Average Healthcare Social Worker Salary in United Kingdom for 2024

In this article, we will look at the average Healthcare Social Worker salary for 2024 in United Kingdom and how that compares to other countries and professions. We'll also look at interesting salary data points like median salary, 25th and 75th percentile salaries, salary amounts based on experience, bonus ranges and more!

The data in this article has been compiled using official government salary data, salary surveys, and other sources such as job postings which contain salary information.

All salary information is in the local currency, which is the British pound. To keep things simple, we are using the GBP currency code instead of the currency symbol £.

How Much Does a Healthcare Social Worker Make in United Kingdom?

A Healthcare Social Worker working in United Kingdom will typically earn around 26,600 GBP per year, and this can range from the lowest average salary of about 12,200 GBP to the highest average salary of 42,400 GBP.

Average Annual Salary
26,600 GBP
Average Monthly Salary
2,216 GBP

Lowest Annual Salary
12,200 GBP
Lowest Monthly Salary
1,016 GBP

Highest Annual Salary
42,400 GBP
Highest Monthly Salary
3,533 GBP

These are average salaries for a Healthcare Social Worker in United Kingdom and include benefits such as housing and transport. It's also possible for a Healthcare Social Worker to earn more or less than the average salaries shown above.

Healthcare Social Worker salaries will vary a lot based on your experience, location, skills, and gender. Keep reading below to research more data on each of these areas.

Distribution of Healthcare Social Worker Salaries in United Kingdom

So we've looked at the average salaries a Healthcare Social Worker will earn in United Kingdom. The next interesting data point is the distribution of salaries.

Salary ranges

We already know that a Healthcare Social Worker can earn between 12,200 GBP and 42,400 GBP on average in United Kingdom. This is known as the range in statistics.

The difference between the maximum and minimum values is a good indicator of variability in salaries, and can be used by employers to figure out how much they can expect to pay, and for employees to know how much they can earn.

Median salary

The median salary for a Healthcare Social Worker in United Kingdom is 29,000 GBP. This is the middle value in the distribution of salaries.

What this means is that approximately 50% of the population earn less than 29,000 GBP, and 50% of the population earn more than 29,000 GBP.

If you are earning more than the median salary, that's a good indicator that you are being paid well.

If you're not earning more than the median salary, your objective should be to increase your earnings to be at least as high as the median salary (which you can do by asking for a pay rise, looking for a better paying job, etc).

Percentiles

Percentiles are similar to the median salary, but instead of looking at the middle value, they look at the values in the top and bottom half of the distribution.

For the average Healthcare Social Worker salary in United Kingdom, 25% of the population are earning less than 19,200 GBP while 75% of the population earn more than 19,200 GBP.

75% of the population earn less than 38,100 GBP, and 25% of the population earn more than 38,100 GBP.

Like the median salary, the 25th and 75th percentile salaries can be used to determine which quartile you fall into so that you know whether you are being paid well enough compared to others in your profession and location.

The difference between a median and an average salary

The median and average salary are both indicators you can use to see if you are being paid fairly based on the overall population.

  • If your salary is higher than the average and the median salary, you are earning well compared to others.
  • If your salary is lower than the average and the median salary, it could indicate you are not being paid well enough.
  • If you are somewhere in between then it's tricky to determine if you are being paid well enough and you might need to research more closely.

Healthcare Social Worker Salary by Experience Level in United Kingdom

The most important factor in determining your salary after the specific profession is the number of years experience you have. It stands to reason that more years of experience will result in a higher wage.

We have researched the average healthcare social worker salary based on years of experience to give you an idea of how the average changes once you've worked for a certain amount of time.

  • 0 - 2 Years Experience. A Healthcare Social Worker in United Kingdom that has less than two years of experience can expect to earn somewhere in the region of 13,900 GBP.
  • 2 - 5 Years Experience. With two to five years of experience the average Healthcare Social Worker salary would increase to 17,100 GBP.
  • 5 - 10 Years Experience. From five to ten years of experience as a Healthcare Social Worker, the average salary would be 27,100 GBP.
  • 10 - 15 Years Experience. Once you have more than ten years of experience the average salary reaches around 32,300 GBP.
  • 15 - 20 Years Experience. A Healthcare Social Worker with 15 to 20 years of experience can earn an average of 36,000 GBP.
  • 20+ Years Experience. For a Healthcare Social Worker with more than 20 years, the expected average salary increases to 38,000 GBP.

Average Salary by Experience Chart

0-2 Years
13,900 GBP
2-5 Years +34%
17,100 GBP
5-10 Years +48%
27,100 GBP
10-15 Years +22%
32,300 GBP
15-20 Years +9%
36,000 GBP
20+ Years +8%
38,000 GBP

Healthcare Social Worker Salary by Education Level in United Kingdom

As well as experience in a job, your education plays a big role in how much you can earn. A lot of higher paying positions require a high level of education, but how much can a degree increase your salary?

In our research we have compared the salaries of employees in the same job and career level with different levels of education to see how much more you can earn at each education level.

The salary you can earn based on your education is very specific to both your location and the career path you choose.

In our research, we looked at the average salary for a Healthcare Social Worker in United Kingdom based on the education level of the employees in order to find out whether a better education level would increase your salary.

  • High School. A Healthcare Social Worker in United Kingdom with a high school education can earn an average salary of 14,200 GBP.

  • Certificate or Diploma. A Healthcare Social Worker in United Kingdom with a certificate or diploma education can earn an average salary of 26,200 GBP.

  • Bachelor's Degree. A Healthcare Social Worker in United Kingdom with a bachelor's degree education can earn an average salary of 41,900 GBP.

Average Salary by Education Chart

High School
14,200 GBP
Certificate or Diploma +57%
26,200 GBP
Bachelor's Degree +68%
41,900 GBP

How Much is a Master's Degree or MBA Program?

The approximate cost of a master's degree or post-graduate program like an MBA in United Kingdom is around 29,600 to 88,700 GBP and takes two years to complete.

As you can see above, there are financial benefits from reaching master's degree level, but don't expect to see much of a salary increase until you have completed the degree.

It's common for people to pursue an MBA or other post-graduate program in order to switch to a a job that pays more. On average, you can expect to earn around 10% more when switching to a new company.

Whether you decide to pursue a master's degree depends on many factors. If you are able to afford it, the numbers suggest that the return on investment is worth it and you could recover the costs in a few years from the salary increase you would receive.

Healthcare Social Worker Salary Compared by Gender

In the modern age, we know that there should never be a pay gap between men and women. Unfortunately, in many professions, there is still a significant difference between the salaries earned by men when compared to the salary of women in the same job.

In United Kingdom, a male healthcare social worker will earn an average of 25,700 GBP, while a female healthcare social worker will earn around 27,000 GBP.

This means that a male healthcare social worker earns approximately 5% less than a female healthcare social worker for performing the same job.

Average Salary by Gender Chart in United Kingdom

Male
25,700 GBP
Female +5%
27,000 GBP

Healthcare Social Worker Average Pay Raise in United Kingdom

In many countries, an annual pay raise is often given to employees to reward their service with a salary increase.

From our research, we can see that the average pay raise for a Healthcare Social Worker in United Kingdom is around 10% every 16 months.

The national average pay raise across all professions and industries in United Kingdom is around 9% every 15 months.

In this case, we can see that the number of months between the average pay raise is higher than the typical 12 months.

To make the data more meaningful, we can calculate what the approximate annual pay raise would be using a simple formula:

Annual Increase = ( Increase Rate ÷ Months ) × 12

So for this example, it would be:

Annual Increase = ( 10 ÷ 16 ) × 12  = 8%

What this means is that a Healthcare Social Worker in United Kingdom can expect to receive an average pay raise of around 8% every 12 months.

Annual Pay Raise by Industry in United Kingdom for 2024

In the chart below, you can see the average annual pay raise percentages for each of the major industries in United Kingdom.

You will see that companies in bigger and more lucrative industries tend to have the higher annual pay raises.

Banking
3%
Energy
6%
Information Technology
9%
Healthcare
3%
Travel
6%
Construction
9%
Education
3%

Healthcare Social Worker Bonus and Incentive Rates in United Kingdom

Another part of your overall compensation in a job is how much bonus you receive. Some job roles will be more likely to pay a bonus than others and also more likely to have higher bonus rates.

Generally speaking, jobs that are more involved with direct revenue generation will receive higher bonuses based on the performance towards revenue goals.

A Healthcare Social Worker is a low bonus based job, with 35% of employees reporting at least one bonus in the last 12 months.

65% reported that they had not received any bonuses in the previous 12 months.

For the employees that did receive a bonus in the previous 12 months, the reported bonuses ranged from 0% to 4%.

Received Bonus
35%
No Bonus
65%

What are the Types of Bonus?

There are a number of difference types of bonus you can receive in a job. Including:

  • Individual performance bonus - This is a bonus that is awarded to an individual employee for general performance in the job. It's the most common type of bonus.
  • Company performance bonus - This is a bonus that is awarded to a company employees to share profit with the staff.
  • Goal based bonus - This is a bonus that is awarded to an individual employee (or a team) for achieving specific goals, objectives, or milestones.
  • Holiday bonus - This type of bonus is usually paid around the holidays, often the end of the year, and is a token of appreciation for the hard work throughout the year.

Government vs Private Sector Salaries

Another commonly asked question is whether you get paid a higher salary working in the public (government) sector or the private sector.

Public sector employees in United Kingdom earn approximately 7% more than private sector employees in the same role.

Public Sector
72,700 GBP
Private Sector -7%
68,200 GBP

Salaries for Jobs Similar to a Healthcare Social Worker

In the table below, we have salary information for jobs that are similar to a Healthcare Social Worker in United Kingdom.

Job Title Category Salary
Activity Aide Fundraising and Non Profit 24,800 GBP
Activity Coordinator Fundraising and Non Profit 20,700 GBP
Activity Leader Fundraising and Non Profit 45,300 GBP
Adoption Specialist Fundraising and Non Profit 79,000 GBP
Assistant Programme Officer Fundraising and Non Profit 46,300 GBP
Campaign Manager Fundraising and Non Profit 88,500 GBP
Charities Administrator Fundraising and Non Profit 52,800 GBP
Charities Fundraiser Fundraising and Non Profit 56,600 GBP
Civil Servant Fundraising and Non Profit 23,400 GBP
Civil Service Administrator Fundraising and Non Profit 35,600 GBP
Community Health Worker Fundraising and Non Profit 24,400 GBP
Community Relations Representative Fundraising and Non Profit 38,000 GBP
Community Service Manager Fundraising and Non Profit 75,800 GBP
Community Volunteer Fundraising and Non Profit 23,400 GBP
Community Worker Fundraising and Non Profit 20,700 GBP
Custodial Worker Fundraising and Non Profit 27,400 GBP
Education Planning Specialist Fundraising and Non Profit 78,700 GBP
Foundation Assistant Fundraising and Non Profit 31,700 GBP
Foundation Director Fundraising and Non Profit 105,800 GBP
Foundation Program Coordinator Fundraising and Non Profit 61,700 GBP
Fundraiser Fundraising and Non Profit 56,900 GBP
Fundraising Coordinator Fundraising and Non Profit 37,100 GBP
Fundraising Director Fundraising and Non Profit 102,700 GBP
Fundraising Manager Fundraising and Non Profit 99,100 GBP
Grant Writer Fundraising and Non Profit 30,000 GBP
Homeless Shelter Worker Fundraising and Non Profit 24,400 GBP
Major Gift Officer Fundraising and Non Profit 22,400 GBP
Orphan Program Coordinator Fundraising and Non Profit 39,500 GBP
Rehab Aide Fundraising and Non Profit 29,600 GBP
Rehabilitation Aide Fundraising and Non Profit 29,300 GBP
Social Worker Fundraising and Non Profit 22,300 GBP
Sponsorship Coordinator Fundraising and Non Profit 35,500 GBP
Volunteer Coordinator Fundraising and Non Profit 30,100 GBP

Salary Comparison by City

If you want to compare salaries with different cities in United Kingdom, you can use the links below to explore the data for each specific city we have researched.

City Average Salary
Aberdeen 26,900 GBP
Abingdon 20,100 GBP
Armagh 26,500 GBP
Bangor 23,200 GBP
Belfast 28,800 GBP
Birmingham 27,700 GBP
Bradford 26,500 GBP
Brighton 25,800 GBP
Bristol 31,200 GBP
Cambridge 23,100 GBP
Canterbury 24,400 GBP
Cardiff 26,100 GBP
Chester 23,100 GBP
Coventry 29,600 GBP
Derby 26,100 GBP
Derry 23,600 GBP
Dundee 25,300 GBP
Durham 24,800 GBP
Edinburgh 28,800 GBP
Exeter 23,300 GBP
Glasgow 29,600 GBP
Gloucester 22,400 GBP
Hartlepool 23,300 GBP
Inverness 22,200 GBP
Kingston upon Hull 27,400 GBP
Kirkwall 21,300 GBP
Leeds 29,200 GBP
Leicester 27,300 GBP
Lincoln 22,400 GBP
Lisburn 25,400 GBP
Liverpool 26,300 GBP
London 27,400 GBP
Manchester 28,900 GBP
Newcastle 29,600 GBP
Newport 27,400 GBP
Newry 22,200 GBP
Norwich 26,600 GBP
Nottingham 27,300 GBP
Oxford 23,600 GBP
Peterborough 24,200 GBP
Plymouth 26,500 GBP
Poole 27,400 GBP
Portsmouth 25,500 GBP
Ripon 20,100 GBP
Salisbury 21,500 GBP
Sheffield 27,200 GBP
Somerset 25,500 GBP
Southampton 27,100 GBP
St Davids 23,800 GBP
Stirling 23,600 GBP
Stromness 23,000 GBP
Strontian 23,000 GBP
Swansea 25,800 GBP
Truro 23,100 GBP
Wakefield 23,700 GBP
Wells 20,000 GBP
Winchester 23,800 GBP
Wolverhampton 27,000 GBP
York 27,300 GBP

Salary Comparison by State

The table below includes links to the average salary for each state in United Kingdom.

City Average Salary
England 49,100 GBP
Northern Ireland 23,800 GBP
Scotland 35,300 GBP
Wales 22,800 GBP

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