You can become a care worker in the UK without a degree, without previous experience and often within two to four weeks of applying. Most employers ask for three things: the right to work in the UK, a clean enhanced DBS check, and a genuine willingness to learn. Training is usually provided once you are hired.
This guide covers what the job really involves, what you need before you apply, how pay works in 2026, and how to avoid the fake care job adverts that target new applicants. When you are ready, you can browse live vacancies on our jobs page.
What does a care worker do day to day?
Care workers support adults who need help to live safely and with dignity. That might be an older person living at home, someone with a learning disability, or a resident in a care home recovering after a hospital stay. The work depends heavily on the setting.
Domiciliary (home) care
You visit people in their own homes, usually on a planned run of calls. A typical visit might involve helping someone get washed and dressed, preparing breakfast, prompting medication and writing notes in a care record or app. A driving licence and car are often required, especially outside cities.
Residential and nursing homes
You work shifts in one building as part of a team. Duties include personal care, mealtimes, moving and handling with hoists, activities and handovers. There is no travel between calls, which suits people without a car.
Supported living and live-in care
Supported living means helping people, often with learning disabilities or mental health needs, to live as independently as possible. Live-in carers stay in the client’s home for a block of days or weeks. These roles can include sleep-in shifts, which have their own pay rules (see below).
What the job asks of you
- Personal care: washing, bathing, toileting and continence care.
- Medication support, but only after you have been trained and assessed.
- Accurate written records, since notes are reviewed by families, nurses and inspectors.
- Spotting changes: a new bruise, confusion, not eating. Reporting it matters.
- Companionship. For many clients you may be the only person they see that day.
It is physically and emotionally demanding, but you see the difference you make every shift.
Requirements: what you need to get hired
Right to work in the UK
Every employer must check that you can legally work in the UK before you start. British and Irish citizens usually show a passport. Most other people prove it online with a share code from their UKVI account. Have it ready before interview.
An enhanced DBS check
Care roles need an enhanced DBS check with a check of the adults’ barred list. A conviction does not automatically rule you out. Employers must look at what it was, when it happened and whether it is relevant to the role. Be honest on your application.
From 5 October 2026, the official fee for an enhanced DBS check fell to £41, and the DBS Update Service fell to £15 a year. Many care employers pay for the check. Some ask you to pay. If you already have an enhanced check for adults and you are on the Update Service, a new employer can often check it online instead of starting a new one.
Training and qualifications
You do not need a qualification to apply. New staff in England normally complete an induction based on the Care Certificate standards, which cover basics like safeguarding, infection control, privacy and dignity, and communication. You will also do practical training such as moving and handling, basic life support and medication.
There is now also an accredited Level 2 Adult Social Care Certificate, built on the Care Certificate standards. Employers registered with the Adult Social Care Workforce Data Set can claim funding towards it through the Learning and Development Support Scheme, so ask whether your employer offers it. A Level 3 diploma or apprenticeship can later lead to senior or team leader roles.
Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland have their own registration bodies and induction frameworks, so check the rules if you work outside England.
Driving licence (for home care)
Many domiciliary roles need a full UK licence and access to a car insured for business use. Check how mileage is paid before you accept.
A note on care worker visas
The Care Worker visa closed to new applications from overseas on 22 July 2025, so UK care employers can no longer sponsor new recruits from abroad for care worker roles. People already in the UK may be able to switch into the route until 22 July 2028 under transitional rules, and existing visa holders can extend. Immigration rules change often, so always check GOV.UK or a regulated adviser for your own situation.
Care worker pay and hours in 2026
Most care workers are paid by the hour, and pay sits close to the legal minimum. These are the statutory rates from 1 April 2026:
| Age or category | Hourly rate from 1 April 2026 | Rate from 1 April 2027 (confirmed) |
|---|---|---|
| 21 and over (National Living Wage) | £12.71 | £13.21 |
| 18 to 20 | £10.85 | £11.27 |
| 16 to 17 | £8.00 | £8.31 |
| Apprentice | £8.00 | £8.31 |
The government accepted the April 2027 rates in full on 28 October 2026. The accommodation offset, the most an employer can count towards minimum wage for housing it provides, is £11.10 a day from April 2026.
For context, Skills for Care data reported a median hourly rate of £12.60 for independent-sector care workers in England in December 2025, when the minimum for over-21s was £12.21. In other words, typical pay is only slightly above the legal floor. Pay varies by region, employer and shift. Some employers pay the voluntary real Living Wage, set at £14.10 across the UK and £15.45 in London for 2026–27.
In England, the government has also set up a Fair Pay Agreement process for adult social care, with the first agreement due to take effect from April 2028.
Travel time, sleep-ins and holiday
- Travel time: for home carers, time spent travelling between calls counts as working time for minimum wage. If your hourly rate only covers time in clients’ homes, your average pay across the whole shift must still meet the minimum.
- Sleep-in shifts: following the 2021 Supreme Court ruling in Mencap v Tomlinson-Blake, you are only entitled to minimum wage for the time you are awake and actually working during a sleep-in. Most employers pay a flat sleep-in allowance on top. Ask what it is before you agree.
- Holiday: almost all workers get 5.6 weeks’ paid holiday a year, which is 28 days for someone working five days a week. Zero-hours workers still build up paid holiday.
- Sick pay: since 6 April 2026, Statutory Sick Pay is paid from your first day off sick, whatever you earn.
How to apply and get hired faster
Care employers hire all year, so a clear application moves quickly.
- Pick a setting. No car? Focus on care homes and supported living. Want flexible hours? Home care rotas may suit you better.
- Search locally. Start with our live listings for care jobs in London, Manchester, Birmingham, Bristol and Cambridge.
- Apply directly where you can. Applying to the care provider rather than through several agencies avoids duplicate DBS checks.
- Prepare for a values-based interview. Expect questions like “Tell us about a time you helped someone” or “What would you do if a client refused their medication?”
- Have your documents ready: ID, proof of address, right to work, National Insurance number and two references.
CV tips for care roles
- Open with a specific two-line profile on why you want to do care work.
- Count unpaid care. Looking after a parent or grandparent is relevant experience.
- List your availability clearly, including weekends and early starts. It is often the deciding factor.
How to spot fake care job adverts
Care is a common target for job scams because demand is high and many applicants are new to the UK system. Watch for these warning signs:
- Fees to “secure” the job. UK employment agencies are not allowed to charge you a fee for finding you work, under the Conduct of Employment Agencies and Employment Businesses Regulations 2003. The only exceptions are certain entertainment and modelling roles.
- Pushy training or uniform charges. An agency can offer paid extras, but it cannot make finding you work conditional on buying them. Real care employers provide induction training.
- Inflated DBS fees. If you are asked to pay for a DBS check, the official fee is £41 for an enhanced check. Paying hundreds of pounds to a stranger is a red flag.
- Visa sponsorship promises from abroad. New overseas care worker visas are no longer available, so anyone selling one is not genuine.
- Contact only via WhatsApp or personal email, with no company name or address. Registered care providers in England can be checked on the CQC website.
Read our full guide on avoiding scams on classified ads for more ways to protect yourself. If you are being asked to pay to work, you can check your rights on GOV.UK’s guidance on the Conduct Regulations.
Your care job checklist
- Right to work proof or share code ready
- Photo ID and proof of address
- National Insurance number
- Two referees, ideally one recent employer
- DBS Update Service details, if you already have an enhanced check
- CV with availability and any caring experience clearly listed
- Questions ready: hourly rate, travel time pay, mileage, sleep-in rate, guaranteed hours
- Employer checked on the CQC (or relevant UK nation) register
- No upfront fees paid to anyone for finding you work
Hiring care staff? Employers can post a job on NextDealUK for free.
FAQs
Can I become a care worker with no experience?
Yes. Most care employers hire people with no experience and train them on the job.
Who pays for my DBS check?
It depends on the employer. Many care providers pay for it, while some ask new starters to cover it. The official enhanced check fee is £41 from 5 October 2026. If you join the Update Service, you can often reuse the same check with future employers.
Do care workers get paid for travel time?
Time travelling between calls counts as working time for minimum wage purposes. Your total pay divided by your total working hours, including that travel, must be at least the minimum rate for your age.
How much does a care worker earn in 2026?
Pay for workers aged 21 and over cannot be less than £12.71 an hour from April 2026, rising to £13.21 from April 2027. Many care roles pay at or slightly above this, with higher rates for nights, weekends, senior roles and London.
