Support Worker
National Autistic Society
£23492/annum £23,492.00 per annum
Barnsley, S70
Full time, part time, permanent
The Breakroom Take
- People enjoy this job
- Proper training
About National Autistic Society
The National Autistic Society is a charity that supports autistic people.
Job description from National Autistic Society
This advert is for a Support Worker based at Hoylands House, Barnsley.
The salary for this role is £23,492.00 per annum. Full/Part time available.
Driving license essential
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Who are we:
The National Autistic Society is here to transform lives, challenge perceptions and build a society that works for autistic people.
We support people to understand their diagnosis and how this may impact on their life and the lives of those around them.
Our residential services provide accommodation and support for autistic adults 52 weeks a year, 24 hours a day in urban and rural settings.
We also provide supported living services for autistic adults who need extra help to live in their own homes or within our accommodation, whether as tenants or owner occupiers, living alone, or with others.
Visit our website to find out more about who we are and what we do: (url removed)/
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Who we are looking for:
We are looking for an experienced Support Worker with the passion to work with our fantastic team at Hoylands House.
Ideally, you will have a background in supporting autistic people but if not, we have a fantastic training programme that will get you on your way to achieving a fulfilling job that will beat most out there.
You may have a personal connection, a desire to work with or real-life experiences working with autistic people.
You will have experience supporting vulnerable people in a residential setting and if you share our values and are willing to make a difference to the lives of autistic people, we’d love to hear from you.
Your working pattern in this role will require flexibility to meet the needs of the people supported and their families, and will include evening and weekend working.
The role includes:
Helping individuals achieve independence and personal goals
Supporting and transporting individuals to integrate into their community
Develop individuals home making skills and personal chores
Transforming lives and achieving results for autistic adults
Possession of a driving licence (minimum one year) is Essential
Please click here for a Job Description
What we can offer you:
Auto-enrolled Pension Scheme
33 days annual leave (incl. Public Holidays) with the option to buy or sell annual leave every year
Excellent induction, training and development programme including training about autism
Online staff discount scheme for a range of benefits such as cycle to work scheme, season ticket loan & shopping discounts for places such as Asda, Tesco, Sainsburys, Halfords, Nike, Apple and loads more!
Healthcare Cash Plan (for permanent staff members)
Life Assurance at 2 x base salary
A portfolio of fantastic new salary sacrifices benefits and other flexible benefits private health, dental insurance, car salary sacrifice scheme, activity pass, holiday trading, enhanced pension & salary deduct loans (eligibility criteria may apply)
Access to a 24-hour Employee Assistance Programme & counselling programme
Free access to the Headspace App – a global leader in mindfulness and you can enrol up to three friends or family members for free!
Eligibility for a Blue Light Card
Enhanced overtime. Additional payments for sleep-in and on call
Join the Team Scheme - Refer a friend and receive £200
Where you will be working:
residential services in XXXXX.
About our application process:
When providing a supporting statement, please refer to the job description and person specification and include any information that shows your suitability for the role.
For more information about this job please contact insert: Hiring managers name, job title & email address
We do reserve the right to close this advertisement early if we receive a high volume of suitable applications.
To protect our autistic adults, all staff are required to have a criminal background check. Possession of an Enhanced DBS Check either on the Update Service or conducted within the last 12 months would be preferable but not essential.
Applications for this job are sought from anyone who is suitably qualified and experienced for the role but particularly welcome from those with a diagnosis of autism.
The National Autistic Society is committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of all children and adults who use our services and as such expects all staff and volunteers to share this commitment. Successful applicants will be required to complete the relevant safeguarding checks.
We are an equal opportunities employer. INDAS
Job insights from Breakroom
Support workers
Support workers help vulnerable people to live independently
What you’ll do as a support worker:
- Check the needs and progress of the individuals you are supporting
- Help with daily tasks like budgeting, shopping and claiming benefits
- Provide physical care and support including, bathing, dressing, cooking and feeding
- Check and monitor health and help with medication
Is it right for you?
This job may involve:
- Standing
- Heavy lifting
- Helping with personal care
- Physical activity
- Emotionally demanding duties
- Wearing a uniform
- Night work
- Long hours
- Anti-social hours
- Cleaning
- Working alone
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What employees say
Pay
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Okay
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Only some people are paid a living wage
Do National Autistic Society pay support workers enough to live on?
Some people are not paid a living wage.
How we know this
44% of people say they are paid below the Real Living Wage for where they live.Based on data from 16 people who took the Breakroom Quiz between March 2023 and February 2025.
Why this matters
Everyone should be paid enough to live on.
The Real Living Wage is a voluntary rate employers can sign up to that is based on the real cost of living.
The current rates are £12.60 per hour, and £13.85 per hour in London.
Find out more in our explainer about the Real Living Wage.
Okay
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Only some people are paid market rates
Do National Autistic Society pay support workers market rates?
Only some people are paid above average for their job.
How we know this
53% of people are paid below average for the type of work they do.Based on data from 17 people who took the Breakroom Quiz between March 2023 and March 2025.
Why this matters
Pay can vary a lot between types of job. Employers should be ensuring that the rates their staff are paid are in line with similar roles elsewhere.
Okay
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Only some people get paid breaks
Do support workers at National Autistic Society get paid breaks?
Sometimes. Only some people get paid breaks.
How we know this
38% of people say they don’t get paid breaks.Based on data from 16 people who took the Breakroom Quiz between March 2023 and March 2025.
Why this matters
A good job should have paid breaks.
You should be paid for all your time at work, whether you’re on a break or not.
Okay
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Only some people get sick pay
Do National Autistic Society pay support workers sick pay?
Sometimes. Only some people get proper sick pay.
How we know this
42% of people say they wouldn’t get paid if they were sick but scheduled to work.Based on data from 12 people who took the Breakroom Quiz between March 2023 and March 2025.
Why this matters
Everyone gets sick sometimes. You should be able to take time off without worrying.
At a good job you should still get paid if you’re scheduled to work but can’t due to sickness. Your contract should say how many sick days you can take each year.
This is more than the legal minimum, which says you should only get paid if you are unwell for 4 full days. See Citizens Advice for more details.
Okay
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Some people do unpaid extra work
Do support workers at National Autistic Society do extra work that they don't get paid for?
Sometimes. Some people do unpaid extra work.
How we know this
36% of people report that they do extra work that they don’t get paid for.Based on data from 14 people who took the Breakroom Quiz between March 2023 and February 2025.
Why this matters
Everyone should get paid for any extra work they do, even if it is outside your contracted hours. At a good job, you should be paid for all the time you spend at work.
Hours and flexibility
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Okay
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Less than 4 weeks notice of shifts
How much notice do support workers get of their shift pattern at National Autistic Society?
Only some people get 4 weeks notice of when they’re working.
How we know this
- 15% of people with changing schedules report getting one week notice or less.
- 8% of people with changing schedules report getting two weeks notice.
- 31% of people with changing schedules report getting three weeks notice.
- 46% of people with changing schedules report getting four weeks notice or more.
Based on data from 13 people who took the Breakroom Quiz between December 2022 and October 2024.
Why this matters
At a good job, you get plenty of notice about when you’re working.
This makes it easy for you to plan the rest of life, as well as your finances, because you know how much you’ll be working and when.
Good
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Most people don’t worry about their hours
Do support workers at National Autistic Society worry about hours?
Most people don’t worry about getting enough hours.
How we know this
77% of people report they don’t worry about getting enough hours.Based on data from 13 people who took the Breakroom Quiz between April 2023 and March 2025.
Why this matters
At a good job, you shouldn’t have to worry about getting enough hours each week.
A good job should guarantee you a minimum number of hours in a contract, if you want it.
This makes it easier to plan your finances, because you know how much you’ll be earning.
Okay
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Only some people get a choice of shifts
Do support workers at National Autistic Society get to choose the shifts they work?
Some people don’t get enough choice over which shifts they work.
How we know this
50% report that their manager doesn’t give them enough choice over which shifts they work.Based on data from 16 people who took the Breakroom Quiz between March 2023 and March 2025.
Why this matters
A good job is flexible around your personal life. This means you get a say in when you prefer to work.
Okay
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Can be hard to change shifts
How easy is it for support workers at National Autistic Society to change shifts?
Some people find it hard to change shifts.
How we know this
46% of people report that it’s hard to change shifts if they need to.Based on data from 13 people who took the Breakroom Quiz between March 2023 and February 2025.
Why this matters
A good job is flexible around your personal life. It should be easy to change a shift if you need to, whether that’s in an emergency or for planning ahead.
Good
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Easy to book holiday
How easy is it for support workers to book a holiday at National Autistic Society?
Most people find it easy to book holiday.
How we know this
88% of people report it’s easy to book holidays.Based on data from 16 people who took the Breakroom Quiz between March 2023 and March 2025.
Why this matters
A good job should let you take time off when you need it, and it shouldn’t be a nightmare to arrange.
Okay
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Shifts can get changed at short notice
Do National Autistic Society managers change support workers shifts at short notice?
Some managers change people’s shifts at short notice.
How we know this
40% of people say their manager changes their shifts at the last minute.Based on data from 15 people who took the Breakroom Quiz between March 2023 and March 2025.
Why this matters
If your manager is often changing your shifts at short notice that’s a sign of poor planning. At a good job you won’t be messed around at the last minute.
Good
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Most people find it easy to take sick leave
How easy is it for support workers to take sick leave at National Autistic Society?
Most people find it easy to take sick leave.
How we know this
79% of people report that it’s easy to take time off if they are sick.Based on data from 14 people who took the Breakroom Quiz between March 2023 and March 2025.
Why this matters
Everyone gets sick sometimes. You should be able to take time off when you need to.
A good job should support you when you’re unwell and have systems in place that will allow you to take time off to recover when you need it.
Workplace
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Okay
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Only some people feel treated with respect
Do support workers at National Autistic Society feel treated with respect by their managers?
Some people don’t feel treated with respect by their managers.
How we know this
54% of people say they’re not treated with respect by their managers.Based on data from 13 people who took the Breakroom Quiz between April 2023 and March 2025.
Why this matters
Everyone should get treated with respect by their managers. You shouldn’t feel discriminated against or bullied, and if you have a problem you should be able to speak to someone about it.
Needs improving
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Most people don’t get proper breaks
Do support workers at National Autistic Society get proper breaks?
Most people don’t get proper breaks.
How we know this
88% of people report that they don’t get to take proper breaks.Based on data from 17 people who took the Breakroom Quiz between March 2023 and March 2025.
Why this matters
When you take a break it should be a proper rest. It should last the full duration and you shouldn’t get pulled off it.
Needs improving
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Most people are stressed
Is it stressful for support workers to work at National Autistic Society?
Most people feel stressed here.
How we know this
75% of people say they often feel stressed at work.Based on data from 16 people who took the Breakroom Quiz between March 2023 and March 2025.
Why this matters
Work isn’t always easy, but if you’re frequently feel stressed, that’s not good.
Your employer should support you with enough people and resources to get your job done without feeling overwhelmed.
Good
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Most people enjoy their job
Do support workers at National Autistic Society enjoy their jobs?
Most people enjoy their job.
How we know this
75% of people report they enjoy their job.Based on data from 12 people who took the Breakroom Quiz between March 2023 and March 2025.
Needs improving
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Most people don’t recommend their team
Do support workers at National Autistic Society recommend working with their team?
Not many people recommend working with their team.
How we know this
88% of people report that they wouldn’t recommend working with their immediate team to a friend.Based on data from 17 people who took the Breakroom Quiz between March 2023 and March 2025.
Why this matters
A good job means enjoying the place where you work.
The people you work with every day really matter. They can be the difference between a terrible day and a great one.
If you’d recommend your team to a friend, this shows that something’s going right.
Good
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Most people get enough training
Do support workers get enough training when they start at National Autistic Society?
Most people got enough training when they started.
How we know this
76% of people report they got enough training when they started working here.Based on data from 17 people who took the Breakroom Quiz between March 2023 and March 2025.
Why this matters
A good job should give you good training when you start, not just drop you in at the deep end.
This means that you’ll be happier and more productive from day one and shows that your employer values you.
It’s also very important if your job involves anything that could be dangerous. Good training from the outset keeps you and your team safe.
Needs improving
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Most people don’t get support to progress
Are support workers given support to progress at National Autistic Society?
Most people aren’t given support to progress here.
How we know this
In the last year, 77% of people report not being given an opportunity to get better at their job, learn a new skill, learn to manage a team or get more responsibility in their role.Based on data from 13 people who took the Breakroom Quiz between April 2023 and March 2025.
Why this matters
A good job should help you progress at work, if you want to. That might be supporting you to get better at the job you currently have, learn something new, manage a team or take on more responsibilities.
This means you’ll be able to build on your skills and experience, and earn more money.
Needs improving
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Head office doesn’t understand what’s happening
Do support workers think National Autistic Society head office understands what's happening where they work?
Most people think head office doesn’t understand what’s happening where they work.
How we know this
94% of people think that this employer’s head office or owners don’t have a good understanding of what’s really happening where they work.Based on data from 16 people who took the Breakroom Quiz between April 2023 and March 2025.
Why this matters
At a good job, the role of head office should be to support the people on the frontline serving customers.
To do that properly, the company’s owners or head office need to have a good understanding of what’s really happening on the frontline. This is especially important when a company owns multiple locations.
Needs improving
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Most people don’t feel well informed by head office
Do support workers feel well informed about how National Autistic Society is doing?
Most people don’t feel well informed about how the company is doing.
How we know this
71% of people feel that they aren’t kept well informed about how the company is doing as a whole.Based on data from 14 people who took the Breakroom Quiz between March 2023 and March 2025.
Why this matters
At a good job, there should be a supportive relationship between the people working on the frontline serving customers and the people who own the company or work in head office.
You should be kept informed about how the company is doing as a whole, both in good times and when things get tough for the business.
What National Autistic Society employees say about their job
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Best thing
People we support and work colleagues
Worst thing
Communication between support workers and management and HR
Senior support worker at National Autistic Society, October 2024
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Best thing
Helping the children develop
Worst thing
Getting injured constantly
Lead LSA at National Autistic Society, July 2024
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