Average pay for adult social workers up for first time in five years but salaries no higher than 2013 levels Vacancy rate for adults' practitioners continues long downward trend and stood at 7.5% as of September 2020, official figures show Photo: md3d/Fotolia Adult social workers in English councils received their first real-terms pay rise in five years last year, but pay was no higher than it was in 2013, official figures have shown. The 2% rise in median full-time wages, to £35,800 as of September last year, followed four years in which average pay had stayed still or fallen. However, NHS Digital’s annual report on the adult social services workforce showed that average pay for social workers was no higher than it was in 2013 when inflation – according to the government’s preferred consumer prices index (CPI) measure – is taken into account.