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Original poster

Below inflation pay rise for social workers and social work England fees to rise to £120

190 replies

forgodssakes · 24/07/2025 13:26

How are they getting away with this? The sector is in a recruitment crisis and services are stretched as it is, how can they continue to expect people to work under these conditions? 3.2% is pathetic compared to what nurses and teachers have been awarded. I expect that more people will leave the sector and social workers will continue to be criticised when things go wrong despite working under unworkable conditions and unsustainable caseloads. What can we do about this?

OP posts:
AlohaRose · 24/07/2025 14:23

forgodssakes · 24/07/2025 13:48

Nurses got a 5.5% pay rise last year.

And still the starting salaries for nurses are generally several thousand pounds short of the starting salary for a social worker? The nurses have got quite a way to go to catch up with social workers and getting a percentage increase a couple of points higher is never going to close that difference.

Snoopysimaginaryfriend · 24/07/2025 14:21

This reply has been withdrawn

This message has been withdrawn at the poster's request

UsingAMansNameInAWomensWorld · 24/07/2025 13:59

Wasn't the bigger pay rise for nurses to counter the low pay rises for years previously?

Original poster
forgodssakes · 24/07/2025 13:48

Nurses got a 5.5% pay rise last year.

OP posts:
AlohaRose · 24/07/2025 13:44

Where are you getting your figures for other professions from?! Nurses are getting 3.6%. Not saying it’s right, but you need to check your facts before alienating other professional groups who might well support your position.

Strawberries86 · 24/07/2025 13:41

I genuinely believe the small differences to other public sector pay rises is to purposely create discord between us.

Original poster
forgodssakes · 24/07/2025 13:40

I have had to cancel my annual leave twice this year. I didn’t get home until 10pm one day last week after placing children halfway across the country and driving back and I was back at work the next morning. It isn’t sustainable.

OP posts:
NigelPonsonbySmallpiece · 24/07/2025 13:36

That’s terrible. I’m a university lecturer and we’ve been awarded a below inflation rise. We also struggle to recruit lecturers. Course is an nhs allied health professionals degree and nhs colleagues won’t come over to HE as they say they earn more in the nhs.

which seeing as nhs wages aren’t great says a lot.

we are also struggling (nationally) to fill such courses. Partly because of rubbish nhs wages. So in five years time when there’s a massive shortage of nurses, etc I’m not sure what they’ll do. 🤷🏻‍♀️. Recruit from abroad I guess.

Original poster
forgodssakes · 24/07/2025 13:36

The most experienced social worker in our team who is not a practice consultant or advanced practitioner is 4 years qualified, I think that tells you something.

OP posts:
YourSnugGreyPanda · 24/07/2025 13:34

forgodssakes · 24/07/2025 13:32

This is the first year since I started work 3 years ago that we have got no newly qualified workers lined up to start in September and we can’t recruit students into our team who may stay after qualifying as there is not the experienced staff to be able to supervise them!

I don’t think 3 years really counts as experienced.

Bjorkdidit · 24/07/2025 13:33

What can you do?

Ask your union to lobby for better pay and conditions

Work rule/go on strike

Leave

It's shit but those are your options

YourSnugGreyPanda · 24/07/2025 13:32

Teachers have only been awarded 4%.

Original poster
forgodssakes · 24/07/2025 13:32

This is the first year since I started work 3 years ago that we have got no newly qualified workers lined up to start in September and we can’t recruit students into our team who may stay after qualifying as there is not the experienced staff to be able to supervise them!

OP posts:
MotherOfRatios · 24/07/2025 13:32

A lot of people don't like paying public sector workers a fair wage but then whine when things go wrong...

Its shockingly low

Strawberries86 · 24/07/2025 13:29

There will be the people on here who despise the profession and that will influence their views but I agree. I cannot recruit experienced workers. It’s on a knife edge.

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