A job that asks a lot
Social workers handle high caseloads, complex families and difficult decisions about safeguarding. The work involves home visits to people in crisis, court reports and long hours. The emotional strain can be heavy, and stress, anxiety and burnout are common reasons for long-term sickness absence across the profession.
Some visits bring physical risk too, from aggressive service users, dogs or unsafe homes. Social workers also spend a lot of time driving between visits, often in their own cars, so a medical condition that stops you driving can make the job unworkable for a time.
Council, NHS and locum terms
Social workers employed by councils or NHS trusts usually get sick pay that increases with service, with periods of full and half pay. Many are members of a public sector pension scheme with death benefits. You must also keep your registration with the regulator for your nation to practise.
Locum and agency social workers often earn more per hour but usually get statutory sick pay only. If you work through your own limited company, you may get nothing. Income protection becomes especially important if you work as a locum.
- Employed: check how long full and half pay last
- Agency: usually statutory sick pay only
- Limited company locum: nothing unless you arrange it
Mental health and income protection
Income protection covers mental health conditions on the same basis as physical illness, subject to your medical history and the policy terms. If you have had counselling or medication for stress before, the insurer may ask more questions or apply an exclusion.
Applying while you are well gives you the best chance of full cover. If you have had treatment, a broker can help present your history clearly, including what triggered it, how long it lasted and how well you have been since.
Some social workers worry that applying will flag them as a risk. Asking for a quote does not affect your record, and insurers judge each case on the evidence. Many people with past treatment still get cover.
Life cover beyond the pension scheme
Your pension death benefit may be a good starting point, but it is tied to your employment. If you move to locum work, change employer or leave social work, the cover changes or stops. Personal life insurance stays with you.
Sizing cover to your mortgage and family needs means your protection does not depend on your employment status. If you switch between permanent posts and agency contracts, your life policy carries on without a gap, at the price you locked in when you applied.
If your partner earns less or works part time to look after the children, think about how they would cope with childcare and the mortgage alone, and size the cover to give them real choices.
How Hi Tomorrow supports social workers
We look at your employment terms, whether employed or locum, and set income protection to start when your sick pay would run out. Insurers group occupations into risk classes, which affects price and the claim test, and we explain how each insurer would treat you.
We can also arrange life insurance and help with trust forms. For locums working through a limited company, we can explain executive income protection paid by the company and how it differs from a personal policy. Insurers make the final decision on terms.