Health and Care Professions Council (HCPC)

The HCPC is the Health and Care Professions Council. It holds a register of healthcare workers in the UK and regulates the healthcare space. If you are a locum healthcare worker, you’ll need to register with them to have your practices regulated and should also contact them when you leave the profession. The list of workers who register with the HCPC includes but are not limited to:

• Social workers
• Health care professionals
• Paramedics
• Radiographers
• Dieticians
• Clinical psychologists
• Many more related professionals

The HCPC makes sure that their registered workers meet the required standards for training, skills, behaviour and health and it is the law to be registered with them.

Does it cost to register with the HCPC?

Healthcare workers pay a renewal fee of £196.24 for two years – £98.12 per year. If you’re a new UK graduate from an HCPC approved course, the fee you will pay for the first two professional years is reduced by 50% to £98.12 (£49.06 per year). The fee can be paid in one upfront payment or spread out over a longer period via Direct Debit.

Be aware that if you do not renew your registration every year, HCPC will remove you from the register, and you will be asked to pay a readmission fee if you want to become registered again.

Can I claim tax back on this fee?

The good news is that UK taxpayers can claim back tax on their HCPC renewal fees every year! If you pay tax at the standard rate (20%), you can claim roughly around £19 back on your yearly £98.12 renewal fee. To do this, you can either:

• Complete a Self Assessment tax return and claim tax relief
• You can claim tax relief through your employment expenses using a P87 form