The salaries of social service staff are set to rise again as demand for their skills continues to grow.

Staff working in programmes funded by the Ministry of Social and Family Development will see their salary guidelines go up by up to 12 per cent from its last financial year, which ended last month.

From April 1, the starting pay for a social worker fresh out of university will be $3,400 a month, up 4 per cent from $3,270, going by the latest pay guidelines posted on the National Council of Social Service's website.

Minister for Social and Family Development Desmond Lee first announced the pay rise in Parliament last month, saying: "Many of those who work in the social service sector do not do it for the remuneration. Nonetheless, they deserve to receive a fair and competitive wage and have their contributions recognised."

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