We provide financial support to participants on Approach Social Work, including our year one bursary, year two and three salary and other assistance.
Year one bursary
In the first year of Approach Social Work you will receive a tax-free bursary of £18,000, or £20,000 in London. This is designed as a contribution to living and travel costs. It is likely that you will need to have access to other sources of finances during this time to cover all your costs.
This student maintenance bursary is non-repayable and tax free. It falls under Section 46 of the Children and Social Work Act 2017 and is classified as a grant under regulation 68(7) of Universal Credit Regulations 2013.This means it is extremely unlikely that you will be eligible for any in-work benefits (e.g. universal credit or 30 hours funded childcare) while you are in year one.
As it is not subject to income tax or National Insurance contributions, your bursary is roughly the same as the take home pay of someone earning a salary of £20,600 outside London or £23,500 if you’re in London.
Before applying, please ensure you are able to cover your costs of living during year one, using the bursary and any personal funds you have.
The bursary is paid in 13 monthly instalments, on the first working day of each month, starting in August 2026. You’ll receive your final payment in August 2027.
After successfully passing year one of the programme, you will move into employment during years two and three. We don’t provide a bursary in years two and three of the programme. Instead you will get paid a newly qualified social worker salary.
Usually, the first payment from your employer will arrive between 15–30 September 2027 (local authority depending). You will need to prepare for this longer than usual gap between payments.
Council tax
You will usually have to pay council tax if you’re 18 or over and own or rent a home. As a full-time student during year one of Approach Social Work, you will be eligible for council tax exemption or discount, depending on household details. Please visit the government’s website to find out who has to pay council tax.
Once fully registered as students of Lancaster University, you can get confirmation of registration and student status via Lancaster University’s student portal to prove you are eligible for a council tax exemption or discount.
Student benefits and financial support
In your first year, you are considered a full-time student of Lancaster University. This means you can get a student railcard, student discounts, Microsoft Office Pro Plus and access to SCONUL study spaces, books and resources.
If you are experiencing financial hardship during year one of the programme, you can apply to two of Lancaster University’s funding support schemes: Lancaster’s Opportunity and Access Fund (LOAF) and its emergency loan. This support is intended for those who experience significant and unexpected changes to their finances during their studies. As Approach Social Work participants receive a bursary and do not pay tuition fees, it is less likely that you will be eligible.
Please ensure that prior to applying for extra financial support, you read the supporting terms and conditions for each option.
Bursary advance and grant scheme
We recognise that some individuals may find it difficult to complete the readiness for practice stage which begins the programme without additional financial assistance. The Frontline bursary advance and grant scheme supports participants to cover expenses during this period.
As a charity, we have very limited funds available for this scheme and we can therefore only offer grants to a very limited number of participants, at our discretion.
If you apply for a bursary advance, please consider the impact of receiving reduced payments for the rest of the year.
We will share details about the bursary advance and grant scheme with successful applicants before starting the programme.
Disabled Students’ Allowance
Disabled students can access government funding via the Disabled Students’ Allowance (DSA). You can apply for this through Student Finance England in year one. DSA may cover any extra study-related costs you incurred because of an impairment, mental health condition or learning difficulty. It is not a loan or a benefit so you don’t have to repay it. The amount received depends on your needs, rather than income. Typical examples of what you can use DSA for include software, hardware, or human non-medical support or helpers.
Currently, you can only receive DSA during the first year of the programme due to Student Finance England’s eligibility criteria.
For further information on how you can apply for DSA and its eligibility requirements, please refer to the government’s DSA guidance.
Effect on other benefits
Please be aware that the bursary may affect other benefits you are entitled to. For example, most participants no longer receive Universal Credit once they have a bursary and/or are no longer eligible for 30 hours free childcare.
Are there any costs prior to starting the programme?
While Frontline will fund the cost of your initial DBS check, any lost or damaged certificates will be replaced at a cost to the participant.
If you choose to have an SpLD (specific learning difficulty) assessment, Frontline will cover £160 of this cost. The remaining cost will be covered by the participant, but Frontline can pay upfront and have payment returned via bursary deductions.
Frontline does not contribute towards costs related to overseas police checks or replacement qualification certificates (if required).
Who covers the cost of travel on the programme?
Participants are required to cover the cost of all travel related to the programme, including readiness for practice and residential teaching days.
If you are eligible for disabled students allowance (DSA) this may include covering some travel, but this typically only covers from home to place of work, and not multiple locations (i.e. home visits throughout the day).
What if the bursary isn’t enough to cover my costs?
Applicants are expected to plan their costs and be certain they can complete the programme based on their bursary amount.
While there is some scope for hardship funds through Frontline or Lancaster University, the availability is extremely limited and only those with significant and unexpected life or financial changes will be considered.
Years two and three salary
In years two and three of Approach Social Work, you will be an employee of your local authority and receive a newly qualified social worker’s salary.
Your salary is set by your local authority and will be the same as other social workers in your local authority completing their assessed and supported year in employment. As a result, there is a variation in salaries across the local authorities where we place participants. Outside of London you will earn a salary of up to £34,000 from year two. London local authorities may offer higher salaries.
Access to Work
During years two and three of the programme, participants with a disability or health condition may be eligible for funding through the government’s Access to Work scheme. Access to Work supports individuals in employment to get the help they need at work where it is not covered through their employer’s reasonable adjustments. Detailed information on submitting an Access to Work application will be provided to you when relevant.
Progression in social work
During your training and work with a local council social work team, you’ll develop skills in relationship-building, conflict resolution and leadership.
High-quality supervision and support from experienced social workers, academics and professional coaches means you’ll graduate with a strong foundation in social work practice and leadership, opening up a range of career opportunities.
Become a senior practitioner
What you’ll do:
Specialise in areas such as children in care or children with disabilities
Advise on best practice and recommend service improvements
Mentor and support less experienced social workers
When you can do it:
Typically three years after qualifying (one year after completing Approach Social Work)
Salary:
£40,000 – £50,000, depending on experience and location
Move into leadership
What you’ll do:
Lead, develop and support teams of social workers to ensure positive outcomes for children
Oversee day-to-day operations and strategic planning for your service
Collaborate with schools, agencies and community partners to drive change
Mentor the next generation of social workers and shape local service policies
When you can do it:
Usually five years post-qualification for a team manager role; progression to head of service comes later
Salary:
Up to £55,000, depending on experience and location
Alternative careers
The skills you gain on Approach Social Work are valuable beyond frontline roles. Previous participants have moved into policy, charity, or third-sector roles, among other fields.
Through Approach Social Work you will become a fully qualified social worker, register with Social Work England and receive a master’s degree with Lancaster University in Advanced Relationship Based Social Work Practice with Children and Families.
Frontline fully covers the costs of these qualifications, so you don’t pay anything. Tuition fees for social work master’s degrees typically cost £9,000 a year.
Holiday
In year one, you receive 25 days of holiday, which you can take throughout the year. In years two and three, your annual leave is based on your local authority’s policies. Holiday and leave should avoid overlapping with skills days.
Please note that you won’t have dedicated study leave, so you’ll need to plan your study time alongside your work commitments.
Flexible working
The programme requires you to work in-office while you’re a student on placement, so that you have a rich learning environment surrounded by experienced social workers and so that the local authority can ensure you’re practising in a safe manner. Opportunities for remote work during year one are extremely limited.
Local authorities have varied working from home policies, and in years two and three of the programme some of our local authority partners allow flexibility in working from home, depending on their requirements and organisational policies.
For further information
Our policies
More detailed information on our bursary and finance policy.