Bring Social Work Funding Support in Line with Nursing and Teaching, says LGA
More than half (52 per cent) of adult social workers experience increased severity and complexity of need in their caseloads, while capacity and resources do not keep pace with the demand, a new survey by the Local Government Association (LGA) reveals.
The LGA is calling for social work funding support models to be aligned with nursing, allied health, and teaching to secure the future of the workforce.
In its submission to the Department of Health and Social Care’s consultation on proposed reforms to the Social Work Bursary (SWB) and the Education Support Grant (ESG), the LGA highlights that high vacancy rates, retention challenges and placement shortages mean financial support available for social work students must be strengthened.
In 2025, there were more than 56,000 children’s and adult social workers employed by local councils in England, providing statutory services that support and safeguard children, families, and vulnerable adults.
Findings from the LGA’s 2026 Adult Social Care Employer Standards Health Check survey indicate overall Employer Standards continue to improve but show widespread and persistent challenges across local authorities, including workload pressures, stress, limited placement capacity, and difficulties maintaining the required staffing levels to deliver safe and effective services.
It suggests that current funding is insufficient to run safe and high-quality placements while 48 per cent of non-registered social care workers surveyed also often experience excessive pressure in their work.
To improve access and remove financial and practical barriers, the LGA, which represents councils across England, is calling for targeted financial support for disabled students, low-income, and those with caring responsibilities. It supports the use of a Social Work Hardship fund open to all student groups, and a needs-based approach to ESG allocation to bring social workers in line with comparable public service professions, including nursing, allied health professionals, and teaching.
The LGA emphasises that the SWB and ESG schemes are equally essential. Training routes for both undergraduate and postgraduate are vital, and increasing support for one must not come at the expense of the other. Any reform to the schemes should widen participation for care-experienced, disabled, low-income and mature students; improve travel reimbursement; support return to practice routes, and enhance the quality of practice placements.
Cllr Pete Marland, Chair of the LGA’s Local Government Resource’s Committee, said: “We must protect overall investment in our future social workers to secure a stable pipeline of talent for the sector.
“Councils and higher education providers need stable, predictable funding that enables effective planning and supports students to choose social work, and stay in the profession, so we can continue delivering vital services for local people.
“Social workers deliver an essential public service in every community – safeguarding our children, ensuring delivery of good care for disabled and older adults, and supporting community wellbeing. The financial backing for this workforce should recognise that contribution and align social work support models with equivalent public service professions.”
