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We’ll support you to be the best occupational therapist

Your RCOT.

Your membership, your growth, your future.

With more than ever before, including innovative tools, vibrant networks, endless growth opportunities, and support when you need it, you’ll have everything you need to achieve your best.

We've got your back and we'll help you flourish.

Join now and unlock your full potential!

Member benefits

We’ll lift you up to be the best you can be throughout your career. You’ll be part of a fantastic community and have all the development opportunities, evidence-based resources and tools you need to succeed. Discover more about being an RCOT member.

A personalised CPD portfolio to showcase your growth
Access our exciting RCOT Communities for networking and collaboration
Expert support from our dedicated professional advisory service
Funding for research and development to fuel your career
A chance to shape the future of the profession with strategic support
UNISON membership with legal, financial, and learning benefits

Find the membership that’s right for you

Professional

If you’re a qualified occupational therapist employed in a full or part-time role, then this is the right membership for you.

It’s also the right category for you if you do some self-employed work alongside being employed.

Your occupational therapy qualification must be recognised by the Health and Care Professions Council (HCPC). You need to be either registered with the HCPC, or eligible for registration, and live in the UK. . 

If you’re newly registered, wholly self-employed, on a career break or working outside of the UK then we have different professional membership categories tailored just for you.

Find out more

How much does it cost?

£297.19 a year or approximately £24.77 a month.

Your annual membership starts on 1 October each year. Your monthly or annual fee is calculated proportionally to 30 September and spread across your monthly direct debit payments or paid by card in full. You’ll see your exact fee when you complete your joining form.

Insurance cover of up to £10million

You’ll get professional indemnity cover of up to £10m on a loss occurring basis.

One of the things that makes our insurance policy so unique is that our scope of practice for occupational therapy is so broad. It’s not based on your role or job title – it covers you as an individual whenever you practice as an OT − all day, every day. Find out more about the professional indemnity policy.

Your employer's insurance policy may not cover everything. It's usually designed to cover the specific work you're contracted to do. We suggest checking with your employer to understand their insurance cover.

UNISON membership

Full UNISON membership is included as part of your membership. When you become a member, you formally join the British Association of Occupational Therapists (BAOT) and automatically become a member of Royal College of Occupational Therapists (RCOT) and UNISON.

RCOT is the brand we provide our member services under and a wholly owned charitable subsidiary of BAOT. We work this way so that as well as getting all the benefits of being an RCOT member, you also get the benefits of being part of the largest union in the NHS and in the UK.

You get your full UNISON membership four weeks after you’ve joined and you’ll get advice or representation on issues that happen from then onwards.

You won’t have industrial relations support from UNISON for any self-employed work you do, only for your employed role.

Find out more about UNISON services and resources 

Are you a lecturer in higher education?

If you are, you can have joint membership of the Educational Institute of Scotland (EIS) or the University and College Union (UCU).

Your subscription to the academic union is incorporated into your UNISON membership at no extra cost.

Once you’ve joined RCOT, you then apply for EIS or UCU, through the links below.

Join UCU

Join EIS

Tax relief on your membership fee

You can claim income tax relief on your job expenses, including your RCOT professional membership. Check Gov.uk website to see if you’re eligible.

Professional self-employed

If you’re a qualified occupational therapist who is wholly self-employed then this is the right membership for you.

If you’re not sure if you’re classed as wholly self-employed, check HM Revenue & Customs (HMRC) information. 

If you do some self-employed work alongside being employed then the professional category is the right one for you.

Find out more

How much does it cost?

£223.02 a year or approximately £18.58 a month.

Your annual membership starts on 1 October each year. Your monthly or annual fee is calculated proportionally to 30 September and spread across your monthly direct debit payments collections or paid by card in full. You’ll see your exact fee when you complete your joining form.

Insurance cover of up to £10million

You’ll get professional indemnity cover of up to £10m on a loss occurring basis.

The policy doesn’t cover for any type of company or partnership; you’d need a separate policy for this. Find out more about the professional indemnity policy.

UNISON membership

As you’re self-employed, you won’t get full UNISON membership with industrial relations support, but you’ll still be a UNISON member and benefit from the general support they provide including their helpline, training and discounts.

When you become a member, you formally join British Association of Occupational Therapists (BAOT) and automatically become a member of Royal College of Occupational Therapists (RCOT) and UNISON.

Find out more about UNISON services and resources 

Professional on a career break

This membership is open to you after you’ve been a professional members for at least 12 months and you’re taking a career break. It covers maternity and paternity leave, carers leave and when you’re unemployed.

You’re eligible for this membership while you’re not in any paid form of employment, including while you’re doing your return to practice requirements with the Health and Care Professions Council (HCPC).

When you return to paid employment, you’ll need to move into either the standard or self-employed professional membership.

As with all professional membership categories, your occupational therapy qualification must be recognised by the HCPC. You need to be either registered with the HCPC, or eligible for registration, and live in the UK.

Find out more

How much does it cost?

£202.92 a year or approximately £16.91 a month.

Your annual membership starts on 1 October each year. Your monthly or annual fee is calculated proportionally to 30 September and spread across your monthly direct debit payments collections or paid by card in full. You’ll see your exact fee when you complete your joining form.

Insurance cover of up to £10million

You’ll continue to get professional indemnity cover of up to £10m on a loss occurring basis. Find out more about the professional indemnity policy.

UNISON membership

You’ll continue to get general support from UNISON while you’re on your career break, and industrial relations support for issues that happened when you were a professional member.

Find out more about UNISON services and resources 

Professional working overseas

If you’re a qualified occupational therapist employed in a full or part-time role, and living outside of the UK, then this is the right membership for you. This means that your main residence is outside the UK, that includes living in the Channel Islands.

If you’ve qualified outside of the UK, you need to have completed an entry level educational programme that has been World Fedearion of Occupational Therapy (WFOT) approved. 

If you live in Northern Ireland and work in the Republic of Ireland, then our standard professional membership is for you. However, you won’t receive industrial relations support from UNISON. 

If you live in the Republic of Ireland and work in Northern Ireland, you have two options. You can join as a standard professional member, using your work address as your primary address, and you’ll receive industrial relations support through your UNISON membership. Or you can join as a professional working overseas member, using your home address, but you won’t get UNISON membership.

Find out more

How much does it cost?

£223.02 a year or approximately £18.58 a month.

Your annual membership starts on 1 October each year. Your monthly or annual fee is calculated proportionally to 30 September and spread across your monthly direct debit payments collections or paid by card in full. You’ll see your exact fee when you complete your joining form.

Insurance cover of up to £10million

Your professional indemnity cover is up to £10m on a loss occurring basis, but it’s limited depending on the location of the claim. We recommend reading the professional indemnity policy to understand more.

UNISON membership

UNISON membership is only available to people living and working in the UK, so it’s not included in this membership.

Professional newly registered

This category is right for you if you’ve completed your occupational therapy course in the last 12–18 months. As a result of your studies, you have a qualification that’s recognised by the Health and Care Professions Council (HCPC). You’re either registered with the HCPC, or eligible for registration and live in the UK.

If you’re already an RCOT student member, you’ll automatically move into this category from 30 September (when our membership year starts). If you get an occupational therapy role before 30 September, let us know so we can move you into this category. You need to do this so that you get your professional indemnity cover, which is an HCPC requirement, and industrial relations support from UNISON.

You’ll stay in this category for up to 12 months (from 30 September), before moving into a professional category.

Find out more

How much does it cost?

£223.02 a year or approximately £18.58 a month.

Your annual membership starts on 1 October each year. Your monthly or annual fee is calculated proportionally to 30 September and spread across your monthly direct debit payments collections or paid by card in full. You’ll see your exact fee when you complete your joining form.

Insurance cover of up to £10million

UNISON membership

UNISON membership is only available to people living and working in the UK, so it’s not included in this membership.

Student

If you’re learning to be an occupational therapist through an RCOT and Health and Care Professions Council (HCPC) accredited route in the UK, then this is the right membership for you.

This includes if you’re:

an international student (non-UK national) studying in the UK
studying for an RCOT recognised support worker qualification.

Find out more

What happens when you graduate?

Once you complete your occupational therapy course, and as a result have a qualification that’s recognised by the HCPC, you’ll be ready to move into our newly registered category.

Based on the study completion date you give us, you’ll move at the end of our membership year, which is 30 September. We’ll be in touch with you about the change before it happens.

If you get an occupational therapy role before 30 September, you’ll need to change into the newly registered category early so you have full professional indemnity cover, which is an HCPC requirement, and industrial relations support from UNISON. You do this through your online account , which you can access after you've joined.

How much does it cost?

£61.51 a year or approximately £5.13 a month.

Your annual membership starts on 1 October each year. Your monthly or annual fee is calculated proportionally to 30 September and spread across your monthly direct debit payments collections or paid by card in full. You’ll see your exact fee when you complete your joining form.

Insurance cover of up to £10million

You’ll get professional indemnity cover of up to £10m on a loss occurring basis when you’re on placement in the UK and working under the supervision of a qualified occupational therapist.

If you’re on placement outside of the UK, you’ll have cover for some locations but it’s limited depending on the location of the claim. We recommend reading the professional indemnity policy to understand more.

You must only offer and provide treatments inside of your capabilities. This is governed by the phase reached in your studies and your tutor’s assessment. 

UNISON membership

As a student, you won’t get full UNISON membership with industrial relations support. You’ll still be a UNISON member and benefit from the more general support they provide including their helpline, training and discounts.

If you have any issues while you’re on placement, reach out to your university practice placement co-ordinator support.

When you become a member, you formally join British Association of Occupational Therapists (BAOT) and automatically become a member of Royal College of Occupational Therapists (RCOT) and UNISON.

Find out more about UNISON services and resources

Tax relief on your membership fee

If you’re in a paid job while studying you can claim income tax relief on your job expenses, including your RCOT professional membership. Check Gov.uk website to see if you’re eligible.

Associate apprentice

If you’re an apprentice on an occupational therapy pre-registration programme at a Higher Education Institution (HEI) by an RCOT and Health and Care Professions Council (HCPC) accredited route in the UK, then this right membership for you.

Find out more

What happens when you graduate?

Once you complete your occupational therapy course, and as a result have a qualification that’s recognised by the HCPC, you’ll be ready to move into our newly registered category.

Based on the study completion date you give us, you’ll move at the end of our membership year, which is 30 September. We’ll be in touch with you about the change before it happens.

How much does it cost?

£61.51 a year or approximately £5.13 a month.

Your annual membership starts on 1 October each year. Your monthly or annual fee is calculated proportionally to 30 September and spread across your monthly direct debit payments collections or paid by card in full. You’ll see your exact fee when you complete your joining form.

Insurance cover of up to £10million

You’ll get professional indemnity cover of up to £10m on a loss occurring basis.

One of the things that makes our insurance policy so unique is that our scope of practice for occupational therapy is so broad. It’s not based on your roles or job titles – it covers you as an individual whenever you practice as an OT − all day, every day. Find out more about the professional indemnity policy.

UNISON membership

Full UNISON membership is included as part of your membership.

When you become a member, you formally join British Association of Occupational Therapists (BAOT) and automatically become a member of Royal College of Occupational Therapists (RCOT) and UNISON.

You get your full UNISON membership four weeks after you’ve joined and you’ll get advice or representation on issues that happen from then onwards.

Find out more about UNISON services and resources

Tax relief on your membership fee

If you’re in a paid job while studying you can claim income tax relief on your job expenses, including your RCOT professional membership. Check Gov.uk website to see if you’re eligible.

Join now

Associate

This is the right membership for you if you’re an occupational therapy assistant, support worker, support helper, technical instructor, reablement work or part-time student while also employed. You need to be working under the supervision of an occupational therapist for all or part of your work and live in the UK.

This isn’t the right membership for your if you’re working as a support worker, or similar role, and have an occupational therapy qualification and are eligible for registration with the Health and Care Professions Council (HCPC). In this case, our professional membership would be the right one for you.

And if you’re an apprentice studying to be an occupational therapist then our associate apprentice membership would be the one you want.

Find out more

How much does it cost?

£174.17 a year or approximately £14.51 a month.

Your annual membership starts on 1 October each year. Your monthly or annual fee is calculated proportionally to 30 September and spread across your monthly direct debit payments collections or paid by card in full. You’ll see your exact fee when you complete your joining form.

Insurance cover of up to £10million

You’ll get professional indemnity cover of up to £10m on a loss occurring basis.

UNISON membership

Full UNISON membership is included as part of your membership. When you become a member, you formally join British Association of Occupational Therapists (BAOT) and automatically become a member of Royal College of Occupational Therapists (RCOT) and UNISON.

You get your full UNISON membership four weeks after you’ve joined and you’ll get advice or representation on issues that happen from then onwards.

Find out more about UNISON services and resources

Tax relief on your membership fee

If you’re in a paid job while studying you can claim income tax relief on your job expenses, including your RCOT professional membership. Check Gov.uk website to see if you’re eligible.

Retired membership

When you retire, stop practising or aren’t able to work through ill health but want to stay connected to your professional community then this is the membership for you. You need, at some point, to have been a professional or associate member for at least 12 months. You may still be registered with the HCPC but you don't intend to renew your registration.

You’re an important part of our community. We understand the importance of feeling valued, heard, supported and connected to occupational therapy. Your expertise and dedication to occupational therapy can continue to make an impact by championing the profession and sharing your valuable knowledge.

Are you thinking of retiring?

If you're thinking about retiring, come along to one of our transitioning to retirement Maximise your membership webinars. If there isn’t one coming up soon, you can watch a recording of a previous event.

Find out more

How much does it cost?

£73.69 a year or approximately £6.14 a month.

Your annual membership starts on 1 October each year. Your monthly or annual fee is calculated proportionally to 30 September and spread across your monthly direct debit payments collections or paid by card in full. You’ll see your exact fee when you complete your joining form.

Insurance

As you’re not practicing professional indemnity cover isn’t available. You’ll have cover for historic claims, if they are for a time that you were a professional member.

Find out more about the professional indemnity policy.

UNISON membership

UNISON membership isn’t included in your retired membership. If you would like to be a UNSION retired member, you can separately pay for a life membership. You can do this if:

you were an RCOT member (professional, associate, student or career break) for at least two years' continuously before retiring
you’re receiving a pension
you’re not in other paid employment.

Reach out to UNISON to find out more.

Tax relief on your membership fee

If you’re in a paid job while studying you can claim income tax relief on your job expenses, including your RCOT professional membership. Check Gov.uk website to see if you’re eligible.