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Nutritional therapist : Salary and conditions

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Case studies

  • Nutritional therapists usually charge between £40 - £120 for first consultations and then £30 - £100 per follow-up consultations. Salaries are likely to be much lower as therapists work to become established within the industry. Starting salaries are usually around £15,000 a year.
  • With experience and an increase in the number of consultations this can rise to £30,000 a year for a very successful nutritional therapist.
  • As therapists usually work on a self-employed basis, their income will largely depend on the number of clients they have, the frequency of their consultations and the number of hours they work. Income can depend on geographical area (in terms of demand and local competition) and also on factors such as the therapist's reputation and self-marketing skills. Not all therapists manage to make a living solely from client consultations. Those who do, may take several years to build up their client base and they may experience peaks and troughs in demand.
  • Working hours are flexible, depending on what suits the therapist and their clients. A newly qualified therapist in an urban area may work 30 hours per week, but this can rise to 40 hours or more. Some therapists offer early morning and/or late evening appointments to maximise access to their services. A therapist’s working location may place restrictions on the hours of opening.
  • Therapists work in a variety of locations often where their skills complement another service, such as a health food outlet, or alongside other holistic therapists in a healing centre. Many therapists work in private practice and will operate a clinic from home. Some therapists also offer a mobile service and make assessments at the client's own premises, although this is less common.
  • Most therapists are self-employed, some may work part time at first and establish their practice over time.
  • The majority of therapists on the register of the British Association for Applied Nutrition and Nutritional Therapy (BANT) are female, although some of the industry's highest profile practitioners are male.
  • More therapists work in the south of England than elsewhere in the UK. This may reflect the fact that this is where the majority of training centres are based. However, the overall number of nutritional therapists in the UK is growing, perhaps due to the continuing increase in public concern about the impact of diet and lifestyle on health.
  • Nutritional therapists often enjoy a high level of job satisfaction, though the holistic nature of the work requires in-depth interaction with people, so the ability to keep a professional distance is important. Stress might come from the pressure to generate an income with financial stability in a competitive market place, in addition to the responsibilities of self-employment. Therapists also work with demanding clients, who may initially refute the assessment or fail to adhere to a treatment plan.
  • Travel within a working day may be required if a mobile service is being provided. This may be significant if a therapist is based in a rural area. For most therapists travel is minimal.
 
AGCAS
Written by AGCAS editors
Date: 
April 2011
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