Membership FAQs

What are the benefits of RCN membership?

Read more about nurse membership

Read more about student membership

Read more about nursing support worker membership

How can I join the RCN?

The easiest way is to join online and you can choose to pay via monthly or annual Direct Debit, or by card. Alternatively you can call one of our Member Consultants on 0345 7726 100 choosing option 1 for membership (Monday to Friday 8.30am – 8.30pm excl. Bank Holidays). This call will be charged at a local rate.

What are the membership subscription rates?

The membership rates are available to see on our subscription rates page, and depend on what type of membership you require.

If you pay for your RCN membership by Direct Debit we will automatically renew your membership each year. If you pay for your membership by card or cheque each year then you can renew online at www.rcn.org.uk/renew.

Why do I have more than one Direct Debit reference?

You may have more than one Direct Debit reference for the RCN:

• If you change membership categories or payment plans we will issue a new Direct Debit reference to your bank for payments related to the new category or plan.
• Your bank might also inform you of the reference. You don't need to do anything if they do. Your RCN membership will continue as normal.
• You'll have a separate reference for each product RCN product e.g. if you pay for membership and an RCNi journal you'll have two separate references.
• Old Direct Debit references will remain visible on your list of Direct Debits. It will be inactive and we will not use this again. If you want to cancel it to remove it from your account, you can do this with your bank.

If we have problems with setting up the new reference, or collecting your Direct Debit payment, we'll contact you. 

How can I change Direct Debit bank account details?

You can change the bank account details we hold for your direct debit payments by calling one of our Member Consultants on 0345 7726 100 choosing option 1 for membership (Monday to Friday 8.30am – 8.30pm excl. Bank Holidays). This call will be charged at a local rate.

How can I change my Direct Debit from monthly to annual payment, or vice versa?

There is no need to contact your bank, please call one of our Member Consultants on 0345 7726 100 who will be happy to help. Choose option 1 for membership (Monday to Friday 8.30am – 8.30pm excl. Bank Holidays). This call will be charged at a local rate.

Can I change the day/date on which my Direct Debits are taken from my account?

Unfortunately no. We make only one collection of Direct Debits a month, on or within three working days of the first working day of the month.

What date are Direct Debits taken from my account?

Direct Debits for membership, RCNi journal subscriptions and RCN Foundation donations are always taken on the first working day of each month. The Direct Debit scheme rules allow us to collect on or within three working days of this date.

When is the RCN subscription year?

Your annual subscription runs from the month you joined for 12 months. If you pay via Direct Debit your subscription will be automatically renewed. If you pay via cheque or card, we will notify in advance of your renewal and when the payment is due you can renew online at www.rcn.org.uk/renew

My spouse/partner is a member, can I get a reduced fee for my membership?

Unfortunately we don’t offer a family rate. Membership is individual, and therefore you will need to pay the standard rate.

How can I make a donation to the RCN Foundation?

You can make a donation online at www.rcnfoundation.org.uk or set up a regular donation via Direct Debit by calling one of our Member Consultants on 0345 7726 100 choosing option 1 for membership (Monday to Friday 8.30am – 8.30pm excl. Bank Holidays). This call will be charged at a local rate.

How can change my address and/or contact details?

You can do this yourself in MyRCN, email membership@rcn.org.uk or call us on 0345 772 6100 (option 1) Monday-Friday 8.30am to 8.30pm, excl. Bank Holidays. This call will be charged at a local rate. 

How do I change my mailing preferences?

You can do this yourself online or email membership@rcn.org.uk. You can also use the unsubscribe link in emails or call one of our Member Consultants on 0345 7726 100 who will be happy to help. Choose option 1 for membership (Monday to Friday 8.30am – 8.30pm excl. Bank Holidays). This call will be charged at a local rate.

Remember though, that you might miss out on some important information if you choose to opt out of receiving communications. Some transactional information (about your payments) or important ballot information may continue to be sent.

I'm retiring from work. Is there a reduced subscription?

You can transfer to a Retired membership plan (retired from all employment or unable to work through ill-health) which costs £10 a year. There are some limitations on some membership benefits for this category of membership. Please call one of our Member Consultants on 0345 7726 100 choosing option 1 for membership (Monday to Friday 8.30am – 8.30pm excl. Bank Holidays). This call will be charged at a local rate. If you'd prefer you can email us at membership@rcn.org.uk 

I’m taking a break from work (for example for maternity leave or going overseas). Is there a reduced subscription?

We have a Voluntary Break payment plan available for a year at 50% discount to the Full Member rate. There are limits on some membership benefits for this category of membership. Please call one of our Member Consultants on 0345 7726 100 choosing option 1 for membership (Monday to Friday 8.30am – 8.30pm excl. Bank Holidays). This call will be charged at a local rate. If you'd prefer you can email us at membership@rcn.org.uk 

I work part-time, can I pay a reduced subscription? 

We do not offer a reduced subscription for members working part-time. 

Can I get a letter confirming my membership of the RCN?

Yes - you can download one from MyRCN.

How do I request a replacement membership card?

Please contact us to request a replacement card.

Can you give me advice about claiming back tax relief on my subscriptions?

Nurse Members can claim tax relief against their subscription. To help you do this, we can supply a letter detailing the payments against which you can claim tax relief. Please call one of our Member Consultants on 0345 7726 100 who will be happy to help. Choose option 1 for membership (Monday to Friday 8.30am – 8.30pm excl. Bank Holidays). This call will be charged at a local rate. We are not qualified to give financial advice and you should contact your accountant or financial adviser should you require further advice.

I can't log in as I've forgotten my password

Reset your password here.

I've lost/forgotten my membership number, what can I do?

You can find your number by logging in to MyRCN using your email address and password.  It's important that you use the email address that we have on record for you.  

How do I get my member discounts?

You can access member discounts through RCN Xtra. Please note that you must be logged out of MYRCN before you can log in to RCNXtra

How can I subscribe, to, change or cancel a RCNi journal subscription?

You can subscribe to and upgrade RCNi journals online at http://journals.rcni.com/. If you would like to cancel your RCNi journal subscription please email the customer service team at customerservice@rcni.com. 

Do you offer any joint Membership plans with other organisations?

We have joint Membership plans available with the Royal College of Midwives, the University College Union and the Educational Institute of Scotland. For more information please call one of our Member Consultants on 0345 7726 100 choosing option 1 for membership (Monday to Friday 8.30am – 8.30pm excl. Bank Holidays). This call will be charged at a local rate.

RCN Foundation - scholarships, bursaries and learning and development opportunities for nurses, midwives and HCAs

RCN libraries - contact details for all RCN libraries

RCNi - for your journals, learning and CPD

RCN advice service - advice for members on a range of employment issues, and more.

RCN regional and country offices - find out what's happening in your area

RCN publications - view all of our publications here. You can download them all free of charge.  Not all publications are available in hard copy, but to find out if the publication you want is available call 0345 772 6100 and select option 5.