This is for anyone with an occupational therapy qualification working in a full or part-time capacity at any age. The occupational therapy qualification held must be recognised by the Health and Care Professions Council (HCPC) and you must either be registered with the HCPC or be eligible for registration with the HCPC and be resident in the UK. 

£24.77 a month (approx.)* 

You’ll see the exact monthly fee when you join online. It’s calculated pro-rata to 30 September based on annual fee of £297.19 and spread across the available monthly Direct Debit collections or paid by card in full. 

Professional indemnity and UNISON cover: 

Professional indemnity cover - £10m cover for each member on a loss occurring basis. The policy is worldwide excluding USA/Canada but only for claims first made in the European Union, Channel Islands and Australia. Find out more about the professional indemnity policy 

UNISON membership (a minimum 4 week period in membership is required before legal assistance can be accessed). The union is not able to provide advice or represent members on issues that occurred prior to joining the union. Find out more about UNISON services and resources 

For lecturers in higher education, UNISON has agreed joint membership arrangements with UCU and EIS to provide an industrial relations service. If you work HEIs should complete the relevant notification forms available on the RCOT website in order to access this service. 

Note: For students transitioning from a student member to a newly-qualified professional member it is important that you continue to have access to the range of resources that can support your practice once you qualify.  The easiest way to do that is by retaining your membership to RCOT. For graduates your membership will automatically roll over onto a newly-qualified professional member at the end of the membership year. We will contact you regarding the upgrade of your membership before the membership year ends. 

However, if you are employed in an occupational therapy role prior to the end of the membership year (30 September), you should upgrade your membership to newly qualified member status via your online account to coincide with the start date of your employment to ensure that you have UNISON support and professional indemnity cover. 

This is the same as a professional membership, but for people who are wholly self-employed. Have a look at HM Revenue & Customs (HMRC) information to check if determine if you are self-employed. 

£18.59 per month (approx.)* 

*The exact monthly fee will be displayed during online joining. It’s calculated pro-rata to 30 September based on annual fee of £223.02 and spread across the available monthly Direct Debit collections or paid by card in full. 

Professional indemnity and UNISON cover: 

• RCOT professional indemnity cover is for all members, whether employed or self-employed, but NOT their employer and provides £10 million cover for each member on a loss occurring basis]. The policy does not provide cover for any type of company or a partnership. If cover is required for any type of company or partnership a separate policy will need to be arranged in the name of that entity. Find out more about the professional indemnity policy.
• UNISON membership is not included in this category of RCOT membership. 

This is a sub-category of our Professional membership. 

Criteria:  Only available to existing RCOT professional members of at least 12 months standing, taking a career break (e.g. maternity/paternity leave, carers leave or due to unemployment.  Members using this membership category should not be practicing occupational therapy. 

£16.91 per month (approx.)* 

*The exact monthly fee will be displayed during online joining. It’s calculated pro-rata to 30 September based on annual fee of £202.92 and spread across the available monthly Direct Debit collections or paid by card in full. 

Professional indemnity and UNISON cover: 

• Professional indemnity cover - £10m cover for each member on a loss occurring basis. Find out more about the professional indemnity policy 

• UNISON membership (except for those unemployed). Find out more about UNISON services and resources 

Note 1: Occupational therapists who are not in work and wishing to return to practice following a break and in the process of applying for registration with HCPC can join under this category. However, those who are in paid employment and wishing to return to practice and going through HCPC requirements will join as a professional member. 

This is a sub-category of our Professional membership. 

Criteria:  As above for professional membership, but you must be resident outside the UK – including living in the Channel Islands. Those who have qualified overseas must have completed an entry level educational programme that has been WFOT approved to be eligible for membership under this category. 

£18.59 per month (approx.)* 

*The exact monthly fee will be displayed during online joining. It’s calculated pro-rata to 30 September based on annual fee of £223.02 and spread across the available monthly Direct Debit collections or paid by card in full. 

Professional indemnity and UNISON cover: 

• Professional indemnity cover - limited depending on the location of the claim. Caveat: the cover is worldwide (excl. USA and Canada). Any claim must be brought under EU, Channel Islands or Australian jurisdiction. The insurance will only respond to claims first made or suit filed against the insured in the following countries:- Great Britain, Northern Ireland, Channel Islands, Isle of Man, European Union and Australia. Find out more about the professional indemnity policy 

• UNISON membership is not included in this category of RCOT membership. 

Note 1: Those living in Northern Ireland and working in the Republic of Ireland are not resident outside the UK so should be professional members. However, they cannot be provided with legal assistance in their workplace. 
  
Note 2: Those living in Ireland, working in Northern Ireland, and requiring industrial relations support can become professional members by using their work address as their primary address. Using RoI address as primary address will lead to overseas membership. 

Criteria: Must be a student that includes international students (non-UK nationals), and apprentices enrolled on an occupational therapy pre-registration programme at a Higher Education Institution (HEI) by an RCOT and HCPC accredited route in the UK. This student category also includes RCOT recognised support worker qualification (with an RCOT student membership option). 

£5.13 per month (approx.)* 

*The exact monthly fee will be displayed during online joining. It’s calculated pro-rata to 30 September based on annual fee of £61.51 and spread across the available monthly Direct Debit collections or paid by card in full. 

Professional indemnity and UNISON cover: 

• Professional indemnity cover - for periods of practice placement in the UK and overseas (excluding USA/Canada) however students MUST be working under the supervision of a qualified occupational therapist for this insurance policy to be available to them. Find out more about the professional indemnity policy. Student members must not offer treatments outside of their capabilities which at all times must be governed by the phase reached in their training programme and their tutor’s assessment. 

• The territorial limits of this cover are worldwide excluding the United States of America or Canada. The insurance will only respond to claims first made or suit filed against the insured in the following countries:- Great Britain, Northern Ireland, Channel Islands, Isle of Mann, European Union and Australia* 

*For students undertaking work (practice placement) in Australia must obtain full indemnity from the employer/care facility/hospital and at all times be supervised by a qualified occupational therapist. 

• UNISON membership – includes access to products and benefits (such as car insurance) but no other industrial relations cover is included. Students who experience issues whilst on practice placement should seek assistance from the university practice placement co-ordinator. 

Note 1: For students transitioning from a student member to a newly qualified professional member it is important that you continue to have access to the range of resources that can support your practice once you qualify. The easiest way to do that is by retaining your membership to RCOT. For graduates your membership will automatically roll over onto a newly qualified professional member at the end of the membership year, based on the study completion date you provided us with. We will contact you regarding the upgrade of your membership before the membership year ends.  

However, if you are employed in an occupational therapy role prior to the end of the membership year (30 September), you should upgrade your membership to newly qualified member status via your online account to coincide with the start date of your employment to ensure that you have UNISON support and professional indemnity cover. 

Criteria:  Must be an apprentice enrolled on an occupational therapy pre-registration programme at a Higher Education Institution (HEI) by an RCOT and HCPC accredited route in the UK. 

£5.13 per month (approx.) * 

*The exact monthly fee will be displayed during online joining. It’s calculated pro-rata to 30 September based on annual fee of £61.51 and spread across the available monthly Direct Debit collections or paid by card in full. 

Professional indemnity and UNISON cover: 

• UNISON membership (a 4-week period in membership is required before legal assistance can be accessed). UNISON is not able to provide advice or represent members on issues that occurred prior to joining the union. Find out more about UNISON services and resources 

• Professional indemnity cover - for periods of practice placement in the UK and overseas (excluding USA/Canada) however students and apprentices MUST be working under the supervision of a qualified occupational therapist for this insurance policy to be available to them. Find out more about the professional indemnity policy. Student and Associate Apprentice members must not offer treatments outside of their capabilities which always must be governed by the phase reached in their training programme and their tutor’s assessment. 

• The territorial limits of this cover are worldwide excluding the United States of America or Canada. The insurance will only respond to claims first made or suit filed against the insured in the following countries: Great Britain, Northern Ireland, Channel Islands, Isle of Mann, European Union, and Australia* 

*Students undertaking work (practice placement) in Australia must always obtain full indemnity from the employer/care facility/hospital and be supervised by a qualified occupational therapist. 

Note: For apprentices transitioning from an associate apprentice member to a newly qualified professional member it is important that you continue to have access to the range of resources that can support your practice once you qualify. The easiest way to do that is by retaining your membership of RCOT. 

For graduates your associate apprentice membership will automatically roll over onto a newly qualified professional member at the end of the membership year (30 September), based on the study completion date you provided us with. We will contact you regarding the upgrade of your membership before the membership year ends. 

Criteria:  Must be an occupational therapy assistant/support worker/helper/technical instructor/reablement work or part-time student, also engaged in work, who is working under the supervision of an occupational therapist for all or part of your work.  

£14.51 per month (approx.)* 

*The exact monthly fee will be displayed during online joining. It’s calculated pro-rata to 30 September based on annual fee of £174.17 and spread across the available monthly Direct Debit collection or paid by card in full. 

Professional indemnity and UNISON cover: 

• Professional indemnity cover - £10m cover for each member on a loss occurring basis. 

• UNISON membership (a 4 week period in membership is required before legal assistance can be accessed). 

UNISON is not able to provide advice or represent members on issues that occurred prior to joining the union. Find out more about UNISON services and resources 

Note 1:  If you hold an occupational therapy qualification and are eligible for registration with the HCPC then you are only eligible for professional membership of RCOT, not associate membership, even if you are working in a support role. 

This is a sub-category of our Professional membership. 

Criteria:  Retired membership is for those individuals who have completed their career and no longer practise, or who are unable to work through ill health but who wish to remain connected to their professional community. To be eligible you must have been a professional or associate member of RCOT/BAOT for at least a year at any point. 

£6.14 per month (approx.)* 

*The exact monthly fee will be displayed during online joining. It’s calculated pro-rata to 30 September based on annual fee of £73.69 and spread across the available monthly Direct Debit collection or paid by card in full. 

We offer a reduced retired member rate so that you can remain part of our professional association and benefit from this membership category. 

Find out more about becoming a retired member 

Professional indemnity and UNISON cover: 

• Professional indemnity cover is not available for members in this category, however run off insurance cover is provided for those who were professional members at the time of any historic claim.  Find out more about the professional indemnity policy 

• UNISON membership is not included for this category of RCOT membership on mc doc. However, a RCOT member with at least two years' continuous membership in the Professional, Associate, Student or Career break categories immediately prior to their retirement, who is in receipt of a pension and who is not in other paid employment, can pay a life membership fee to become a UNISON retired member. Information on becoming a UNISON Retired Member is available by phoning UNISON Direct on 0845 355 0845.