Social workers agree to forgo pay bump in return for better chance at promotion

Brighton and Hove social workers have agreed to drop a demand for a pay bump in return for more support for career progression.

The agreement marks the end of a three-year dispute which began when the Unison union submitted a request for a market supplement payment for workers in Brighton and Hove City Council’s adult services department.

Their counterparts in children’s services had been given the payment because the council was struggling to hire enough people.

But the council said the same exceptional circumstances did not apply to adult services.

Three days of strike action followed in 2023. Following the strike, an alternative proposal was presented by council management in February 2024 outlining a career-grade structure aimed at benefitting social workers at all levels in Adult Social Care and from which 85% of staff would benefit.

This proposal acknowledged the importance of investing in ongoing professional development for social workers at all levels and supporting career progression to higher grades. Unison agreed to temporarily suspend further strike action pending negotiations on the management proposal.

From March 2024 to March 2025, the council and Unison worked closely to negotiate a resolution to the industrial action based on the proposal made in February 2024. A Unison ballot in April 2025 voted in favour of the proposals and ended the industrial action.

Councillor Bella Sankey, Leader of Brighton and Hove City Council, said: “This resolution reflects the collaborative and open approach to negotiations with our trade union partners over the past year, and I’m delighted we’ve reached an agreement.

“Social workers provide a crucial service, supporting some of the most vulnerable people in Brighton & Hove. We’re determined to continue investing in our workforce and supporting our staff’s professional development, so they can provide the care our residents need.”