Occupational Therapist
Also advertised as: Community Occupational Therapist, Occupational Therapist, Occupational Therapy Assistant, OT, Rehabilitation Assistant, Therapy Assistant Practitioner
Helps people do the everyday activities that matter to them after illness, injury or disability.
What the job involves
Occupational therapists assess what is stopping someone living independently and work out practical solutions: equipment, adaptations, new techniques or graded activity. Entry is via an approved degree or degree apprenticeship plus HCPC registration.
Typical responsibilities
- Assess functional ability and home environment
- Plan and deliver rehabilitation programmes
- Recommend equipment and adaptations
- Work with families and other professionals
- Record outcomes and progress
Common employers
- NHS trusts
- Local authorities
- Charities
- Private rehabilitation providers
- Schools
Pay, hours and working environment
Typical pay
£29,000 – £32,000 a year
With experience
£37,000 – £48,000 a year
Typical hours
37.5 hours, mostly weekdays
Working environment
Hospitals, homes, schools and community
Remote working
on_site
Demand for this work
high
Pay ranges are indicative guidance drawn from advertised UK vacancies and published careers information. They are not an offer, and actual pay varies by employer, location and experience.
Skills and qualifications
Core skills
- Functional assessment
- Rehabilitation planning
- Problem solving
- Empathy
- Report writing
Transferable skills you may already have
- Care or support work
- Practical problem solving
- Working with disabled people
Requirements employers ask for
- Functional assessment
- Rehabilitation planning
- Problem solving
- Empathy
- Report writing
- Approved Occupational Therapy degree or apprenticeship
- HCPC registration
- HCPC registration
- Enhanced DBS
Useful but not essential
- Care or support work
- Practical problem solving
- Working with disabled people
- Specialist practice in hand therapy, mental health or paediatrics
Helpful qualifications
- Specialist practice in hand therapy, mental health or paediatrics
Licences and checks
- HCPC registration
- Enhanced DBS
Ways into this career
A degree is only one route. Where an apprenticeship, work-experience or qualification route exists, it is listed here alongside the academic option.
Apprenticeships and work-based routes
- Occupational Therapist (Level 6)
Degree and college routes
- Related subject: Occupational therapy
- Related subject: Health sciences
- Related subject: Psychology
Where this career can lead
next
Specialist Occupational Therapist
next
Team Lead
next
Advanced Practitioner
The good parts and the hard parts
What people enjoy
- Degree apprenticeship route from support work
- Highly practical and creative
- Better hours than many clinical roles
What people find hard
- Caseload and travel demands
- Funding limits what you can provide
Common questions
- Do you need a degree to become a occupational therapist?
- No. As well as degree routes, this career can be entered through an apprenticeship or by building experience and qualifications on the job. required
- How much does a occupational therapist earn in the UK?
- Typical advertised pay runs from £29,000 to £32,000 a year, rising towards £48,000 with experience. Figures are indicative guidance rather than an offer.
- What skills transfer into this career?
- Skills that transfer well include Care or support work, Practical problem solving, Working with disabled people.
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Where this information comes from
- National Careers Service
- Institute for Apprenticeships
Last reviewed 14 September 2026.
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