Home / Roles / Speech and Language Therapists

Speech and Language Therapists (SLTs)

We connect NHS trusts, community health services, schools and private providers with skilled, HCPC-registered speech and language therapists across the UK – and offer locum and permanent opportunities for SaLTs looking for their next role.

Welcome to Hunter Gatherer AHP – specialist SLT recruitment across the UK.

We place speech and language therapists into NHS trusts, community health services, specialist schools, independent providers and private practice settings on both a locum and permanent basis. Whether you’re a service with a gap to fill or an SLT looking for your next opportunity, we offer fast, compliant and properly matched recruitment from a team that understands speech and language therapy.

What is Speech & Language Therapy?

Speech and Language Therapy (SLT) is an HCPC-regulated profession focused on the assessment, diagnosis and treatment of communication and swallowing disorders in children and adults. SLTs work across a remarkably wide clinical range – from supporting a child with a developmental language delay to providing dysphagia management for a stroke patient in critical care.

The UK faces a significant and ongoing shortfall of qualified SaLTs – with demand consistently exceeding supply across NHS, education and community settings. This makes reliable, specialist SLT recruitment support increasingly important for services trying to maintain caseloads and waiting times.

Why Services Choose Hunter Gatherer for SLT Recruitment:

  • We understand the breadth of SLT practice Paediatric community, acute dysphagia, autism and AAC, voice disorders, school-based SLT – we understand the differences and match on clinical background, caseload type and setting. You won’t receive an adult neuro SLT for a paediatric community caseload.
  • HCPC-verified and fully compliant Every SLT we place is verified for HCPC registration, DBS, clinical references and relevant competency for the role before placement.
  • NHS, education and private placements We work with NHS trusts, community health services, local authority education services, specialist schools, independent clinics and private providers.
  • Locum and permanent solutions Urgent cover or a long-term hire – we support both, with the same standards of compliance and candidate quality.

Need support attracting top Speech & Language Therapist talent?

GET IN TOUCH

SLT Specialisms We Cover:

Our speech and language therapist network covers both paediatric and adult specialisms across all clinical settings:

Paediatric SLT

  • Developmental Language Disorder (DLD) & Language Delay – assessment and intervention for children with delayed or disordered language development
  • Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) & Social Communication – AAC, PECS, Makaton, social communication programmes
  • Speech Sound Disorders – articulation, phonology, childhood apraxia of speech
  • Stammering / Fluency – assessment and specialist fluency intervention
  • Special Educational Needs (SEN) – working in special schools, resourced provisions, mainstream schools with EHC plans
  • Early Years / Pre-school – nursery, Sure Start, community children’s services
  • Selective Mutism – specialist assessment and graduated exposure programmes
  • Cleft Palate & Craniofacial – specialist paediatric craniofacial team work

Adult SLT

  • Dysphagia – swallowing assessment and management across acute, community and care home settings; one of the highest-demand adult SLT specialisms
  • Neurological Rehabilitation – stroke, acquired brain injury, MS, Parkinson’s, motor neurone disease (MND), dementia
  • Aphasia – assessment and communication support following stroke or brain injury
  • Voice Disorders – dysphonia, laryngectomy, voice rehabilitation, transgender voice therapy
  • Head & Neck Cancer / ENT – post-surgical swallowing and communication, laryngectomy rehabilitation
  • Learning Disabilities (Adults) – community LD teams, supported living, forensic settings
  • Mental Health – SLT input in mental health inpatient and community settings
  • Videofluoroscopy / FEES – instrumental dysphagia assessment (specialist competency)
  • Tracheostomy & Ventilator-Dependent Patients – ICU and respiratory SLT

SLT Settings We Recruit For:

  • NHS Acute Hospitals – inpatient wards, ICU, stroke unit, ENT, head and neck cancer, neurology, elderly care
  • Community Health Services – community adult and paediatric SLT teams, domiciliary visits
  • NHS Mental Health Trusts – inpatient and community mental health, CAMHS, forensic
  • Special Schools and Educational Settings – specialist SEN schools, resourced provisions, PRUs, ASD-specific provisions
  • Mainstream Schools – NHS and independent SLT provision supporting children with EHC plans
  • Early Years – children’s centres, portage, pre-school community clinics
  • Private Practice – independent SLT clinics, independent schools, EHC tribunal support
  • Care Homes and Residential Settings – dysphagia and communication support for elderly residents
  • Learning Disability Services – community LD teams, residential services, specialist inpatient LD units

Qualifications We Look For:

Every SLT we place holds:

  • Active HCPC registration with no restrictions
  • BSc or MSc in Speech and Language Therapy (RCSLT-accredited)
  • Relevant post-qualification clinical experience appropriate to band and specialism
  • Valid DBS and current mandatory training
  • RCSLT membership (strongly recommended and expected by most employers)
  • Specialist competencies for Band 6, 7 and 8 roles – dysphagia sign-off, instrumental assessment competency, specialist caseload experience

Locum SLT Opportunities:

Locum SLT work offers genuine variety across different clinical settings and patient populations, with competitive rates that typically exceed the permanent equivalent. Whether you want to build experience across different specialisms, top up income alongside a permanent role, or build a flexible long-term locum career, we’ll find the right opportunities for your background and availability.

We have active SLT requirements across England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland – including London, Manchester, Birmingham, Leeds, Bristol, Cardiff, Glasgow, Edinburgh and beyond.

Lets start the search for your next role in Speech and Language Therapy

Search jobs

SLT Pay Rates (2025/26):

Locum SLT Rates (Umbrella)

  • Band 5
    £22-£28 per hour
  • Band 6
    £26-£37 per hour
  • Band 7
    £33-£46 per hour
  • Band 8
    £44-£55 per hour

Rates vary by specialism, location, setting and urgency. Dysphagia-competent SLTs, specialist school SLTs with AAC experience, and acute adult SLTs typically attract the higher end of these ranges. London and South East roles generally sit above the national average. SEN school locum roles can also command day rates at the higher end of the Band 6–7 range.

Permanent SLT Salaries

NHS SLT roles follow Agenda for Change (AfC) pay scales. Band 5 runs from £31,049 to £37,796 (2025/26); Band 6 from £38,682 to £46,580; Band 7 from £47,810 to £54,710. Band 8a advanced and specialist SLT roles start at £55,690.

Our consultants can advise on current going rates for your specific specialism and region.

Career Progression in Speech and Language Therapy:

Speech & Language Therapy offers a clear and rewarding career pathway across both NHS and independent settings:

  • Band 5 – newly qualified SLT, developing core clinical competencies across a generalist or supervised specialist caseload
  • Band 6 – specialist SLT with defined clinical area and increasing autonomy; dysphagia sign-off expected for most adult Band 6 roles
  • Band 7 – highly specialist SLT or team lead; advanced specialist competencies, service development and clinical supervision
  • Band 8a – advanced practitioner, consultant SLT, clinical lead or specialist service manager
  • Band 8b+ – head of SLT, professional lead, strategic leadership, research and consultancy

Many SLTs use locum work to explore different specialisms – for example, moving from a community paediatric caseload to acute adult dysphagia – before settling into a permanent specialism. Others build long-term locum careers for the flexibility and variety it offers.

Frequently Asked Questions:

  • Do you place both paediatric and adult SLTs? Yes. We place SLTs across both paediatric and adult specialisms, including community, acute, school-based, mental health, learning disability and private practice settings. Let us know your specialism and we’ll match accordingly.
  • Can you place SLTs in school and SEN settings as well as NHS roles? Yes. We work with special schools, mainstream schools (with NHS-commissioned SLT), independent school providers and local authority education services – as well as NHS community and acute trusts.
  • Do you place SLTs with dysphagia competency? Yes. Dysphagia-competent SLTs are in particularly high demand and we hold a strong pool of candidates with swallowing assessment and management experience across acute, community and care home settings.
  • Can you provide short-notice SLT cover? Yes. Once an SLT is registered and compliant with us, we can respond quickly to urgent requirements. Contact us directly for short-notice needs and we’ll aim to respond same day.
  • What areas do you cover? We place SLTs across England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland – including London, Manchester, Birmingham, Leeds, Bristol, Glasgow, Edinburgh, Cardiff, Sheffield, Newcastle and beyond.

Your future starts here!

Discover our latest opportunities or register with us today to unlock your potential!

Explore new roles
Register with us

Testimonials:

Rosemary, 2024
Great support and my consultant is very prompt and actively involved. Very professional service. Well done.
Mike, 2024
First class agency. Helpful in all aspects of choosing and obtaining the most suitable position.

Latest Jobs