Applying for Your Overseas Social Work England Registration: 3 Common Mistakes to Avoid

If you’re an overseas social worker planning to move to the UK, applying for your Social Work England (SWE) registration is one of the biggest steps in the process. It can also be one of the most confusing. Below are three common mistakes international applicants make and how to avoid them.

1. Leaving Your Social Work England Application Too Late

Social Work England states that they aim to complete an initial assessment of overseas applications within 60 working days. However, this is only the initial assessment, not the final decision. In reality, many international social workers wait 6–9 months, and sometimes longer, for their registration to be approved.

Why does it take so long?

• Social Work England has reported a significant increase in overseas applicants, with a 175% rise noted in 2023.
• The UK continues to face a national shortage of social workers, which has led to more international recruitment and more applications for SWE to process.
• Guidance for overseas applicants is not always clear, and many social workers report difficulty contacting SWE for clarification.

Because you cannot work as a qualified social worker in England without your registration, it’s essential to start your application as early as possible. If you arrive in the UK before your registration is approved, you may be able to work in an unqualified role such as a social work assistant or family support worker.

For more guidance, you can read my post on where to start with your Social Work England overseas registration.   

2. Not Referencing the Professional Standards in Your Application

One of the most common reasons applications are delayed is that candidates don’t clearly link their experience to the Social Work England Professional Standards.

The online form doesn’t explain how much detail is required, which leads many applicants to undersell their experience.

What you should do instead

• When describing your work experience, explicitly reference the Professional Standards and explain how your tasks demonstrate them.
• If you are asked to complete the Updating Skills and Knowledge Form, make sure every section links back to the standards.
• Avoid vague statements. For example, instead of saying “I completed case recordings,” explain why accurate and timely case recording is essential to safe practice.

Referencing the standards throughout your application shows SWE that you understand UK expectations and can meet them.

3. Waiting for Social Work England to Request More Information

If SWE needs to ask you for additional information or request new documents, your application will be delayed, sometimes significantly. Many of these delays are avoidable.

How to prevent unnecessary delays

• Check your documents carefully.
  • Photos must be in colour.
  • Nothing should cover any part of the document (including your fingers).
  • SWE requires a photo of your passport, not a scanned copy.
• Include statutory experience where possible.
  If you’ve only worked in non‑statutory roles, make sure you highlight any statutory placements you completed during your degree.
• If you qualified more than two years ago, you must complete the  updating skills and knowledge form.
  • If you’ve been working in a country where social work is not regulated (such as Australia), you’ll need to complete the detailed table.
  • Again, reference the Professional Standards throughout.
• If your placement hours were below the required 200 days, explain how your professional experience compensates for this. Don’t wait for SWE to ask.

Being proactive and thorough can save you months of waiting.

Planning to Move to the UK as a Social Worker?

There’s a lot to navigate, and the Social Work England registration process can feel overwhelming. You may find these posts helpful:

• What Social Workers Do in the UK 
• 5 Things I Wish I’d Known Before Moving to the UK as a Social Worker
• FAQs for Overseas Social Workers

But also, please feel free to get in touch. You can send me an email, connect with me on LinkedIn or drop me a message below.

• Mail
• LinkedIn