Key worker eligibility
This page contains information on the Council's definition of key workers
The Council’s definition of a Key Worker includes occupations listed in both Category 1 and Category 2 below.
In addition Key Workers must also meet the Key Worker criteria at the end of the page.
Key worker occupations
Category 1 (former national definition)
All clinical staff employed by the NHS except doctors and dentists
Qualified teachers in LEA schools and sixth form colleges, lecturers in FE colleges, children’s social workers and qualified nursery nurses in LEA nursery schools only
Police officers and community support officers including those working for the British Transport Police or the Civil Nuclear Constabulary (CNC) in certain areas. Some front line civilian police roles are also eligible – this varies by force
Prison Service: Prison officers and related grades, operational support grades, nursing staff, industrials and instructional officers working at specified locations
Probation Service: Probation officers, senior probation officers, probation service officers, trainee probation officers and other operational staff (except Assistant Chief Officers) who work directly with offenders
Local Authority: Local authority employed clinical staff, adult social workers, occupational therapists, educational psychologists, speech and language therapists, rehabilitation officers for the visually impaired and qualified nursery nurses. Local authority planners employed by the Local Planning Authority delivering statutory planning services
Connexions: Personal Advisors provided that they are employed by a local authority or a Connexions Partnership. Connexions Personal Advisors employed by private or voluntary sector organisations are not eligible
Fire and Rescue: Fire Fighters. Uniformed fire and rescue staff below principal level
Other:
MOD posts: Regular service personnel, including: Military Provost Guard Service, in the Navy, Army and Air Force; MoD Police Officers
uniformed staff in the Defence Fire Service
Full Time Reserve Service (Full Commitment)
Environmental Health Officers/Practitioners Qualified Environmental Health Officers/Practitioners who work in a local authority, government agency, NHS or other public sector agency, and who hold either a EHRB Certificate of Registration or an EHRB Diploma in Environmental Health
Traffic Officer staff of the Highways Agency Traffic Officer Service. All applicants must be in one of the following safety critical roles Supervisor (on road and off road); Traffic Officer; and RCC Operator.
Category 2 (local definition)
Other public service professional, technical, and front line workers, and also workers providing support services to them (or to those in Category 1).
This category includes:
postal workers
people training for an occupation in this Category or Category 1
hospital ancillary staff
local government workers
administrative staff within the police, fire service, education
social services etc.
classroom assistants.
Other Key Worker criteria
Key Workers also need to meet the following criteria:
work for an organisation that has as its primary purpose delivering services to the general public at no charge or a nominal universal charge; e.g. public body; charity; Registered Provider, private company serving the public as a whole (e.g. Water Company)
work from a base within the borough
employed on a permanent contract or fixed term contract with more than six months un-expired at time of application
be employed in one of the Key Worker occupations above as their main employment
must hold a recognised technical or professional qualification if this is normally required for the job
be unable to buy a home suitable for their household needs and within a reasonable travelling distance to their place of employment
have indefinite leave either to enter or to remain in the UK (excluding Key Workers from member states of the EU/EEA).
Note (May 2011): Central government no longer recognises key workers as a special group, however, for the time being, the Council will still operate a key worker policy.
Last updated : 04/07/2011
