Registration renewal and CPD progress report (7 December 2023)

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 to 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.

Successful registration renewal

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

• 2023: 100,495 (97.3%)
• 2022: 96,886 (96.3%)

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

• 32,653 (34.8%) work in adults services, compared to 30,467 (34.6%) in 2022
• 54,023 (57.5%) work in children’s services, compared to 50,854 (57.8%) in 2022
• 7,249 (7.7%) work in ‘other’, compared to 6,707 (7.6%) in 2022

96,909 (96.4%) have shared information on at least one aspect of diversity in 2023, compared to 94,881 (94.3%) in 2022. Social workers can share the following diversity data: ethnicity; disability; religion; gender registered at birth where different to current gender identity; and sexual orientation.

Registration renewal removals 

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

• 2023: 2,256 (2.2%)
• 2022: 3,740 (3.7%)

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

• 550 (31.4%) work in adults services, compared to 899 (32.1%) in 2022
• 997 (57.0%) work in children’s services, compared to 1,593 (56.9%) in 2022
• 202 (11.5%) work in ‘other’, compared to 310 (11.1%) in 2022

Voluntary removals

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

• 2023: 1,365
• 2022: 1,744

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:

• 2023: 319
• 2022: 842

“Now that the registration renewal period has ended, we are delighted that 100,495 (97.3%) social workers have been renewed and retained on the register. I’d like to thank everyone who has engaged with us, resulting in more social workers than in previous years submitting their registration renewal application ahead of the deadline. It’s evident social workers continue to understand the process and what is required in order to maintain their registration.

“We are pleased to see that the further improvements we’ve implemented following feedback last year have had a positive impact. This year we’ve taken additional steps to ensure our communications to support social workers were tailored to individual circumstances and outlined the specific actions that needed to be taken. As the deadline approached, this meant that individual social workers knew exactly what actions were required for them to complete their registration renewal application.

“We trialled the use of text messages to some social workers, clearly outlining the steps they needed to take to complete the registration renewal process. This activity was supplemented with social media activity and online events. We also worked with external organisations including Research in Practice, Skills for Care, Department for Education, the British Association of Social Workers and UNISON to raise awareness of the registration renewal requirements. Feedback has been positive about the improvements we’ve made to support social workers to meet the registration renewal requirements.

“We saw 222,148 pieces of CPD recorded by social workers, with 136,059 pieces including a peer reflection. Social workers are reminded that they can record CPD all year round using their online account, instead of waiting for the registration renewal period to open.

“As the regulator, we do not make the decision to remove people from the register lightly. This year 2,256 social workers were removed from the register, compared to 3,740 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 wish to continue practising. Please note that it can take over 20 working days for us to complete an initial assessment of an application to restore, during which time social workers are not permitted to practise or use the protected title of social worker.

“Once again, I’d like to thank social workers who applied to renew their registration by the deadline, and I’m encouraged to see that the social work register continues to grow, with more social workers joining the profession.”

The next data update will be available 6 February 2024.