Social workers salary in North West
Full-time average annual pay in North West
£42,829
Based on ~15,000 employees · 2025 · moderate suppression
Median
£42,829
Mean
£42,638
| Statistic | Annual pay (gross) |
|---|---|
| Median | £42,829 |
| Mean | £42,638 |
Region-level range withheld by ONS — UK-wide, the middle half of social workers earn £35,841–£48,907. See full methodology →
Employment patterns
- 84% of Social workers work full-time
- 1.8% are self-employed
- 93% of employees have permanent contracts
Understanding Social workers pay in North West
The typical social workers in North West earns a median salary of £42,829 in 2025/26, based on around 15,000 employees — broadly in line with the UK-wide median of £42,708. These figures come from the ONS Annual Survey of Hours and Earnings (ASHE), so they reflect actual reported pay rather than self-reported estimates or job-advert ranges.
Across the UK, North West ranks 3rd of 11 regions for social workers pay. Regional medians run from £37,044 in East Midlands up to £46,435 in London, a spread of £9,391 (25%).
The mean (average) salary is £42,638, close to the median — the two measures broadly agree for social workers in North West, and the median remains the clearest guide to typical pay.
To see what £42,829 means after income tax and National Insurance, use the take-home pay calculator below — it also factors in student loan repayments.
Take-home pay estimate
Tax year 2025/26| Monthly | Annual | |
|---|---|---|
| Gross salary | £3,569 | £42,829 |
| Income tax | £504 | £6,052 |
| National Insurance | £202 | £2,421 |
| Take-home pay | £2,863 | £34,356 |
Estimate only · 2025/26 HMRC rates · Standard tax code · No pension contribution · Not financial or tax advice
How Social workers pay varies by region
London is the highest-paying region for social workers at £46,435 — 9% above the UK median. East Midlands is lowest at £37,044.
UK median £42,708
| Region | Median payUK median £42,708 | Median | Mean | vs UK median |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| London | £46,435 | £46,435 | £47,067 | +9% |
| Scotland | £44,428 | £44,428 | £42,737 | +4% |
| North West (current region) | £42,829 | £42,829 | £42,638 | ±0% |
| North East | £42,179 | £42,179 | £40,327 | -1% |
| Wales | £42,029 | £42,029 | £40,502 | -2% |
| South West | £41,199 | £41,199 | £38,619 | -4% |
| South East | £41,026 | £41,026 | £39,733 | -4% |
| East of England | £40,836 | £40,836 | £41,161 | -4% |
| West Midlands | £40,415 | £40,415 | £39,120 | -5% |
| Yorkshire and the Humber | £38,170 | £38,170 | £36,820 | -11% |
| East Midlands | £37,044 | £37,044 | £36,070 | -13% |
| Region | Median | vs UK |
|---|---|---|
| London £46,435 | £46,435Mean £47,067 | +9% |
| Scotland £44,428 | £44,428Mean £42,737 | +4% |
| North West (current region) £42,829 | £42,829Mean £42,638 | ±0% |
| North East £42,179 | £42,179Mean £40,327 | -1% |
| Wales £42,029 | £42,029Mean £40,502 | -2% |
| South West £41,199 | £41,199Mean £38,619 | -4% |
| South East £41,026 | £41,026Mean £39,733 | -4% |
| East of England £40,836 | £40,836Mean £41,161 | -4% |
| West Midlands £40,415 | £40,415Mean £39,120 | -5% |
| Yorkshire and the Humber £38,170 | £38,170Mean £36,820 | -11% |
| East Midlands £37,044 | £37,044Mean £36,070 | -13% |
Sorted highest median to lowest. The vertical line marks the UK median (£42,708); ‘Vs UK median’ compares each region’s median to it. Suppressed values mean ONS withheld this figure because the sample was too small to publish.
How social workers pay in North West has changed over time
Median annual pay for social workers in North West by year, shown against the UK-wide median (Source: ONS ASHE). The shaded band is the UK-wide 25th–75th percentile range — ONS does not publish percentile ranges at region level.
North West median
UK median
▪ UK-wide 25th–75th percentile range
Pre-2021 figures mapped from SOC 2010 via ONS concordance table
Compare with…
How the figures are sourced
Data sources: Official UK earnings data (2025 provisional)(opens in new tab)
Related roles in Welfare Professionals
Other published roles in this occupation group. View category overview →