Social Worker Salary UK 2026
The average advertised pay for a Social Worker, based on live UK vacancies — with how it compares to similar roles and how many jobs are available right now.
By Louisa Lowe, Editor — Careers & Workplace · Updated 1 July 2026£65,000
median advertised salary
1,183
live jobs right now
43%
permanent roles
75%
via agencies
The average advertised salary for a Social Worker in the UK is £65,000 a year, based on 88 live vacancies carrying salary information this month. 43% of current adverts are permanent, and 75% are posted through recruitment agencies.
Social Worker adverts mention AI or automation 0% of the time — among the most AI-proof roles we track.
How Social Worker pay compares
Median advertised salary across UK roles with similar pay.
Similar roles at a glance
| Role | Median pay | Live jobs | Permanent | AI mentions |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Social Worker | £65,000 | 1,183 | 43% | 0% |
| Software Developer | £60,000 | 406 | 79% | 16% |
| Pharmacist | £60,000 | 35 | 63% | 0% |
| Estimator | £58,000 | 609 | 96% | 0% |
| Project Manager | £55,000 | 1,634 | 77% | 0% |
| Business Analyst | £55,000 | 496 | 63% | 7% |
| Quantity Surveyor | £55,000 | 1,433 | 90% | 0% |
| Physiotherapist | £55,000 | 49 | 86% | 1% |
| Sales Assistant | £50,000 | 1,376 | 94% | 3% |
Browse 1,183 live Social Worker jobs →
How we calculate this. Figures come from live Social Worker vacancies in the CV-Library feed, refreshed monthly. The median uses adverts that state pay; hourly and weekly rates are annualised (hourly × 37.5 × 52). Ambiguous or "competitive" salaries are excluded rather than guessed. Read the full methodology →