Advice Line: What to do when you're ready to retire

If you decide to retire fully or are unable to work due to ill health, you may wish to join the CSP retired membership. You will still have access to CSP benefits, including membership of the CSP’s retirement association (CSPRA). 

 

The CSPRA is a network for retired chartered physiotherapists and associate members who wish to stay in touch with each other and with their profession. See CSPRA noticeboard in Frontlines magazine and the RA network of iCSP.

 

To transfer to retired membership, just let the enquiries team know and they will do the rest. Call 020 7306 6666 or email enquiries@csp.org.uk.

 

If you have been paying your subscription by direct debit, let your bank or building society know that the amount will be changing. Currently the cost of retired membership is £56.88.

 

You will also have to notify the Health and Care Professions Council (HCPC) that you are no longer working and cease paying their subscription. The same goes for any clinical network of which you’re a member.

 

Those in private practice will need to notify Physio First and their bank, and request that their name be removed from the practice list. Those who work as BUPA providers will need to inform BUPA, and so on. 

 

Membership of the CSPRA is only available to those no longer working. You cannot stop paying HCPC registration and then work part-time, even for an hour. It is illegal to work as, or call yourself, a chartered physiotherapist if you are not on the HCPC register. You are now a ‘retired chartered physiotherapist’. 

 

Retired members have limited CSP public liability insurance, which covers activities such as giving a talk about physiotherapy in general – but not any kind of treatment or advice for a clinical condition.

 

 

Author

 

Catherine Smith CSP’s associate member officer.