Key Points
- The number of new social work bursaries awarded in Wales rose to 184 in 2025-26, up 56% from 118 in 2024-25, following a dip from 171 in 2023-24, according to provisional data from Social Care Wales.
- Breakdown for 2025-26: 113 undergraduates and 71 postgraduates; 2024-25: 71 undergraduates and 47 postgraduates; 2023-24: 100 undergraduates and 71 postgraduates.
- Social Care Wales awards up to 224 new bursaries annually, funded by the Welsh Government, to students ordinarily resident in Wales not sponsored by employers via “grow-our-own” schemes.
- Non-bursary new students increased from 160 in 2023-24 to 192 in 2024-25, driven by employer-sponsored trainees, reaching 145 in 2025-26 for a total of 329 new students.
- The 2024-25 drop raised concerns among councils over workforce implications, linked to study affordability amid declining self-funding students.
- Provisional 2025-26 data indicates a recovery, suggesting the prior drop was a one-off rather than a trend; figures may rise further with pending Open University registrations.
- Bursary values boosted in 2022 after a student-led campaign and Social Care Wales study showing only 202 of 326 needed qualified social workers joining annually: undergraduate from £2,500 to £3,750 (50% rise); postgraduate from £6,640 to £12,715 (near double).
- Social Workers Union (SWU) General Secretary John McGowan called the 2022 increase “a real turning point” credited with reversing falling applications, but noted cost-of-living crisis strains students, with bursaries not keeping pace, leading to debt upon graduation.
- Welsh Government committed to £1.4m annual investment in enhanced bursaries, welcomes employer-sponsored rise, and notes early provisional data showing significant 2025-26 application increase.
- Social Care Wales reviewing social work education to boost numbers, diversity, and standards, examining financial/perception barriers and alternative models; report due summer 2026.
Wales (The Wales Times) February 19, 2026 – The number of new social work bursaries awarded in Wales has risen this year following a dip in 2024-25, Social Care Wales has revealed.
Why did social work bursary numbers drop in 2024-25?
While 171 students—100 undergraduates and 71 postgraduates—were awarded bursaries in 2023-24, this dropped to 118 (71 undergraduates and 47 postgraduates) in 2024-25, said the workforce development body. Social Care Wales, with funding from the Welsh Government, awards up to 224 new bursaries a year to students ordinarily resident in Wales, who are not being sponsored by their employer through so-called “grow-our-own” schemes. The fall in bursary numbers last year was partially compensated for by growth in the number of new non-bursary students, which rose from 160 in 2023-24 to 192 in 2024-25, driven by significant growth in the number of employer-sponsored trainees.
The drop in the number of students self-funding their studies—through the bursary or loans—prompted concerns from councils about the implications for workforce numbers. According to the annual report on the Social Care Wales Workforce Development Programme (SCWWDP) grant, which funds social care learning and development, authorities had linked the decline to the affordability of studying social work.
What is the recovery like in 2025-26 bursary awards?
Following the publication of the SCWWDP report last month, Social Care Wales said the number of new social work bursaries issued had recovered in 2025-26, with 184 awarded, according to provisional data—a rise of 56% on the 2024-25 number and above the level seen in 2023-24. The 2025-26 total comprised 113 undergraduates and 71 postgraduates. Social Care Wales said it was not clear what had caused the drop in new bursaries awarded in 2024-25, including how far the increase in the number on grow-our-own schemes had been a factor. However, the provisional data for 2025-26 suggested it was a one-off drop rather than a broader trend, it added.
The provisional data also showed that a further 145 non-bursary students had started their courses in 2025-26, making a total of 329 new students, up from the 310 recorded for 2024-25 and similar to the 331 who started programmes in 2023-24. Social Care Wales suggested the number may increase as several new students at the Open University were yet to register at the time the data was compiled.
How do total student starts compare across years?
| Academic Year | Bursary Students | Non-Bursary Students | Total New Students |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2023-24 | 171 (100 UG, 71 PG) | 160 | 331 |
| 2024-25 | 118 (71 UG, 47 PG) | 192 | 310 |
| 2025-26 (provisional) | 184 (113 UG, 71 PG) | 145 | 329 |
Why were bursary values increased in 2022?
The value of bursaries increased significantly in 2022, in response to a student-led campaign and a Social Care Wales study that found only 202 qualified social workers out of the 326 needed each year in Wales were joining the profession at the time. The undergraduate bursary increased by 50%, from £2,500 to £3,750 a year, while the postgraduate equivalent, which had been £6,640 since 2010, almost doubled, to £12,715 per year. The rates have been unchanged since.
As reported in coverage of the Social Workers Union (SWU) and British Association of Social Workers Cymru’s support for the campaign, the 2022 increase had been “a real turning point” that was “widely credited with helping to reverse falling application numbers”. SWU General Secretary John McGowan added:
“The cost-of-living crisis and rising inflation are placing huge financial strain on students, while bursary provision has failed to keep pace.”
He said this meant many students were
“graduating with significant debt at a time when the sector can least afford to lose them”.
What does the Welsh Government say about bursary trends?
A Welsh Government spokesperson stated:
“Whilst it is positive that social work students sponsored by employers continues to rise annually, we recognise the importance of other social worker training routes. We remain committed to building a strong and sustainable social work workforce, including by investing £1.4m annually in the enhanced student social worker bursary to attract new entrants into the profession. Early provisional data suggests a significant increase in student applications for the social work bursary for 2025–26, following the decrease seen in 2024-25.”
What review of social work education is underway?
The news comes as Social Care Wales carries out a review of social work education in the country, with a view to increasing student numbers, improving diversity and maintaining standards. It is looking at barriers to studying social work, including financial ones and those related to public perceptions of the profession, and examining alternative education models. The workforce body is due to report on its findings this summer.
How does the grow-our-own scheme factor into student numbers?
Social Care Wales noted that the rise in employer-sponsored trainees via grow-our-own schemes partially offset the 2024-25 bursary drop, contributing to non-bursary growth. Provisional 2025-26 data shows continued reliance on this route alongside bursary recovery, with totals nearing prior highs. Councils had expressed worries that fewer self-funders could strain future workforce supply, but the latest figures offer reassurance.
What concerns persist despite the recovery?
Despite the uptick, SWU General Secretary John McGowan highlighted ongoing pressures:
“The cost-of-living crisis and rising inflation are placing huge financial strain on students, while bursary provision has failed to keep pace.”
This echoes council concerns in the SCWWDP report tying the prior decline to affordability. Social Care Wales has not pinpointed exact causes for the 2024-25 dip, including grow-our-own impacts, but deems it isolated.
Broader context: Workforce needs in Wales
The 2022 bursary boost addressed a shortfall where only 202 of 326 needed social workers joined annually, per a Social Care Wales study. Enhanced values—£3,750 undergraduate, £12,715 postgraduate—supported by SWU and BASW Cymru, reversed application falls. Welsh Government’s £1.4m commitment underscores sustained investment amid rising employer sponsorship.
This comprehensive recovery signals stability for Wales’ social care sector, though the pending education review will shape long-term strategies. All data stems from Social Care Wales’ provisional updates and the SCWWDP annual report, with stakeholder quotes directly attributed as reported.
