Annual Salary
£19,737 to £24,157
Average UK salary in 2019 was £30,378
(source Office for National Statistics)
Swap to Social care or Therapy or go back to all job sectors
Swap to Social care or Therapy or go back to all job sectors
Emergency care assistants drive ambulances under emergency conditions and support paramedics.
Average UK salary in 2019 was £30,378
(source Office for National Statistics)
You could work: evenings / weekends / bank holidays; on shifts
There will be
8% more Emergency care assistant jobs in 2026.
In your local area
You may:
You may need to wear a uniform and protective clothing.
You could work in an NHS or private hospital or on an ambulance.
Your working environment may be physically and emotionally demanding.
You can get into this job through:
You could get into this job through an advanced apprenticeship as an ambulance support worker.
You'll usually need:
You may have an advantage if you've worked or volunteered in a health or social care role. You could contact the voluntary services co-ordinator at your local NHS trust for further advice.
First aid work would also be useful, for example with St John Ambulance or the British Red Cross.
You can apply directly for jobs. You'll usually need:
Some ambulance services may also want you to have experience of working in a patient care setting, ideally in the NHS and with a current first aid certificate.
If you passed your driving test after 1996, you may need an extra driving qualification for larger vehicles and for carrying passengers.
You'll need to:
You can find out more about becoming an emergency care assistant from:Health Careers; College of Paramedics; Local Ambulance Trusts
With experience, you could apply for a trainee technician job or a student paramedic post. You could then take an approved paramedic science degree, leading to registration as a paramedic.
You could also become a team leader or supervisor with responsibility for a team of ECAs, or move into a human resources or training role.
You'll need: