Support Worker
Also advertised as: Care Assistant, Care Worker, Complex Care Assistant, Home Care Assistant, Mental Health Support Worker, Residential Support Worker
Helps adults with disabilities, mental ill health or age-related needs live as independently as possible.
What the job involves
Support workers assist people with daily living, personal care, medication, appointments and community access. The job is relationship-based: you support someone's independence rather than doing everything for them. It is widely available with training provided.
Typical responsibilities
- Support daily living, personal care and medication
- Encourage independence and community participation
- Keep accurate support and incident records
- Work to individual care and behaviour plans
- Liaise with families and professionals
Common employers
- Supported living providers
- Care homes
- Mental health charities
- Local authorities
- Domiciliary agencies
Pay, hours and working environment
Typical pay
£21,000 – £25,000 a year
With experience
£26,000 – £31,000 a year
Typical hours
Shift based including sleep-ins and weekends
Working environment
Supported housing, care homes and people's own homes
Remote working
on_site
Demand for this work
high
Pay ranges are indicative guidance drawn from advertised UK vacancies and published careers information. They are not an offer, and actual pay varies by employer, location and experience.
Skills and qualifications
Core skills
- Person-centred care
- Patience
- Safeguarding awareness
- Record keeping
- Communication
Transferable skills you may already have
- Caring for family
- Customer service
- Handling difficult situations calmly
Requirements employers ask for
- Person-centred care
- Patience
- Safeguarding awareness
- Record keeping
- Communication
- Enhanced DBS
- Care Certificate completed in post
- Enhanced DBS
- Driving licence often required
Useful but not essential
- Caring for family
- Customer service
- Handling difficult situations calmly
- Level 2 or 3 Diploma in Adult Care
Helpful qualifications
- Level 2 or 3 Diploma in Adult Care
Licences and checks
- Enhanced DBS
- Driving licence often required
Ways into this career
A degree is only one route. Where an apprenticeship, work-experience or qualification route exists, it is listed here alongside the academic option.
Apprenticeships and work-based routes
- Adult Care Worker (Level 2)
- Lead Adult Care Worker (Level 3)
- Experience route — Build evidence in a related role, then move across using your recorded achievements.
- Apprenticeship route — An apprenticeship lets you earn while you train towards this role.
Degree and college routes
- Related subject: Health and social care
- Related subject: Psychology
Where this career can lead
next
Senior Support Worker
next
Team Leader
next
Registered Manager
The good parts and the hard parts
What people enjoy
- Available in every area
- Training funded by employers
- Genuine relationships and impact
What people find hard
- Pay starts low
- Emotionally demanding, sleep-in shifts
Common questions
- Do you need a degree to become a support worker?
- No. As well as degree routes, this career can be entered through an apprenticeship or by building experience and qualifications on the job. not_required
- How much does a support worker earn in the UK?
- Typical advertised pay runs from £21,000 to £25,000 a year, rising towards £31,000 with experience. Figures are indicative guidance rather than an offer.
- What skills transfer into this career?
- Skills that transfer well include Caring for family, Customer service, Handling difficult situations calmly.
Related careers
Social Worker
Assesses and protects children or adults at risk and coordinates the support around them.
Residential Childcare Worker
Provides day-to-day care and support to children living in residential children's homes.
Domiciliary Care Assistant
Supports people to live independently at home with daily tasks and personal care.
Family Support Worker
Works with families to build parenting skills and reduce the risk of children going into care.
Adult Social Care Team Leader
Manages a team of care workers delivering support to adults in the community or a care setting.
Substance Misuse Practitioner
Supports people struggling with drug and alcohol dependency towards recovery.
Where this information comes from
- National Careers Service
- Institute for Apprenticeships
Last reviewed 14 September 2026.
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