Loading ...NHS social workers in England will receive a 3.6% pay rise in 2025-26, the health and social care secretary has announced.
The increase is similar to the current rate of inflation, as measured by the government’s preferred consumer prices index (CPI) measure, which hit 3.5% in the 12 months to April 2025.
However, in a parliamentary statement, Wes Streeting claimed that the rise would amount to a real-terms increase over the course of 2025-26 given the government’s forecast for inflation.
The rise applies to staff on Agenda for Change (AfC) contracts, which includes NHS social workers and social care staff, as well as nurses, other health professionals besides doctors and non-clinical staff.
According to Skills for Care, there were an estimated 4,300 filled social work posts in the NHS in England as of March 2024.
Pay rise lower than last year but above government’s plan
The 3.6% increase was recommended by the independent NHS Pay Review Body (NHSPRB). Though well below the 5.5% recommended for 2024-25 – which was also accepted by ministers – it is above the 2.8% increase the government had budgeted for for 2025-26.
In his statement today, Streeting said the NHSPRB’s recommendations were “fair and well-evidenced”, and that the additional rise above the 2.8% planned increase would be resourced through efficiencies.
These include cutting staff numbers at NHS England (NHSE), ahead of its planned abolition, reducing duplication between NHSE and the Department of Health and Social Care (DHSC), cutting corporate services, like NHS communications teams and bringing down integrated care board (ICB) costs by 50%.
“As a result of the savings found, none of the pay increases will be paid for by cutting frontline services,” Streeting added.
Though the NHSPRB’s recommendations cover England, Wales and Northern Ireland, it will be for the devolved administrations in the latter two countries to determine whether to accept them.
Pay dispute on cards in local authorities
The 3.6% increase for England’s NHS social workers is slightly above the 3.2% being offered to most council practitioners by the National Joint Council for Local Government Services’ employers’ side.
All three local government unions – UNISON, GMB and Unite – have recommended that their members reject the offer, though the employers have said that it is their “full and final” proposal.
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What about carers yet again at tbe bottom of the food trail ! Ffs sort it out !
I’m all for pay rises for NHS social workers, but what about those of us who work for local authorities? The NHS is held up on a pedestal, whilst those in LA’s are truly in the trenches and largely forgotten about in the media (unless something goes wrong)!
In my experience, Child Safeguarding Social Workers work as hard as any other profession with huge complexity and challenges. The impact of the work is harder to quantify, however, it is undeniable that preventing and mitigating against childhood trauma and abuse is priceless. Perhaps that’s why we are left out of this pay rise…?