Website legal requirements · for therapists and psychologists
Therapists and psychologists: the titles you may use.
Some psychologist titles are protected; counsellor and psychotherapist aren’t.
Nine psychologist titles are protected, including clinical, counselling and educational psychologist, and only someone on the HCPC register may use them. Plain “psychologist”, “counsellor”, “psychotherapist” and “therapist” aren’t on the HCPC’s list. Whatever your title, membership of a body such as a professional association must be true and current if the site claims it.
Chris Painter, founder of ThemeSmith · checked 28 October 2026 · every rule links to its source
The rules for therapists and psychologists
What the rules ask of your website.
The protected psychologist titles.
Practitioner psychologist, registered psychologist, and clinical, forensic, counselling, health, educational, occupational, and sport and exercise psychologist. Only HCPC registrants may use them.
Regulator guidance · UK · HCPC, the professions we regulate
Misusing one is an offence.
With intent to deceive, using a protected title you aren’t entitled to, or claiming to be registered when you’re not, is an offence with a fine up to level 5.
Law · UK · Health Professions Order 2001, article 39
Memberships you claim must be real.
Claiming to have signed up to a code of conduct when you haven’t, or claiming a body’s approval falsely or while not keeping to its terms, is always unfair. A badge from a register or association comes off the site when the membership lapses.
Law · UK · Digital Markets, Competition and Consumers Act 2024, Schedule 20, paragraphs 1 and 4
Not on the list
What the rules don’t ask for.
A register badge for counsellors.
Counselling and psychotherapy aren’t HCPC titles, so no law requires a counsellor to show a register badge. If you show one, the membership must be current. (Art psychotherapist is protected, under arts therapists.)
The three rules every business has still apply.
A price shown to the public includes VAT; a limited company shows its registered name, number and office; a site that takes enquiries says how it will use them. What every UK business website must show.
Questions
What therapists and psychologists ask.
Is “psychologist” a protected title?
Plain “psychologist” isn’t on the HCPC’s list. Nine titles are, including practitioner, registered, clinical, counselling and educational psychologist.
Is “counsellor” or “psychotherapist” a protected title?
No. Neither is on the HCPC’s list, except “art psychotherapist”, which is protected as an arts therapist title.
Building the site
A website for therapists and psychologists, with this built in.
Other trades with a rule of their own: dentists · architects · physiotherapists · estate agents · driving instructors · gas engineers · cafés, restaurants and caterers.