · Keep records and write reports. · Work with organisations such as health services, schools, police and probation services when the case calls for it.
Assessments of needs and appropriate care. · Case records and reports.
Schools, hospitals, public-sector premises and voluntary-organisation premises.
This practice area supports children, young people and their families; it remains part of the broader Social Worker benchmark.
This practice area serves vulnerable adults and may involve a narrower population within the same broad occupation.
Read the range
When comparing two Social Worker offers, look at the work rather than treating the displayed range as a ladder: one post may centre on ongoing assessment and care planning, while another may involve safeguarding intervention, crisis response or coordination with outside services. These are differences in assignment, not evidence that a particular duty carries a particular salary.
One quarter of employees earn below this figure.
Half of employees earn below this figure and half above it; it is not the arithmetic midpoint of the displayed range.
One quarter of employees earn above this figure.
Location
Use the national figure as the main comparison, then treat the regional figures as supplementary context for the location of the role.
| Region | 25th percentile | Median | 75th percentile |
|---|---|---|---|
| East | Not published | £41,769 | Not published |
| East Midlands | Not published | £42,390 | Not published |
| London | Not published | £48,443 | Not published |
| North East | Not published | £42,834 | Not published |
| North West | Not published | £42,969 | Not published |
| Scotland | Not published | £45,524 | Not published |
| South East | Not published | £43,861 | Not published |
| South West | Not published | £41,898 | Not published |
| Wales | Not published | £43,693 | Not published |
| West Midlands | Not published | £43,058 | Not published |
| Yorkshire and The Humber | Not published | £40,966 | Not published |
A national occupation benchmark is not a local offer estimate; pay can differ by location, employer, duties and working pattern.
Beyond salary
Compare the offer's annual cash pay on the same hours basis as the benchmark. Then separate guaranteed pay from overtime, bonuses, commissions, shift premiums and other conditional cash, and assess benefits under their own terms.
A meaningful benchmark comparison needs the same working-hours and annual-pay basis.
Ask which payments are conditional, how they are calculated and whether they are included in the stated offer figure.
Check the terms separately because payments in kind are outside gross earnings and the benchmark is not a whole benefits package.
Offer review
Questions
Source
Source: ONS, 2025-04-30. The figures cover Social workers (2461) and full time employee jobs. Updated 15 October 2026. This broad occupation benchmark may not match every Social Worker vacancy.
Put the benchmark to work
Use the salary range as context. Tailor your CV around the experience that supports your target level.
