Support Worker Jobs

Support Worker jobs: frequently asked questions

Welcome to our support worker jobs page, featuring all the latest roles across the UK as well as frequently asked questions below.

What is a support worker?

The term support worker is often used interchangeably with care worker, care assistant or carer.

However, despite there being many similarities between these roles and where they’re performed, there are important differences.

Put simply, support workers support vulnerable people, while care workers care for them.

In practice, that means support workers focus on providing practical and emotional support to people with physical, social or mental health issues.

Clients therefore normally include people with learning disabilities or addictions, young offenders, vulnerable children or other at-risk groups.

Support workers can work in the community, at people’s homes or in specialist care facilities.

What are the day-to-day duties of a support worker?

Your responsibilities will vary according to the people you work with and the setting you work in.

But generally, they could include:

• Assessing the needs of people you support

• Writing up assessments and making referrals where needed

• Providing emotional support

• Working closely with families to personalise support

• Managing budgets

• Organising leisure activities

• Counselling

• Liaising with and making referrals to other agencies

• Working closely with employees from related disciplines including mental health or child protection professionals

• Maintaining accurate records Working hours for support workers are fairly routine.

You can expect to work Monday to Friday, and around 37 hours a week.

What qualifications do you need to be a support worker?

There are no specific qualifications required to become a support worker.

You will normally need GCSE grades A to C in English and maths, and an NVQ or similar qualification in health or social care will definitely make you more employable.

As for skills, you’ll need to be extremely patient, resilient, compassionate and diplomatic.

You’ll need to be a natural communicator, and someone who thrives under pressure and in challenging situations.

Being a support worker is hugely rewarding, but you’ll need all of these skills to rise to the challenges.

How much do support workers earn?

According to the latest data, the average annual salary for a support worker is approximately £19,000.

Salaries start around £17,000 a year, but with experience they can go well beyond £25,000 a year.

Pay varies greatly regionally, and also according to the setting in which you work.

Managerial positions can often pay in excess of £33,000 a year.

Support workers are in increasingly high demand, and this could see average salaries rise in the coming years.

Find your next support worker job today

View our latest support worker jobs above, or if you can’t find what you’re looking for, create an account, register your CV, and we’ll send you the latest roles as soon as they come up.