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RCSLT Membership
Working to support you
Together, we focus on amplifying our collective voice, advancing research and professional development, and building strong networks where ideas and best practice can thrive. In doing so, we aim to serve and strengthen the entire speech and language therapy community.
Community
The true strength of the RCSLT lies in the sum of the shared experience, expertise and knowledge of our membership. We create safe spaces and opportunities for our members to exchange ideas, learn from best practice and celebrate successes.
With RCSLT membership you can:
- join our nationwide Clinical Excellence Networks supporting continuing professional development
- join our Regional Hubs to organise activities and events in your local area
- attend our diverse range of digital and in-person events
- keep up to date on the latest news and activities across the speech and language therapy community via our communications platforms.
“Being part of our community helps you shift your focus from just the problems and the challenges to remembering how great we are as a profession, and how great are the people in that profession.”
Professional Development
We are deeply committed to promoting the professional development of all of those involved in speech and language therapy. We support the creation of pathways and opportunities to allow members to enhance your practice and career, while providing the tools and support you need to reach your full potential.
With RCSLT membership you can:
- enhance your practice with our clinical guidance and collection of e-learning resources
- develop your knowledge through access to more than 1,700 curated journal titles – including our own International Journal of Language and Communication Disorders
- steer your career with our Professional Development Framework and online CPD diary
- benefit from our support and facilitation of top-level research.
“You always need to be updating your skills as a speech and language therapist, as the landscape is always changing and new evidence and research comes forward.”
Advocacy
We are the voice of the speech and language therapy profession. In taking a key role in discussions around issues such as workforce strategy, our team are able to make a genuine impact to ensure the interests of our members and service users inform critical outcomes.
As your professional body the RCSLT:
- actively influences governments and institutions at a national, regional and local level
- speaks on behalf of the profession around research and policy developments
- builds partnerships with peer Allied Health Professional organisations and service-user charities
- campaigns to raise the profile of speech and language therapy to the general public.
“Together the speech and language therapy community can advocate to protect and enhance speech and language therapy provision and the lives of people with speech, language and communication, eating, drinking and swallowing needs, challenges and barriers.”
Membership benefits
While all of our activities are conducted with the ultimate interests of you – our members – in mind, our membership offering is built on a foundation of practical support, where we use our resources to give members the protection, help and information they need.
Professional indemnity insurance
Professional indemnity insurance and medical malpractice cover is included as a benefit of Certified, Newly Qualified – Practising, Returner, Student, Overseas Qualified – Practising and Assistant membership. This insurance protects you against the impact of work-related litigation and is mandated by the HCPC.
Legal expenses cover
Our fitness to practice legal defence cover provides representation at any HCPC hearings to which you are referred and covers all legal expenses in defending your reputation and livelihood. You also have access to a legal helpline and claims support service.
Award-winning membership magazine
All RCSLT members have access to the quarterly Bulletin magazine, which brings our community all of the latest speech and language therapy news, research and perspectives. A physical copy of the magazine is sent to all paying UK-based members four times a year, while student members can access the digital version through the RCSLT website.
We also share all the latest updates for the profession with our members through our fortnightly e-newsletter.
Legal expenses cover
Membership fees for 2025-26
| Membership category | Designatory letters | Annual direct debit* | Card payment |
| UK Resident | |||
| Certified | CertMRCSLT | £303.00 | £318.50 |
| Non-practising | MRCSLT | £188.00 | £203.50 |
| Newly-qualified (practising) | MRCSLT | £188.00 | £203.50 |
| Newly-qualified (non-practising) | MRCSLT | £51.00 | £66.50 |
| Returner | MRCSLT | £188.00 | £203.50 |
| Retired | MRCSLT | £76.00 | £91.50 |
| Student | MRCSLT | Free | Free |
| Assistant | MRCSLT | £110.00 | £125.50 |
| OQ practising | MRCSLT | £303.00 | £318.50 |
| OQ non-practising | MRCSLT | £188.00 | £203.50 |
| Overseas resident | |||
| International affiliate | MRCSLT | £246.00 | £261.50 |
| Subscribers | |||
| Individual subscriber (UK) | n/a | £49.00 | £64.50 |
| Individual subscriber (non-UK) | n/a | £88.00 | £103.50 |
| Corporate subscriber (UK) | n/a | £135.00 | £150.50 |
| Corporate subscriber (non-UK) | n/a | £174.00 | £189.50 |
* Includes £15.50 discount for payment by direct debit
Trade union representation
The RCSLT is the professional body for speech and language therapists in the UK but unlike some other allied health professional bodies, for example, the Chartered Society of Physiotherapists, we do not have a separate trade union arm.
Instead we work closely with Unite, the union for speech and language therapists, and encourage members to join as soon as they begin their speech and language therapy career. Unite is the largest union in the UK and as such has a powerful voice in representing its members. For example, any industrial action called by Unite would require both a positive vote and achieving a turnout threshold for the workforce in question.
The background to professional bodies also being unions is steeped in history and complexity. The separation of pay and conditions negotiations from the RCSLT as a professional body goes back to the 1950s, and SLTs have been part of a separate trade union ever since.
While each of the professional bodies have different arrangements for pay and conditions negotiations, in terms of overall membership costs, they vary with some more than the combined costs of RCSLT and Unite fees and some less.
Coming to work in the UK
If you qualified abroad and would like to work in the UK you need to register with the HCPC. Registration with the HCPC is a legal obligation to work as SLT in the UK. You must be registered with the HCPC before you apply for membership of the RCSLT.
You can apply to become a member of the RCSLT if you are a member of a professional association within the Mutual Recognition of Credentials Agreement (MRA). If you are not a member of an MRA professional association you may still be able to join the RCSLT, subject to additional checks.
Further information is available to explain what you need to do in order to be able to work as a speech and language therapist in the UK.
Membership FAQs
Find the answer to all of the key questions regarding your RCSLT membership.
The easiest way to find out what is the appropriate membership category for you is to go through our online membership application. By answering a few simple questions, we will be able to suggest which of our membership categories is the one for you. For existing members who want to change their category simply go to your dashboard and click on ‘update my membership’ to be guided through the process.
Our current collection of membership options is as follows:
- Certified: I qualified as SLT in the UK and studied an RCSLT accredited degree. I am registered with the HCPC and successfully completed my NQP framework. You can also join the Certified category if you meet the MRA eligibility criteria.
- Non-Practising: I was previously a Certified member and am currently on a career break or maternity leave.
- Newly Qualified Practising: I am a new graduate SLT and have studied an RCSLT accredited degree. I am registered with the HCPC and working towards completing my NQP framework.
- Newly Qualified Non-Practising: I am a new SLT graduate and have studied an RCSLT accredited degree. I am currently not practising and not registered with the HCPC. Please note, you can be registered with the HCPC but join the NQP-Non Practising category if you are not practising.
- Returner: I have previously completed an RCSLT accredited degree and been either a Certified or NQP member before. I have been away from the profession and am not currently registered with the HCPC. I am now completing my Returning to Practise programme to register with the HCPC. Please note, NQP members who did not complete their framework before they left the profession, will need to complete it once they are registered with the HCPC and start practising.
- Retired: I was previously a Certified or Non-Practising member and I have now retired and no longer work as an SLT.
- Student: I am currently studying an RCSLT accredited degree in the UK.
- Assistant: I am working as a speech and language therapy assistant, technical instructor or support worker receiving regular supervision from a qualified SLT in the UK.
- Overseas Qualified Practising: I qualified as a SLT abroad and do not meet the MRA eligibility criteria. I am registered with the HCPC and are working towards completing my OQP framework.
- Overseas Qualified Non-Practising: I qualified as a SLT abroad and I am not currently practising as an SLT in the UK.
Non-UK residents
- International Affiliate: I qualified as SLT in the UK or aboard and am currently residing and practising outside the UK. HCPC registration is not a requirement for this category. You can also join the International Affiliate category if you qualified in the UK or abroad and reside outside of the UK and do not practise, but wish to be a member.
Magazine subscription only
- Individual/Corporate subscriber: If you have an interest in speech and language therapy, you can join the Individual or Corporate subscriber category to subscribe to the RCSLT’s Bulletin magazine. To subscribe, complete the Bulletin subscriber form (PDF).
If you wish to complete your membership application form and the online joining form is not working for you, you can download and complete the relevant PDF form below and email it to membership@rcslt.org for processing. Scanned application forms and clear photos of the application form will be accepted.
Yes. Professional indemnity insurance and medical malpractice cover is included as a benefit of Certified, Newly Qualified – Practising, Returner, Student, Overseas Qualified – Practising and Assistant membership. Non-Practising and Retired members are also covered for their period of practice.
Health and Care Professions Council (HCPC) fitness to practice legal defence cover is also included with membership for SLTs registered with HCPC and who are domiciled in the UK or the Republic of Ireland.
We can also help you to work with the RCSLT’s insurance broker, Premier BusinessCare for any extra insurance needs you or your practice may have, that are not already covered by your membership insurance package.
Yes, you can. We now have a self-service membership platform – go to your dashboard and click on ‘update my membership’. You will need to answer a series of questions which will guide you on how to update your category or payment details.
If you have any trouble updating your details online our membership team would be happy to help you. You can contact the team on 020 7378 3010 or email: membership@rcslt.org.
Whether you are going on maternity leave or taking a career break, contact our membership team and they will be happy to discuss the options available to you.
020 7378 3010 or contact us.
Yes, you do. Living up to our ongoing commitment to consider our environmental impact wherever possible, our membership cards are now accessed digitally. When you become a member, you can access your card by logging in to your member dashboard on the RCSLT website.
It is indeed. You are able to claim back tax on the membership fees you pay each year. You can also ask for your tax relief to be backdated if you have not claimed it in the past.
You can find out more about claiming back tax on the HMRC website.
If you wish to work in Australia, Canada, Ireland, New Zealand or the USA, you may be eligible to apply to become a member of the SLT professional body within the relevant country via the Mutual Recognition of Credentials Agreement (MRA), as long as you meet the requirements for a letter of good standing (PDF), which forms part of this process.
Each country also has further requirements for membership and you should contact the relevant professional body to check on their latest requirements.
See the below list of relevant MRA organisations, in order to view the requirements of the organisation of the country that you are intending to move to:
- American Speech-Language-Hearing Association (ASHA)
- Irish Association of Speech & Language Therapists (IALST)
- New Zealand Speech-language Therapists’ Association (NZSTA)
- Speech-Language & Audiology Canada (SAC)
- Speech Pathology Australia (SPA)
Most SLT qualifications that are obtained in an EU country are transferable throughout Europe, with only minor further requirements. If you wish to work in an EU country, you should check with the professional body in the relevant country to ensure that you are able to fulfil any further requirements they may have.
You can find the contact details for all professional bodies across the world on the HCPC website.
The RCSLT is here to support you and we have a welfare fund for any members experiencing financial difficulties. Please visit our website for more details or contact our enquiries team by emailing info@rcslt.org or call 020 7378 3012. Remember, you can claim tax relief on your membership fees, which can be back dated for up to four years. You can find out more about how to do this on the HMRC website. This also applies to your HCPC registration fee.
We are sorry to hear that you want to cancel your membership and hope that the RCSLT has provided you with the resources and support you required throughout your career. If you are considering cancelling your membership, please contact our membership team to discuss the options available to you on 020 7378 3010 or membership@rcslt.org.
However, if you do need to cancel your membership, we have a 1 month notice period and your request to cancel your membership must be provided in writing to our membership team by email on membership@rcslt.org.
It is best to write to our membership team at the end of a month regarding cancelling your membership, and please let us know the reason you wish to cancel your membership when you submit your request. The membership team will arrange a refund for any overpayment of membership fees that is due.
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Join us as we work to enable better lives for people with communication and swallowing needs.
