£3,500 pay rise for Cafcass social workers sought by unions

Unions are seeking a pay rise of £3,500 or 6% – whichever is higher – for Cafcass staff in 2025-26 in a claim designed to address past real-terms cuts in wages. Napo and UNISON lodged the claim last week, saying it was also designed to address what they said were growing pay gaps between family court advisers (FCAs) and local authority social workers, sustain productivity and morale at Cafcass and provide appropriate reward for what the unions alleged had been increases in workloads.