UK AI Jobs/Healthcare/Physiotherapy assistant

Mixed signals

Physiotherapy assistant

58.9K UK workers · typical pay £27,000 · entry route GCSEs grades 4-9 (A*-C). Projected growth of +5% to 2035.

How AI is actually used here · measured · Anthropic Economic Index

Thin signal. Only 21% of the Claude usage mapped to this job is actual work. The rest is personal or study use of the same skills. Read the figures below as indicative, not precise.

50%

Augmentation

AI mostly does the task

3.7×

Time compression

~1.9h → ~31min

2.59/5

AI autonomy

how hands-off it runs

50%

Automation

of measured usage

How the collaboration splits · the six measured modes

learning 33.3%directive 28.3%feedback loop 19.3%task iteration 12.5%unclassified 5.2%validation 1.4%

What people make with AI here

explanation / answer41%advice / recommendation13%document / report13%

Real Claude.ai usage mapped to this occupation's SOC group, Apr+May 2026, CC-BY. Claude users only; task times model-estimated; augment/automate is how AI is used, not a count of jobs lost. Method →

Facts · ONS + NCS

UK workers (2024)

58.9K

Median pay

£27.0K

Our scored call · a labelled hypothesis, not a measurement

AI exposure

3 / 10

Elasticity

6.5 / 10

2035 outlook

+5%

Exposure · 3/10

Why AI can do the work

The core of this role involves physical interaction, manual assistance with mobility, and demonstrating exercises in person, which are tasks AI cannot perform. While AI may assist with updating patient records or generating exercise plans, the requirement for physical presence in NHS or home settings provides a strong barrier to automation.

Elasticity · 6.5/10

Gated by population

Whether demand expands when it gets cheaper

Cheaper delivery would shift physiotherapy from reactive injury recovery to proactive, high-frequency preventative wellness and mobility maintenance.

Trajectory to 2035

Headcount grows +5%, a Jevons-pattern curve.

Adoption scenario

×1.00 · Consensus

Change the scenario in the nav to reshape this curve.

Headcount projection · 2024 → 2035

Baseline 58.9K workers (2024) · % change vs baseline

Peak 2035 +5%2035 +5%

Peak headcount

2035

+5% vs 2024

2035 endpoint

+5%

61.9K workers

Time to −10%

–

Never crosses in model

Total wage pool

£1.6B

pay × jobs

Where this role lives

UK employment share by region, SOC-joined to 6131.

London

50.9K · 14.2%

South East

44.1K · 12.3%

North West

37.7K · 10.6%

West Midlands

34.1K · 9.5%

Scotland

34.0K · 9.5%

Yorkshire and The Humber

30.5K · 8.5%

East

28.8K · 8.1%

South West

28.8K · 8.1%

Gender split

Majority-female role (78.4% women).

230.7K women · 78%63.7K men · 22%

Career pivots · same category, higher elasticity

Five roles with transferable skills and better demand dynamics.

Elasticity 7.5/10 · AI 5/10

Nutritionist

£39,000+7%