A physiotherapist assesses movement and function and agrees a plan with you. That might include exercises, manual therapy, advice on returning to work or sport, and onward referral if something sits outside their scope. This guide is about arranging and paying for care, not about which injuries need physiotherapy.
First appointment
The first visit is longer. Expect questions about the problem, your health history and what you want to get back to, then an examination. You should leave with a clear plan and an idea of how many sessions the physiotherapist expects, even if that estimate changes later.
On our physiotherapy prices page, published initial assessments we checked on 9 November 2026 ranged from £65 to £79. Follow-up sessions are usually cheaper. Specialist services, such as pelvic health, are often priced separately.
Ask at booking whether you need a referral. Self-pay patients usually do not. Insurers often want a GP referral and pre-authorisation, so check your policy first.
Checking registration
“Physiotherapist” is a protected title in the UK. Anyone using it must be registered with the Health and Care Professions Council. The HCPC register is free to search. Many stand-alone physiotherapy clinics do not need to register with the Care Quality Commission, so the HCPC check is the one that matters for the individual practitioner.
Follow-up and stopping
Follow-up sessions are shorter and focus on progress and progression of exercises. You can stop when you and the physiotherapist agree goals are met, or sooner if you wish. Ask about cancellation notice and whether unused prepaid sessions are refundable.
The NHS route
Many areas of England let you refer yourself to NHS musculoskeletal physiotherapy without seeing a GP first. Your GP practice or local trust website will say whether self-referral is available where you live. We have not found an official local NHS physiotherapy waiting-time figure that we can verify and date, so our physiotherapy price pages do not show one. That is a data gap, not a claim that waits are short or long.
Not medical advice. This guide covers process, cost and how the NHS and private routes are organised. It does not say whether you need a test or treatment. Decisions about your care sit with you and a clinician who knows your history.
Not affiliated with the NHS. The Doctor is an independent publication. It is not part of, or endorsed by, the NHS, the Care Quality Commission or any provider listed. See our full notice.
Published prices: Physiotherapy prices. How we work: methodology.
Sources checked for this guide
- Published physiotherapy prices on this site, checked 9 November 2026: /treatments/physiotherapy/
- Health and Care Professions Council register: hcpc-uk.org (checked 9 November 2026)