Registration renewal and CPD progress reports

Registration renewal and CPD progress report (September 2024)

Social workers in England who want to continue practising must renew their registration by 30 November.

Social workers must be on Social Work England’s register to practise legally. They must renew annually, so the public can be sure they continue to meet the professional standards and practise safely.

Social workers in England have been applying to renew their registration since 1 September. Social workers must be on Social Work England’s register to practise legally. They must renew annually, so the public can be reassured they continue to meet the professional standards and practise safely.

As part of the renewal process, social workers are reminded they must use their online account to complete all 3 actions of the registration renewal process. They need to:

• submit their registration renewal application form
• pay their registration fee
• record a minimum of 2 different pieces of continuing professional development (CPD). They must include a peer reflection with at least one of these pieces of CPD

They must complete all of the above by 11:59pm (UK time) on 30 November 2024.

About the social work register

Comparing 2024 and 2023

Please note that this data excludes social workers with an open voluntary removal case.

Social workers registered before 1 September (required to complete the 3 actions to renew their registration)

• 30 September 2024: 104,342
• 30 September 2023: 101,738

Social workers who have joined or restored to the register since 1 September (only required to pay registration fee)

• 30 September 2024: 945
• 30 September 2023: 985

Registration renewal application form and CPD progress

The data below is only for social workers on the register before 1 September each year. They are required to complete 3 actions to renew their registration:

• submit an application form
• pay their registration fee
• meet the CPD requirements

Social workers who join the register from 1 September do not need to submit a registration renewal application form or record CPD for this registration year. However, they do need to pay the registration fee by 30 November.

Registration renewal application progress

Comparing 2024 and 2023

Social workers who have submitted a completed renewal form

• 30 September 2024: 14,995 (14.4%)
• 30 September 2023: 17,430 (17.1%)

Social workers who have started renewal form, but not yet completed it

• September 2024: 6,295 (6.0%)
• September 2023: 6,087% (6.0%)

Social workers who have not yet started a renewal form

• September 2024: 83,052 (79.6%)
• September 2023: 78,221 (76.9%)

Of those social workers that have submitted a completed renewal form, 6,578 (43.9%) have not yet met all CPD requirements, compared to 7,079 (40.6%%) in September 2023.

CPD progress

Comparing 2024 and 2023

Social workers who have met all CPD requirements

• 30 September 2024: 11,732 (11.2%)
• 30 September 2023: 14,026 (13.8%)

Social workers who have started the CPD process but not yet met all CPD requirements

• 30 September 2024: 6,295 (6.0%)
• 30 September 2023: 6,951 (6.8%)

Social workers who have yet to submit any valid CPD records

• 30 September 2024: 86,315 (82.7%)
• 30 September 2023: 80,761 (79.4%)

Social Work England website availability

The Social Work England website and online account were available for 99.9% of September 2024 compared to 99.9% in September 2023. This excludes planned outages for maintenance.

An update from Social Work England

Philip Hallam, Executive Director of Regulation said:

“As the sector is aware, we’re now a third of the way through the registration renewal period. We’re pleased to see that the profession is growing and there are now over 104,000 social workers on the social work register.

“As part of our renewal process, we closely monitor application progress given the scale of applications we receive over a 3 month period. The number of applications submitted and CPD recorded is slightly lower than the same point last year. However, there has been an increase this week as a result of sending the first registration renewal reminder emails on Monday 30 September. We encourage all social workers to complete their application to renew in plenty of time, to avoid the last-minute rush and allow sufficient time for focus and reflection.

“Recording CPD is a way for social workers to demonstrate that they are fit to practise with up to date skills and knowledge. It provides evidence of personal development and reflection on practice. This is critical to supporting high quality practice which will provide the best possible support to the public. There are no changes to the CPD requirements for social workers this year.

“If you are yet to submit your application to renew or record CPD, we have various resources available on our website to support you with the process. This includes examples of CPD and step-by-step videos on how to record CPD. Our regional engagement leads are also hosting online sessions to help with your registration renewal application.”

Registration renewal and CPD progress report (October 2024)

Social workers in England who want to continue practising must renew their registration by 30 November.

Social workers must be on Social Work England’s register to practise legally. They must renew annually, so the public can be sure they continue to meet the professional standards and practise safely.

Social workers in England have been applying to renew their registration since 1 September. Social workers must be on Social Work England’s register to practise legally. They must renew annually, so the public can be reassured they continue to meet the professional standards and practise safely.

As part of the renewal process, social workers are reminded they must use their online account to complete all 3 actions of the registration renewal process. They need to:

• submit their registration renewal application form
• pay their registration fee
• record a minimum of 2 different pieces of continuing professional development (CPD). They must include a peer reflection with at least one of these pieces of CPD

They must complete all of the above by 11:59pm (UK time) on 30 November 2024.

About the social work register

Comparing 2024 and 2023

Please note that this data excludes social workers with an open voluntary removal case.

Social workers registered before 1 September (required to complete the 3 actions to renew their registration)

• 31 October 2024: 104,054
• 31October 2023: 101,453

Social workers who have joined or restored to the register since 1 September (only required to pay registration fee)

• 31 October 2024: 1,789
• 31 October 2023: 2,115

Registration renewal application form and CPD progress

The data below is only for social workers on the register before 1 September each year. They are required to complete 3 actions to renew their registration:

• submit an application form
• pay their registration fee
• meet the CPD requirements

Of those social workers required to complete the 3 actions above, at 31 October 2024, 25,319 (24.3%) had completed all 3, compared to 25,353 (25%) at 31 October 2023.

Social workers who join the register from 1 September do not need to submit a registration renewal application form or record CPD for this registration year. However, they do need to pay the registration fee by 30 November.

Of those social workers that are only required to pay the registration fee by 30 November 2024, at 31 October 2024, 967 (54.1%) have paid, compared to 1,171 (55.4%) at 31 October 2023.

Registration renewal application progress

Comparing 2024 and 2023

Social workers who have submitted a completed renewal form

• 31 October 2024: 36,794 (35.4%)
• 31 October 2023: 37,181 (36.6%)

Social workers who have started renewal form, but not yet completed it

• 31 October 2024: 12,306 (11.8%)
• 31 October 2023: 11,786 (11.6%)

Social workers who have not yet started a renewal form

• 31 October 2024: 54,954 (58.2%)
• 31 October 2023: 52,486 (51.7%)

Of those social workers that have submitted a completed renewal form, 11,444 (31.1%) have not yet met all CPD requirements, compared to 11,804 (31.7%)* in October 2023.

* This figure has been amended since the publication at this time last year.

CPD progress

Comparing 2024 and 2023

Social workers who have met all CPD requirements

• 31 October 2024: 27,771 (26.7%)
• 31 October 2023: 28,201 (27.8%)

Social workers who have started the CPD process but not yet met all CPD requirements

• 31 October 2024: 7,527 (7.2%)
• 31 October 2023: 8,007 (7.9%)

Social workers who have yet to submit any valid CPD records

• 31 October 2024: 68,756 (66.1%)
• 31 October 2023: 65,245 (64.3%)

Social Work England website availability

The Social Work England website and online account were available for 99.9% of October 2024 compared to 99.9% in October 2023. This excludes planned outages for maintenance.

An update from Social Work England

Philip Hallam, Executive Director of Regulation said:

“Since we opened the registration renewal period at the start of September, we have seen a significant number of social workers complete their continuing professional development (CPD) and their registration application. It’s great to see social workers continue to be committed to maintaining and enhancing their professional skills and knowledge so they can continue to practise safely and effectively.

"We regularly remind social workers to take action and urge them to access their online account and complete the necessary steps to apply to renew their registration. These communications are tailored for each social worker, outlining to them what actions they need to do next. For example, we recently contacted social workers who have recorded draft CPD on their online account to remind them to log in and submit their records to meet the CPD requirement.

"Social workers that complete all 3 actions of the registration renewal process by 12 November 2024 will receive an email from us on 13 November 2024 confirming that there are no further actions to take. This will give these social workers and their employers assurance that all the actions required to apply to renew registration have been completed. We will then contact social workers who completed and submitted their renewal application after 30 November to let them know the outcome. After 1 December, social workers can check their registration status on the public register on our website.

"With less than 4 weeks until the end of the registration renewal, social workers wishing to renew their application should log in well ahead of the deadline to complete the registration renewal application process to avoid a last minute rush, or the possibility of being removed from the register after 30 November.”

Registration renewal and CPD progress report (14 November 2024)

Social workers in England have been applying to renew their registration since 1 September.

Social workers must be on Social Work England’s register to practise legally. They must renew annually, so the public can be sure they continue to meet the professional standards and practise safely.

As part of the renewal process, social workers are reminded they must use their online account to complete all 3 actions of the registration renewal process. They need to:

• submit their registration renewal application form
• pay their registration fee
• record a minimum of 2 different pieces of continuing professional development (CPD). They must include a peer reflection with at least one of these pieces of CPD

They must complete all of the above by 11:59pm (UK time) on 30 November 2024.

About the social work register

Comparing 2024 and 2023

To be able to provide a comparison at the same point in time of the registration renewal period, data has been included at the point of the Thursday of the third week in November. This equates to the 14 November 2024 and the 16 November 2023. Please note that this data excludes social workers with an open voluntary removal case.

Please note that this data excludes social workers with an open voluntary removal case.

Social workers registered before 1 September (required to complete the 3 actions to renew their registration)

• 14 November 2024: 103,885
• 16 November 2023: 101,217

Social workers who have joined or restored to the register since 1 September (only required to pay registration fee)

• 14 November 2024: 2,029
• 16 November 2023: 2,419

Registration renewal application form and CPD progress

The data below is only for social workers on the register before 1 September each year. They are required to complete 3 actions to renew their registration:

• submit an application form
• pay their registration fee
• meet the CPD requirements

Of those social workers required to complete the 3 actions above, at 14 November 2024, 41,945 (40.4%) had completed all 3, compared to 45,875 (45.3%) at 16 November 2023.

Social workers who join the register from 1 September do not need to submit a registration renewal application form or record CPD for this registration year. However, they do need to pay the registration fee by 30 November.

Of those social workers that are only required to pay the registration fee by 30 November 2024, at 14 November 2024, 1,400 (69.0%) have paid, compared to 1,886 (78.0%) at 16 November 2023.

Registration renewal application progress

Comparing 2024 and 2023

Social workers who have submitted a completed renewal form

• 14 November 2024: 53,331 (51.3%)
• 16 November 2023: 58,023 (57.3%)

Social workers who have started renewal form, but not yet completed it

• 14 November 2024: 14,408 (13.9%)
• 16 November 2023: 12,962 (12.8%)

Social workers who have not yet started a renewal form

• 14 November 2024: 36,146 (34.8%)
• 16 November 2023: 30,232 (29.9%)

Of those social workers that have submitted a completed renewal form, 11,360 (21.3%) have not yet met all CPD requirements, compared to 12,133 (20.9%) at 16 November 2023.

CPD progress

Comparing 2024 and 2023

Social workers who have met all CPD requirements

• 14 November 2024: 45,048 (43.4%)
• 16 November 2023: 48,037 (47.5%)

Social workers who have started the CPD process but not yet met all CPD requirements

• 14 November 2024: 7,493 (7.2%)
• 16 November 2023: 7,698 (7.6%)

Social workers who have yet to submit any valid CPD records

• 14 November 2024: 51,344 (49.4%)
• 16 November 2023: 45,482 (44.9%)

Social Work England website availability

The Social Work England website and online account were available for 100% of the month up to and including 14 November 2024. This excludes planned outages for maintenance.

An update from Social Work England

Philip Hallam, Executive Director of Regulation said:

“The number of social workers who have completed the necessary steps to renew their registration, as of 14 November 2024, is slightly below the levels of last year. We know through our continued conversations with the sector that social workers understand and are familiar with the registration renewal application process. We strongly encourage all social workers with incomplete actions to log in now to complete the registration renewal application process and to avoid a last minute rush.

“We continue to remind social workers of the importance of applying to renew their registration through specific communications tailored to their individual circumstances. Please ensure you read the emails that you receive from Social Work England.

"Social workers must apply to renew their registration before 30 November 2024, or risk being removed from the register. If they do not apply to renew, their registration will lapse. Social workers will be required to apply to restore their registration if they want to continue to practise. To restore they will need to provide additional information and pay an additional £135. It can take over 20 working days for us to review an application to restore, during which time social workers are not be permitted to practise or use the protected title of social worker.

“Our role as a regulator requires us to uphold the professional standards. We must ensure all registered professionals maintain the standards throughout their registration that are necessary for safe and effective practice. We do not take the decision to remove social workers from the register lightly."

Additional data updates will be available on:

• 9 December 2024

Please note the data below is provisional and final figures for registration renewal will be available on 6 February 2025.

Registration renewal and CPD progress report (14 November 2024)

Social workers in England have been applying to renew their registration since 1 September.

Social workers must be on Social Work England’s register to practise legally. They must renew annually, so the public can be sure they continue to meet the professional standards and practise safely.

As part of the renewal process, social workers are reminded they must use their online account to complete all 3 actions of the registration renewal process. They need to:

• submit their registration renewal application form
• pay their registration fee
• record a minimum of 2 different pieces of continuing professional development (CPD). They must include a peer reflection with at least one of these pieces of CPD

They must complete all of the above by 11:59pm (UK time) on 30 November 2024.

About the social work register

Comparing 2024 and 2023

Social workers registered before 1 September (required to complete the 3 actions to renew their registration)

• 2024: 103,429
• 2023: 100,842

Social workers who have joined or restored to the register since 1 September (only required to pay registration fee)

• 2024: 2,167
• 2023: 2,482

Data at the end of registration renewal

Successful registration renewal

Social workers who renewed and were retained on the register, by year:

• 2024: 102,888 (97.4%)
• 2023: 100,495 (97.3%)

Of those social workers who renewed and were retained on the register, for social workers that we have known employment data for:

• 33,681 (35.0%) work in adults services, compared to 32,653 (34.8%) in 2023
• 55,188 (57.3%) work in children’s services, compared to 54,023 (57.5%) in 2023
• 7,446 (7.7%) work in ‘other’, compared to 7,249 (7.7%) in 2023

Registration renewal removals

Social workers removed from the register for not completing the registration renewal process, by year:

• 2024: 2,198
• 2023: 2,256

Of those social workers who were removed from the register, for social workers that we have known employment data for:

• 537 (31.0%) work in adults services, compared to 550 (31.4%) in 2023
• 1002 (57.8%) work in children’s services, compared to 997 (57.0%) in 2023
• 195 (11.2%) work in ‘other’, compared to 202 (11.5%) in 2023

Reasons social workers were removed from the register

Comparing 2024 and 2023

Removed because they did not complete a combination of the 3 actions

• 2024: 1,718 (78.2%)
• 2023: 1,697 (75.2%)

Removed because they did not submit a completed renewal form

• 2024: 298 (13.6%)
• 2023: 410 (18.2%)

Removed because they did not meet CPD requirements

• 2024: 165 (7.5%)
• 2023: 119 (5.3%)

Removed because they did not pay the renewal fee

• 2024: 0 (0.0%)
• 2023: 1 (0.0%)

Removed because they did not pay the renewal fee since joining the register from 1 September

• 2024: 0 (0.0%)
• 2023: 1 (0.0%)

Total

• 2024: 2,198 (100%)
• 2023: 2,256 (100%)

Social workers removed from the register by employment region

Comparing 2024 and 2023

Unknown
2024: 521 (23.7%)
2023: 516 (22.9%)

East Midlands
2024: 123 (5.6%)
2023: 128 (5.7%)

Eastern
2024: 143 (6.5%)
2023: 158 (7.0%)

London
2024: 308 (14.0%)
2023: 349 (15.5%)

North East
2024: 86 (3.9%)
2023: 108 (4.8%)

North West
2024: 285 (13.0%)
2023: 256 (11.3%)

Northern Ireland
2024: 2 (0.1%)
2023: 1 (0.0%)

Scotland
2024: 8 (0.4%)
2023: 9 (0.4%)

South East
2024: 195 (8.9%)
2023: 233 (10.3%)

South West
2024: 149 (6.8%)
2023: 133 (5.9%)

Wales
2024: 26 (1.2%)
2023: 23 (1.0%)

West Midlands
2024: 192 (8.7%)
2023: 184 (8.2%)

Yorkshire and the Humber
2024: 160 (7.3%)
2023: 158 (7.0%)

Total
2024: 2,198 (100%)
2023: 2,256 (100%)

Voluntary removals

Social workers removed from the register after requesting voluntary removal during the registration renewal period, by year:

• 2024: 1,422
• 2023: 1,365

Registration restorations

Social workers who have requested their registration status to be restored, since the end of the registration renewal period (30 November), by year:

• 2024: 283
• 2023: 319

Social Work England website availability

The Social Work England website and online account were available for 99.97% of the registration renewal period in 2024 compared to 99.94% of the registration renewal period in 2023. This excludes planned outages for maintenance.

An update from Social Work England

Philip Hallam, Executive Director of Regulation said:

“We are pleased to see that once again almost all social workers have taken the actions necessary to maintain their registration. The register is the primary way the public can be assured that social workers remain capable of safe and effective practice. With over 97% of social workers renewing their registration by the deadline, this is a demonstration of the importance that those on our register place on maintaining their skills and upholding their professional standards.

“This year we continued to use emails as our main way of reminding social workers about the CPD and registration renewal requirements. This was complemented by text messages sent to some social workers, outlining their remaining actions to complete the registration renewal process. This activity was supplemented with social media posts and online events. Our website performed effectively, supporting 102,888 (97.4%) social workers to access their online account and meet the registration renewal requirements.

“We have seen a continued trend for social workers who take action on the last day of the registration renewal period. We remind social workers that the earlier they complete all parts of the registration renewal process, the less likely it is they will be removed for failure to complete their application in time. 165 social workers were removed from the register because they did not meet the CPD requirements. Social workers can record CPD throughout the year using their online account, instead of waiting for the registration renewal period to open.

“This year we saw 2,198 social workers removed from the register, compared to 2,256 last year. Social workers who did not apply to renew are no longer able to practise as a social worker. To do so would be an offence under our regulations.

“We are already receiving and processing restoration applications for those who did not renew their registration by the deadline, and wish to continue practising. Those seeking to restore their registration should note that it can take up to 20 working days for us to complete an initial assessment of an application to restore. During this time applicants are not permitted to practise or use the protected title of social worker."

Registration renewal and CPD progress report (February 2025)

Social workers in England who want to continue practising must renew their registration by 30 November.

Social workers must be on Social Work England’s register to practise legally. They must renew annually, so the public can be sure they continue to meet the professional standards and practise safely.

Social workers in England have been applying to renew their registration since 1 September. Social workers must be on Social Work England’s register to practise legally. They must renew annually, so the public can be reassured they continue to meet the professional standards and practise safely.

As part of the renewal process, social workers are reminded they must use their online account to complete all 3 actions of the registration renewal process. They need to:

• submit their registration renewal application form
• pay their registration fee
• record a minimum of 2 different pieces of continuing professional development (CPD). They must include a peer reflection with at least one of these pieces of CPD

They must complete all of the above by 11:59pm (UK time) on 30 November 2024.

About the social work register

Comparing 2024 and 2023

Social workers registered before 1 September (required to complete the 3 actions to renew their registration)

• Registration renewal period 2024: 103,429
• Registration renewal period 2023: 100,842

Social workers who have joined or restored to the register since 1 September (only required to pay registration fee)

• Registration renewal period 2024: 2,167
• Registration renewal period 2023: 2,482

Registration renewal following the close of renewals

Successful registration renewal

Social workers who renewed and were retained on the register, by year:

• 2024: 103,387 (97.9%)
• 2023: 101,052 (97.8%)

Of those social workers who renewed and were retained on the register, for social workers that we have known employment data for:

• 33,794 (35.0%) work in adults services, compared to 32,811 (34.8%) in 2023
• 55,418 (57.3%) work in children’s services, compared to 54,271 (57.5%) in 2023
• 7,475 (7.7%) work in ‘other’, compared to 7,280 (7.7%) in 2023

Registration renewal removals

Social workers removed from the register for not completing the registration renewal process, by year:

• 2024: 2,202
• 2023: 2,263

Social workers removed from the register after requesting voluntary removal, by year:

• 2024: 1,426
• 2023: 1,371

Of those social workers who were removed from the register, for social workers that we have known employment data for:

• 538 (31.0%) work in adults services, compared to 552 (31.4%) in 2023
• 1,005 (57.8%) work in children’s services, compared to 1,002 (57.1%) in 2023
• 195 (11.2%) work in ‘other’, compared to 201 (11.5%) in 2023

Reasons social workers were removed from the register

Comparing 2024 and 2023

Removed because they did not complete a combination of the 3 actions:

• Registration renewal period 2024: 1,720 (78.1%)
• Registration renewal period 2023: 1,702 (75.2%)

Removed because they did not submit a completed renewal form:

• Registration renewal period 2024: 298 (13.5%)
• Registration renewal period 2023: 412 (18.2%)

Removed because they did not meet CPD requirements:

• Registration renewal period 2024: 166 (7.5%)
• Registration renewal period 2023: 122 (5.3%)

Removed because they did not pay the renewal fee:

• Registration renewal period 2024: 1 (0.0%)
• Registration renewal period 2023: 1 (0.0%)

Removed because they did not pay the renewal fee since joining the register from 1 September:

• Registration renewal period 2024: 17 (0.8%)
• Registration renewal period 2023: 26 (1.1%)

Total:

• Registration renewal period 2024: 2,202 (100%)
• Registration renewal period 2023: 2,263 (100%)

Of those 298 social workers that were removed because they did not submit a completed form, 116 (38.9%) did not start a renewal form until 28, 29 or 30 November.

In 2023, of the 412 social workers removed because they did not submit a completed form, 221 (53.6%) did not start a renewal form until 28, 29 or 30 November.

Social workers removed from the register by employment region

Comparing 2024 and 2023

• Unknown
  2024: 521 (23.7%)
  2023: 517 (22.8%)
• East Midlands 
  2024: 124 (5.6%)
  2023: 129 (5.7%)
• Eastern
  2024: 143 (6.5%)
  2023: 158 (7.0%)
• London
  2024: 308 (14.0%)
  2023: 352 (15.6%)
• North East
  2024: 86 (3.9%)
  2023: 108 (4.8%)
• North West
  2024: 287 (13.0%)
  2023: 257 (11.4%)
• Northern Ireland
  2024: 2 (0.1%)
  2023: 1 (0.0%)
• Scotland
  2024: 8 (0.4%)
  2023: 9 (0.4%)
• South East
  2024: 196 (8.9%)
  2023: 233 (10.3%)
• South West
  2024: 149 (6.8%)
  2023: 134 (5.9%)
• Wales
  2024: 26 (1.2%)
  2023: 23 (1.0%)
• West Midlands
  2024: 192 (8.7%)
  2023: 184 (8.2%)
• Yorkshire and the Humber
  2024: 160 (7.3%)
  2023: 158 (7.0%)
• Total
  2024: 2,202 (100%)
  2023: 2,263 (100%)

Registration restorations

Social workers who have requested their registration status to be restored, since the end of the registration renewal period (30 November), by year:

• 2024: 540
• 2023: 520

An update from Social Work England

Philip Hallam, Executive Director of Regulation said:

“We are pleased to report that our social work register has continued to grow following the 2023 to 2024 registration and renewal period.

“The data shows positive engagement, with the majority of social workers completing their registration renewal before the 30 November deadline. We consider that this reflects the profession's commitment to demonstrating that they meet our professional standards. However, similar to last year some social workers continue to leave their continuing professional development (CPD) recording and renewal application until the final moments. While we recognise that social workers work in busy and complex roles, CPD can be recorded throughout the year, and early completion of the renewal requirements ensures adequate time to resolve any unexpected issues.

“Looking ahead, we continue to have comprehensive support in place to assist social workers with meeting the CPD requirements. Our website hosts extensive resources for recording CPD, and we offer year-round events to support professional development. Social Work Week 2025, which takes place for 17 to 21 March, will present excellent learning opportunities that count toward CPD requirements.”

Registration renewal and CPD progress report (September 2025)

Each year, social workers in England must apply to renew their registration between 1 September and 30 November. Social workers must be on Social Work England’s register to practise legally. They must renew annually, so the public can be reassured they continue to meet the professional standards and are capable of safe and effective practise.

As part of the renewal process, social workers are reminded they must use their online account to complete all 3 actions of the registration renewal process. They need to:

• submit their registration renewal application form
• pay their registration fee
• record a minimum of 2 different pieces of continuing professional development (CPD). They must include a peer reflection with at least one of these pieces of CPD

They must complete all of the above by 11:59pm (UK time) on 30 November.

About the social work register

Comparing 2025 and 2024

Please note that this data excludes social workers with an open voluntary removal case.

Social workers registered before 1 September (required to complete the 3 actions to renew their registration)

• Registration renewal period 2025: 106,223
• Registration renewal period 2024: 104,342

Social workers who have joined or restored to the register since 1 September (only required to pay registration fee)

• Registration renewal period 2025: 1,188
• Registration renewal period 2024: 945

Registration renewal application form and CPD progress

The data below is only for social workers on the register before 1 September each year. They are required to complete 3 actions to renew their registration:

• submit an application form
• pay their registration fee
• meet the CPD requirements

Social workers who join the register from 1 September do not need to submit a registration renewal application form or record CPD for this registration year. However, they do need to pay the registration fee by 30 November.

Registration renewal application progress

Comparing 2025 and 2024

Submitted a completed renewal form:

• 30 September 2025: 15,339 (14.4%)
• 30 September 2024: 14,995 (14.4%)

Started renewal form, but not yet completed it:

• 30 September 2025: 5,736 (5.4%)
• 30 September 2024: 6,295 (6.0%)

Not yet started a renewal form:

• 30 September 2025: 85,148 (80.2%)
• 30 September 2024: 83,052 (79.6%)

Of those social workers that have submitted a completed renewal form, 6,590 (43.0%) have not yet met all CPD requirements, compared to 6,578 (43.9%) in September 2024.

CPD progress

Comparing 2025 and 2024

Social workers who have met all CPD requirements:

• 30 September 2025: 11,605 (10.9%)
• 30 September 2024: 11,732 (11.2%)

Social workers who have started the CPD process but not yet met all CPD requirements:

• 30 September 2025: 5,317 (5.0%)
• 30 September 2024: 6,295 (6.0%)

Social workers who have yet to submit any valid CPD records

• 30 September 2025: 89,301 (84.1%)
• 30 September 2024: 86,315 (82.7%)

Social Work England website availability

The Social Work England website and online account were available for 100% of September 2025 compared to 99.9% in September 2024. This excludes planned outages for maintenance.

An update from Social Work England

Philip Hallam, Executive Director of Regulation said:

“By law, in England, people can only legally practise as a social worker if they’re registered with us and meet professional standards.

“We’re encouraged to see that the profession has continued to grow, with over 106,000 social workers in England who need to apply to renew their registration. At the end of September, the number of applications submitted, and CPD recorded, is on par with the same point last year. 

“We know that social workers do lots of CPD and we always encourage social workers to record their CPD throughout the year. CPD is important as it supports social workers to:

• develop greater skills, knowledge and confidence to improve outcomes for the communities and individuals they work with  
• reflect on their practice, which is an essential concept in social work  
• stay current with research, policy and legal developments  
• confidently address the challenges they face in their practice
• commit to career long learning 

“As the professional regulator, one of our objectives is to provide assurance to the public that social workers are meeting the professional standards and remain fit to practise. Asking social workers to record 2 of the pieces of CPD they’ve done each year, including peer reflection, is one of the ways in which we can do this.

“For social workers who haven't yet submitted their application to renew or recorded CPD, our website provides examples of CPD activities and step-by-step videos demonstrating how to record CPD. Additionally, our regional engagement leads are hosting regular online sessions specifically focused on registration renewal applications. These resources have been developed to support social workers with completing the registration renewal application process. 

“We encourage all social workers to complete their application to renew in plenty of time, to avoid the last-minute rush and allow sufficient time for focus and reflection.”

Additional data updates will be available on:

• 6 November 2025
• 20 November 2025
• 8 December 2025
• 5 February 2026

CPD and registration requirements for 2025 to 2026
Log in now to complete and submit your application
Read more and watch our video on how to renew your registration
Read more and watch our video on how to record CPD

Registration renewal and CPD progress report (October 2025)

Social workers in England who want to continue practising must renew their registration by 30 November.

Social workers must be on Social Work England’s register to practise legally. They must renew annually, so the public can be sure they continue to meet the professional standards and practise safely.

Social workers in England have been applying to renew their registration since 1 September. Social workers must be on Social Work England’s register to practise legally. They must renew annually, so the public can be reassured they continue to meet the professional standards and practise safely.

As part of the renewal process, social workers are reminded they must use their online account to complete all 3 actions of the registration renewal process. They need to:

• submit their registration renewal application form
• pay their registration fee
• record a minimum of 2 different pieces of continuing professional development (CPD). They must include a peer reflection with at least one of these pieces of CPD

They must complete all of the above by 11:59pm (UK time) on 30 November.

About the social work register

Comparing 2025 and 2024

Please note that this data excludes social workers with an open voluntary removal case.

Social workers registered before 1 September (required to complete the 3 actions to renew their registration)

• 31 October 2025: 105,868
• 31October 2024: 104,054

Social workers who have joined or restored to the register since 1 September (only required to pay registration fee)

• 31 October 2025: 1,829
• 31 October 2024: 1,789

Registration renewal application form and CPD progress

The data below is only for social workers on the register before 1 September each year. They are required to complete 3 actions to renew their registration:

• submit an application form
• pay their registration fee
• meet the CPD requirements

Social workers who join the register from 1 September do not need to submit a registration renewal application form or record CPD for this registration year. However, they do need to pay the registration fee by 30 November.

Registration renewal application progress

Comparing 2025 and 2024

The data below is only for social workers on the register before 1 September each year. They are required to complete 3 actions to renew their registration:

• submit an application form
• pay their registration fee
• meet the CPD requirements

Of those social workers required to complete the 3 actions above, at 31 October 2025, 25,394 (24.0%) had completed all 3 compared to 25,319 (24.3%) at 31 October 2024.

Social workers who join the register from 1 September do not need to submit a registration renewal application form or record CPD for this registration year. However, they do need to pay the registration fee by 30 November.

Of those social workers that are only required to pay the registration fee by 30 November 2025, at 31 October 2025 1,129 (61.7%) have paid, compared to 967 (54.1%) at 31 October 2024.

Social workers who have submitted a completed renewal form

• 31 October 2025: 36,163 (34.2%)
• 31 October 2024: 36,794 (35.4%)

Social workers who have started renewal form, but not yet completed it

• 31 October 2025: 11,676 (11.0%)
• 31 October 2024: 12,306 (11.8%)

Social workers who have not yet started a renewal form

• 31 October 2025: 58,029 (54.8%)
• 31 October 2024: 54,954 (52.8%)

Of those social workers that have submitted a completed renewal form, 10,626 (29.4%) have not yet met all CPD requirements, compared to 11,444 (31.1%) in October 2024.

CPD progress

Comparing 2025 and 2024

Social workers who have met all CPD requirements

• 31 October 2025: 28,379 (26.8%)
• 31 October 2024: 27,771 (26.7%)

Social workers who have started the CPD process but not yet met all CPD requirements

• 31 October 2025: 6,883 (6.5%)
• 31 October 2024: 7,527 (7.2%)

Social workers who have yet to submit any valid CPD records

• 31 October 2025: 70,606 (66.7%)
• 31 October 2024: 68,756 (66.1%)

Social Work England website availability

The Social Work England website and online account were available for 99.9% of October 2025 compared to 99.9% in October 2024. 

An update from Social Work England

Philip Hallam, Executive Director of Regulation said:

“From the data, we can see that there are a number of social workers who have not yet met the continuing professional development (CPD) requirements. CPD is central to good social work. It helps social workers to deepen their knowledge, reflect on their practice, and deliver even better outcomes for the people and communities they support. It is also a requirement of maintaining registration.

"‘Social worker’ is a protected title and only those registered with us can use it or practise in roles that require registration. Anyone who uses the title of social worker or practises in a role that requires registration but is not registered is committing a ‘misuse of title’ offence.

“As we enter the final weeks of the annual registration renewal period, we’re reminding all social workers to complete the 3 required actions to stay on the register. We will continue to contact social workers who still have actions outstanding, to ensure that all those who wish to remain on the social work register are able to do so.”

Registration renewal and CPD progress report (14 November 2025)

Each year, social workers in England must apply to renew their registration between 1 September and 30 November.

Social workers must be on Social Work England’s register to practise legally. They must renew annually, so the public can be sure they continue to meet the professional standards and practise safely.

As part of the renewal process, social workers are reminded they must use their online account to complete all 3 actions of the registration renewal process. They need to:

• submit their registration renewal application form
• pay their registration fee
• record a minimum of 2 different pieces of continuing professional development (CPD). They must include a peer reflection with at least one of these pieces of CPD

They must complete all of the above by 11:59pm (UK time) on 30 November.

About the social work register

Comparing 2025 and 2024

Please note that this data excludes social workers with an open voluntary removal case.

Social workers registered before 1 September (required to complete the 3 actions to renew their registration)

• 14 November 2025: 105,657
• 14 November 2024: 103,885

Registration renewal application form and CPD progress

The data below is only for social workers on the register before 1 September each year. They are required to complete 3 actions to renew their registration:

• submit an application form
• pay their registration fee
• meet the CPD requirements

Social workers who join the register from 1 September do not need to submit a registration renewal application form or record CPD for this registration year. However, they do need to pay the registration fee by 30 November.

Registration renewal application progress

Comparing 2025 and 2024

The data below is only for social workers on the register before 1 September each year. They are required to complete 3 actions to renew their registration:

• submit an application form
• pay their registration fee
• meet the CPD requirements

Of those social workers required to complete the 3 actions above, at 14 November 2025, 43,609 (41.3%) had completed all 3 compared to 41.945 (40.4%) at 14 November 2024.

Social workers who join the register from 1 September do not need to submit a registration renewal application form or record CPD for this registration year. However, they do need to pay the registration fee by 30 November.

Of those social workers that are only required to pay the registration fee by 30 November 2025, at 14 November  2025 1,462 (72.1%) have paid, compared to 1,400 (69.0%) at 14 November 2024.

Social workers who have submitted a completed renewal form

• 14 November 2025: 54,071 (51.2%)
• 14 November 2024: 53,331 (51.3%)

Social workers who have started renewal form, but not yet completed it

• 14 November 2025: 12,766 (12.1%)
• 14 November 2024: 14,408 (13.9%)

Social workers who have not yet started a renewal form

• 14 November 2025: 38,820 (36.7%)
• 14 November 2024: 36,146 (34.8%)

Of those social workers that have submitted a completed renewal form, 10,368 (19.2%) have not yet met all CPD requirements, compared to 11,360 (21.3%) at 14 November 2024.

CPD progress

Comparing 2025 and 2024

Social workers who have met all CPD requirements

• 14 November 2025: 46,580 (44.1%)
• 14 November 2024: 45,048 (43.4%)

Social workers who have started the CPD process but not yet met all CPD requirements

• 14 November 2025: 6,997 (6.6%)
• 14 November 2024: 7,493 (7.2%)

Social workers who have yet to submit any valid CPD records

• 14 November 2025: 52,080 (49.3%)
• 14 November 2024: 51,344 (49.4%)

Social Work England website availability

The Social Work England website and online account were available for 99.9% of the month up to and including 14 November 2025. This excludes planned outages for maintenance.

An update from Social Work England

Philip Hallam, Executive Director of Regulation said:

"With 10 days remaining of the registration renewal period, there are still social workers with important actions to be completed. In particular, we are encouraging social workers who have not yet met the CPD requirement to start now.   

"CPD is fundamental to protecting and supporting the public. Social workers' practice, such as professional discussions, complex case responses, and listening to people's experiences to achieve better outcomes provides many opportunities for learning and development.

"This could be conversations with colleagues, adjustments made to improve services, and ways in which social workers respond to the needs of those they support. This reflective practice, when captured as part of CPD, demonstrates commitment to high standards and protecting the public.

"Ultimately, CPD ensures that social workers continue to develop the skills and knowledge necessary to make a positive difference to the people they support.

“We would like to remind social workers that if they do not complete all actions by 11:59pm Sunday 30 November, their registration will lapse and they will be required to apply to restore their registration if they want to continue to practise.” 

Additional data updates will be available on:

• 8 December 2025
• 5 February 2026

Please note the data below is provisional and final figures for registration renewal will be available on 5 February 2026.

Registration renewal and CPD progress report (8 December 2025)

Social workers in England must apply to renew their registration between 1 September and 30 November. Social workers must be on Social Work England’s register to practise legally. They must renew annually, so the public can be reassured they continue to meet the professional standards and are capable of safe and effective practise.

As part of the renewal process, social workers are reminded they must use their online account to complete all 3 actions of the registration renewal process. They need to:

• submit their registration renewal application form
• pay their registration fee
• record a minimum of 2 different pieces of continuing professional development (CPD). They must include a peer reflection with at least one of these pieces of CPD

They must complete all of the above by 11:59pm (UK time) on 30 November.

About the social work register

Comparing 2025 and 2024

Social workers registered before 1 September (required to complete the 3 actions to renew their registration)

• 2025: 105,285
• 2024: 103,429

Social workers who have joined or restored to the register since 1 September (only required to pay registration fee)

• 2025: 2,207
• 2024: 2,167

Data at the end of registration renewal

Successful registration renewal

Social workers who renewed and were retained on the register, by year:

• 2025: 104,717 (97.4%)
• 2024: 102,888 (97.4%)

Of those social workers who renewed and were retained on the register, for social workers that we have known employment data for:

• 34,512 (35.1%) work in adults services, compared to 33,681 (35.0%) in 2024
• 56,231 (57.3%) work in children’s services, compared to 55,188 (57.3%) in 2024
• 7,467 (7.6%) work in ‘other’, compared to 7,446 (7.7%) in 2024

Registration renewal removals

Social workers removed from the register for not completing the registration renewal process, by year:

• 2025: 2,506 (2.3%)
• 2024: 2,198 (2.1%)

Of those social workers who were removed from the register, for social workers that we have known employment data for:

• 648 (31.9%) work in adults services, compared to 537 (31.0%) in 2024
• 1,137 (56.0%) work in children’s services, compared to 1,002 (57.8%) in 2024
• 245 (12.1%) work in ‘other’, compared to 195 (11.2%) in 2024

Reasons social workers were removed from the register

Comparing 2025 and 2024

Removed because they did not complete a combination of the 3 actions

• 2025: 2,025 (80.8%)
• 2024: 1,718 (78.2%)

Removed because they did not submit a completed renewal form

• 2025: 374 (14.9%)
• 2024: 298 (13.6%)

Removed because they did not meet CPD requirements

• 2025: 78 (3.1%)
• 2024: 165 (7.5%)

Removed because they did not pay the renewal fee

• 2025: 3 (0.1%)
• 2024: 0 (0.0%)

Removed because they did not pay the renewal fee since joining the register from 1 September

• 2025: 26 (1.0%)
• 2024: 17 (0.8%)

Total

• 2025: 5,506 (100%)
• 2024: 2,198 (100%)

Social workers removed from the register by employment region

Comparing 2025 and 2024

Unknown
2025: 754 (30.1%)
2024: 521 (23.7%)

East Midlands
2025: 119 (4.7%)
2024: 123 (5.6%)

Eastern
2025: 131 (5.2%)
2024: 143 (6.5%)

London
2025: 356 (14.2%)
2024: 308 (14.0%)

North East
2025: 87 (3.5%)
2024: 86 (3.9%)

North West
2025: 290 (11.6%)
2024: 285 (13.0%)

Northern Ireland
2025: 2 (0.1%)
2024: 2 (0.1%)

Scotland
2025: 7 (0.3%)
2024: 8 (0.4%)

South East
2025: 222 (8.9%)
2024: 195 (8.9%)

South West
2025: 153 (6.1%)
2024: 149 (6.8%)

Wales
2025: 29 (1.2%)
2024: 26 (1.2%)

West Midlands
2025: 176 (7%)
2024: 192 (8.7%)

Yorkshire and the Humber
2025: 180 (7.2%)
2024: 160 (7.3%)

Total
2025: 2,560 (100%)
2022: 2,198 (100%)

Voluntary removals

Social workers removed from the register after requesting voluntary removal during the registration renewal period, by year:

• 2025: 1,690
• 2024: 1,422*

*This figure has changed in comparison to the December 2024 publication due to a change in calculation. Voluntary removal cases are now included that were created before the opening of the registration renewal.

Registration restorations

Social workers who have requested their registration status to be restored, since the end of the registration renewal period (30 November), by year:

• 2025: 290*
• 2024: 283

*We have reviewed and refined the calculation method for the number of individuals removed who have submitted a restoration application. The updated figure is 290, ensuring the most accurate representation of the data.

Social Work England website availability

The Social Work England website and online account were available for 99.91% of the registration renewal period in 2025 compared to 99.97% of the registration renewal period in 2024. This excludes planned outages for maintenance.

An update from Social Work England

Philip Hallam, Executive Director of Regulation said:

“We’re pleased to report that the recent registration renewal period has once again demonstrated the professionalism and commitment of social workers across the country. Over 97% of social workers renewed their registration by the deadline, reflecting the importance that those on our register place on maintaining their skills and upholding their professional standards.

“The register serves a vital public protection function. It is the primary way the public can be assured that social workers remain capable of safe and effective practice. Registration is not simply an administrative requirement. It represents a social worker's ongoing commitment to their development and to upholding the standards expected of them.

“We have observed a continued trend of social workers taking action during the final week of the registration renewal period. Whilst we are here to support social workers whenever they engage with the process, we always encourage earlier action. The earlier social workers complete all parts of the registration renewal process, the less likely it is they will face removal for failure to complete their application in time. We would remind all social workers that CPD can be recorded throughout the year using their online account. There is no need to wait for the registration renewal period to open.

“This year we saw 2,506 (2.3%) social workers removed from the register, compared to 2,198 (2.1%) last year. It is important to be clear about what removal means. Social workers who did not complete their renewal are no longer able to practise as a social worker or in any role that requires registration. To do so would be an offence under our regulations.

“We are already receiving and processing restoration applications for those who did not renew their registration by the deadline and wish to continue practising. Those seeking to restore their registration should note that it may take up to 20 working days for us to complete an initial assessment of an application to restore. During this time applicants are not permitted to practise or use the protected title of social worker.

“The continued high renewal rate we have seen demonstrates that the overwhelming majority of social workers understand and embrace their professional responsibilities. Registration is the foundation of professional social work practice and maintaining that registration shows a commitment to continued learning, development, and safe practice."