How to become a Peer Support Worker
Uses their own lived experience of mental illness and recovery to support others as an equal — building hope and connection on wards and in the community. A low-barrier entry to an NHS career.
Entry routes
- From Healthcare Assistant: Peer support worker training (lived experience) (~1 yrs)
- From Mental Health Support Worker: Peer support worker training (lived experience) (~0.5 yrs)
What you'll need
Certificates
- Care Certificate (completed)
Aptitude
- Personal lived experience of mental illness
Qualifications
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A typical path
£25,272 now → £25,760 in 1 yrs
- £25,272
Healthcare Assistant
Year 0 · Band 2 · entry
- £25,760
Mental Health Support Worker
Year 0.5 · Band 3 · entry
- £25,760
Peer Support Worker
Year 1 · Band 3 · entry
- £27,476
Peer Support Worker
Year 3 · Band 3 · top
Common questions
How long does it take to become a Peer Support Worker?
Entry role (lived-experience based) — see the step-by-step timeline above for a typical path.
See what you'd earn as a Peer Support Worker
Build your personalised forecast and skills plan — free to start.
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Indicative — England 2026/27 Agenda for Change basic pay, excludes High Cost Area Supplements, unsocial-hours and overtime. Typical timings are national averages, not guarantees. Not financial advice. See data sources.