General Social Care Council

Re-applying to join the Social Care Register

To re-apply to the register you are required to complete a Re-apply to the Social Care Register as a Qualified Social Worker' application form (PDF). You will not be able to re-apply for registration if you send us a renewal application form. We are unable to accept a renewal application form.

If you were previously registered as a student and are now applying to register as a qualified social worker for the first time, you need to complete the application form for qualified social workers. Please do not use the re-applying application form.

Information about re-applying to join the Social Care Register

Please use the following links for further information:

• General information about re-applying to join the Social Care Register
• Completing your current employment details in the application form
• Re-applying application fees
• Processing of your application
• Completing your form and contacting us
• Current processing times

Where to get an application form

You can order an application pack either by post or download a pdf version of the application form along with the relevant supporting documents. If you download a form please make sure that you send all the pages to us.

Please note: there is an error in the application form. You will not be able to pay your re-applying fee, or other outstanding fees, online and we are sorry that the application form states that you can. We can accept payment by cheque or direct debit. However, you will be able to use the online system, called MyGSCC, once you are registered.

• Re-apply to the Social Care Register as a Qualified Social Worker' application form (PDF 128K)
• Re-apply to the Social Care Register Guidance Notes (PDF 268KB)
• Vetting and Barring Scheme - incorporated FAQs (PDF 58KB)
• Instruction to your bank or building society to pay by direct debit (PDF 56KB)
• Additional information - character and conduct part A
• Additional information - character and conduct part B
• Additional information - character and conduct part C
• Additional information - health
• Health Consent Form (PDF 27KB)
• Equal opportunities form (PDF 44KB)

Health Management Statement (PDF 57KB)*

*You only need to complete this if you answer ‘Yes’ to the question on page 17 of the application form about having a physical or mental impairment, learning disability or health condition. If you answer ‘Yes’, as well as completing the Health Management Statement, you also need to give us more information about your declaration on the Additional Information sheet. If you don’t do this, your application will be delayed.

• Order your forms by post

Following registration

Once you have been registered, you and your employers can check the online Social Care Register on our website to view your registration status. Please use the link below to access the online register and find out more about maintaining your registration:



• check the register
• post registration

For further information on our registration policies please contact our Helpline. Contact details are available in the contact directory listed on this website.

Registration rules 3.4.08 (PDF 85KB) - General Social Care Council Rules for Registration 2008 and explanatory notes.

General information about re-applying to join the Social Care Register

Under our Registration Rules 2008, the GSCC shall treat an application for re-applying as an initial application for registration. You will need to complete the Re-apply to the Social Care Register as a Qualified Social Worker application form (form AF6 (E) v.1) and provide us with your registration fee of £30 and any outstanding payments from your previous registration period.

To help us process your application quickly, please send your completed application form and supporting documents together. Incomplete applications and applications without supporting documents will be returned.

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Completing your current employment details in the application form

Since 1 April 2005, the title ‘social worker’ has been protected in England by Section 61 of the Care Standards Act 2000. Individuals who are not registered on the Social Care Register (‘the Register’) will be in breach of Section 61 of the Care Standards Act, if they:

• (a) describe themselves as a social worker;
• (b) describe themselves in a way which implies registration with the GSCC; or
• (c) hold themselves out as registered with the GSCC; and, by doing so, they intend to deceive another person.

Under the employment section in the application form, you will need to give us your employment details. Please provide us with your current job title, not the job title you intend to hold once your registration is complete. If you believe that your job title and responsibilities will change once registered, please include that information separately either in the employment section or on a separate sheet of paper.

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Re-applying application fee

Before registration can be granted, we require payment of the £30 application fee, together with any outstanding payments due from your previous three year registration period.

If you are not sure if you owe any outstanding payments, please contact us and we will confirm if you have any outstanding amounts. Outstanding payments must have fully cleared before you can be registered.

Payments are accepted by cheque or direct debit. You will not be able to pay your re-applying fee, or other outstanding fees, online and we are sorry that the application form states that you can. However, you will be able to use the online system, called MyGSCC, once you are registered.

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Processing of your application

If your job is dependent on registration and your employer can provide proof of an offer of employment, we can prioritise your application. We will attempt to do our best to prioritise your application, however if the application is incomplete, we need more information, or require further investigation, it may take longer to process and this can delay the assessment of your application.

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Completing your form and contacting us

It is important to make sure your application pack is fully completed, as incomplete forms will be returned and will not be processed.

Full guidance notes are available. It can take several weeks to assess an application depending on the type and complexity. On receipt of your application we will send you an acknowledgement letter and contact you if we require further information. Please allow 7 to 10 working days for receipt of your acknowledgement letter.

If you have questions, please contact us by email at re-applying@gscc.org.uk or if you would like to speak to someone, please contact our Helpline. Our contact details are available in the contact directory listed on this website.

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