Salary by profession · UK · 2026
Social worker salary in the UK
What is the average social worker salary in the UK?
The average UK social worker earns about £40,000 (ONS Annual Survey of Hours and Earnings (ASHE) 2025), typically £32,000–£50,000. That's around £2,693 a month take-home, and places the typical social worker in roughly the 52nd percentile of all UK earners — £961 above the national median.
Verified 12 August 2026
Social worker pay and take-home
| Gross salary | Take-home (year) | Take-home (month) | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Entry / lower | £32,000 | £26,560 | £2,213 |
| Typical (median) | £40,000 | £32,320 | £2,693 |
| Experienced / senior | £50,000 | £39,520 | £3,293 |
How social workers compare
The UK median full-time salary is £39,039. At £40,000, the typical social worker is earning £961 more than the national median — around the 52nd percentile of all earners. Senior practitioner and team-manager roles, and locum work, pay above the median.
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