From Children’s social care workers: minimum pay Last updated 21 April 2026:

The minimum rate of pay for children’s social care workers in Scotland is £13.45 per hour. What to do if you are not receiving this. The minimum rate of pay for children’s social care workers delivering direct care in Scotland increased from £12.60 to £13.45 per hour from April 2026. This is in line with pay rates for adult social care workers and with the Real Living Wage rate announced by the Living Wage Foundation in October 2025.

The Scottish Government provide funding to local authorities to ensure that both children and adult social care workers delivering direct care are paid a minimum rate of pay. Some local authorities commission these services to private, voluntary or private sector providers. They also provide funding for Personal Assistant employers through Self Directed Support payments.

https://www.gov.scot/publications/social-care-workers-minimum-pay/

There isn’t a single specific minimum pay rate just for children’s social care workers in England. Instead, their pay is governed by:

All children’s social care workers must be paid at least the National Minimum Wage from April 2026 (announced increase): £12.71 per hour (age 21+).

https://www.gov.uk/government/news/chancellor-announces-increase-to-the-national-living-wage-and-national-minimum-wage?utm_source=chatgpt.com

Now, you know media in Scotland, even if they ever mention this increase (I can find nothing), will say that’s just a 74p, 6%, difference but remember that, over 35 hours per week, it’s £26, more than £100 per month, £1 200 per year, and at that level they will pay less income tax than in England, not to mention all the other universal benefits.