41 guides · independent & ad-free
Guides
Everything we've published on UK construction accreditation, from CHAS and SafeContractor to Constructionline and SSIP, grouped by topic. Every guide shows when it was last reviewed, with the sources we checked.
Compare · 18 guides
Compare · Start here
UK Construction Accreditation Schemes Compared
UK construction accreditation schemes compared: CHAS vs SafeContractor vs Constructionline. What each costs, what it covers, how they differ.
18 min read · 4 November 2026
Read the full guide →
CHAS Membership Levels: Foundation, Standard, Advanced and Elite Compared
CHAS membership levels compared: Standard from £429, Advanced from £659, Elite from £949 a year. Foundation is free but isn't a level. Here's which you need.
12 min read · 11 November 2026
Constructionline Explained: What Bronze, Silver and Gold Actually Check for Subcontractors
Constructionline explained for subcontractors: what Bronze, Silver and Gold each verify, why every paid tier now includes SSIP, and the 30-day renewal catch.
12 min read · 11 November 2026
CHAS vs SafeContractor vs Constructionline: Which Should You Get?
All three are SSIP-approved — so what's the difference? A plain-English chas vs safecontractor vs constructionline comparison of cost, cover, and which clients accept.
11 min read · 10 November 2026
SafeContractor: What It Is, What It Costs and Whether You Need It
SafeContractor is Alcumus's SSIP health & safety scheme, from £540/year. What the audit checks, how long review takes, and whether you need it if you already hold CHAS.
11 min read · 1 November 2026
What Is SMAS Worksafe? How the SSIP Scheme Works
SMAS Worksafe is an SSIP-approved health & safety scheme from around £345. What it covers, what the assessment checks, and where mutual recognition stops.
9 min read · 1 November 2026
CHAS Logo: How to Get It, Standard vs Elite, and the Usage Rules
How to get the CHAS logo (there is no public download), which logo you can use — Standard, Advanced or Elite — the rules that catch people out on tenders, and what the badge proves.
14 min read · 30 October 2026
How Much Does CHAS Cost? (2026 Pricing)
CHAS accreditation cost runs from £429/yr +VAT (Standard) to £909 (Elite), priced by headcount. Renewal fees, the extras nobody quotes, and which tier you need.
14 min read · 20 October 2026
Constructionline Cost for Subcontractors: Real 2026 Fees by Tier and Turnover
Constructionline costs from £399/yr ex VAT for Bronze. How Gold is priced across 15 turnover bands, the joining fee, and what holding SSIP saves you.
22 min read · 20 October 2026
How Much Does SafeContractor Cost? (2026 Pricing)
SafeContractor costs from £540/yr for the smallest headcount band across four plans, plus an unpublished joining fee. What drives the price and what isn't quoted.
12 min read · 20 October 2026
CHAS Accreditation Explained: A Subcontractor's Plain-English Guide
CHAS accreditation explained for UK subcontractors: the three CHAS tiers, what each actually costs in 2026, the documents needed, and who really needs it.
21 min read · 8 October 2026
Constructionline Gold vs Silver vs Bronze: Which Tier Do You Actually Need?
Constructionline Gold vs Silver vs Bronze: only Gold gives you the Common Assessment Standard, and Silver data isn't shared. Pick the tier buyers ask for.
11 min read · 7 October 2026
Constructionline Gold vs the Common Assessment Standard: Which One Does Your Buyer Actually Want?
Constructionline Gold vs the Common Assessment Standard: Gold IS a CAS certificate, not a rival. See the seven assessment bodies and what each one costs.
12 min read · 5 October 2026
Which Construction Accreditation Do I Need? A Decision Guide for UK Subcontractors
Which construction accreditation do I need? A neutral decision guide: what the client's wording really requires, fee bases from £345, and the renewal catch.
16 min read · 2 October 2026
SafeContractor vs CHAS: Cost, Assessment and Which One Main Contractors Accept
SafeContractor vs CHAS compared on real 2026 prices: CHAS from £429/yr, SafeContractor from £540/yr — and only one can issue the Common Assessment Standard.
12 min read · 14 September 2026
Common Assessment Standard Cost: What CAS Certification Actually Costs a Subcontractor
Common Assessment Standard cost, unpicked: CHAS Elite starts at £909/yr, Constructionline Gold is turnover-banded and seven bodies certify CAS. Compare first.
13 min read · 26 August 2026
How to Get CHAS Accreditation: The Route That Doesn't Waste Money
How to get CHAS accreditation: the three tiers (from £429/year), the documents to gather first, real timings, and when Deem to Satisfy saves a second assessment.
13 min read · 19 August 2026
Do I Need More Than One Accreditation Scheme? A Subcontractor's Decision Guide
Do you need more than one accreditation scheme? SSIP mutual recognition covers H&S — but Constructionline Gold, CAS and client PQQs often don't.
14 min read · 14 June 2026
SSIP · 14 guides
SSIP · Start here
SSIP Accreditation Explained: What It Is, What It Costs, and Which Scheme to Pick
SSIP accreditation explained: real 2026 member scheme costs side by side, the Core Criteria, and which member scheme suits a small firm. Check before paying twice.
22 min read · 3 November 2026
Read the full guide →Acclaim SSIP Is Now Once For All Health & Safety: What Changed
Acclaim SSIP rebranded to Once For All Health & Safety on 28/04/2025. What it means for your certificate, mutual recognition and cost.
14 min read · 12 November 2026
Cheapest SSIP Scheme in 2026: An Honest Price Comparison
Cheapest SSIP scheme 2026: SMAS Worksafe from £317/yr is the lowest price we found. Full table, renewal costs and what mutual recognition won't cover.
14 min read · 9 November 2026
How to Check SSIP Accreditation: Verifying a Contractor's Certificate
Check SSIP accreditation free on the SSIP Portal: what the search confirms, why it never names the scheme, and four reasons a valid firm shows nothing.
12 min read · 9 November 2026
SMAS Worksafe Cost: 2026 Fees and What You Actually Get
SMAS Worksafe cost in 2026: Worksafe from £345, Plus from £565, Pro (CAS) from £725 and deem-to-satisfy from £200 — plus how that stacks up against CHAS.
11 min read · 4 November 2026
Constructionline Checker: How to Verify a Company's Membership and Tier
No public Constructionline register exists. Find Supplier is a buyer tool behind an account, and the free SSIP Portal covers the SSIP part only — not Bronze, Silver or Gold.
8 min read · 19 September 2026
Is SSIP a Legal Requirement? When a Client Demand Is Negotiable
No law requires you to hold CHAS, SafeContractor or any SSIP scheme. CDM 2015 puts the duty on whoever appoints you. Here's how to tell whether a client's demand is negotiable.
8 min read · 19 September 2026
SafeContractor Checker: How to Verify a Contractor Really Holds It
There is no public SafeContractor register. The free SSIP Portal confirms a company passed an SSIP assessment but deliberately hides which scheme. What to ask for instead.
9 min read · 19 September 2026
The Common Assessment Standard Question Set, Section by Section
What the Common Assessment Standard covers, the desktop vs site-based levels, who can certify it, and how it differs from SSIP and the withdrawn PAS 91.
7 min read · 16 September 2026
SSIP Mutual Recognition (Deem to Satisfy) Explained
How SSIP mutual recognition (Deem to Satisfy) works — which schemes accept whose certificate, what to upload, and why one health & safety assessment should be enough.
8 min read · 9 September 2026
CHAS vs SMAS Worksafe: Cost, Assessment and Which One Contractors Accept
CHAS vs SMAS Worksafe compared: CHAS Standard from £429/yr, Smas Worksafe SSIP from £345/yr, plus the CAS site-audit gap neither scheme puts on its pricing page.
11 min read · 24 August 2026
The Common Assessment Standard, Explained: Who Needs It and Who Certifies It
The Common Assessment Standard explained for subcontractors: the seven Recognised Assessment Bodies, which tier you must buy, and how to avoid paying twice.
16 min read · 17 August 2026
CHAS Accreditation Checker: How to Verify a Contractor's Status (and Your Own Listing)
CHAS accreditation checker: there's no public register — the free SSIP Portal verifies H&S status, CHAS's own search sits behind client login. What each proves.
12 min read · 13 August 2026
What SSIP Mutual Recognition Does NOT Cover (Honest Guide)
Got SSIP and still being asked for more paperwork? Here's exactly what mutual recognition (Deem to Satisfy) does not cover — and what to do about it.
12 min read · 31 July 2026
Documents · 9 guides
Documents · Start here
Contractor Compliance Documents: The Complete Checklist
What every SSIP scheme asks a subcontractor to evidence, where the schemes differ, and why one document set still means several renewal dates to track.
7 min read · 14 July 2026
Read the full guide →
CHAS Health and Safety Accreditation: What It Actually Checks (And What It Doesn't)
CHAS health and safety accreditation checks your company paperwork against the SSIP core criteria — not CSCS cards and not your site. See exactly what's assessed.
13 min read · 6 November 2026
Constructionline Gold Requirements: What You Actually Have to Evidence
Constructionline Gold requirements, module by module: the SSIP that comes bundled, the micro-company exemptions, and the 10-working-day verification queue.
11 min read · 2 November 2026
How Long Is a CSCS Card Valid? Every Card and Registration Expiry Date
How long a CSCS card lasts, why the first Labourer card is now two years not five, and the expiry cycle for CPCS, IPAF, PASMA, Gas Safe and ACS in one table.
9 min read · 18 September 2026
Accreditation Renewal & Expiry: Don't Let Your Certificate Lapse
How to track accreditation renewals across CHAS, SafeContractor, SMAS and SSIP - what expires when, the two dates per scheme, and a 90/60/30-day checklist.
13 min read · 16 September 2026
Health and Safety Policy for Construction Accreditation: What Assessors Actually Check
Health and safety policy for construction accreditation: the four mechanical checks CHAS, SafeContractor and SMAS assessors make — and how to fix a fail fast.
12 min read · 11 September 2026
CHAS Accreditation Requirements: Every Document You Actually Need
CHAS accreditation requirements: before you touch the form, you need active trading status, employer's liability cover, a named competent person and written policies.
14 min read · 12 August 2026
SafeContractor Application Requirements: What They Actually Check Before Approval
SafeContractor application requirements in full: the SSIP core criteria floor, the activity-based extras, and the 12-month dating rule that fails first attempts.
13 min read · 6 August 2026
CHAS Documents Checklist: Every File You Need Before You Apply
The 8 CHAS documents checklist for 2026, plus the top 6 rejection reasons — wording that fails, expired insurance, missing training matrices. Get it right first time.
8 min read · 30 July 2026
Head to head
Choosing between two schemes
Most schemes are SSIP-registered and mutually recognised, so the real question is which one your clients name. These put two side by side.
Stop tracking renewals in a spreadsheet
Most subcontractors hold two or three accreditations, each with its own renewal date, its own portal, and the same certificates uploaded again. TradeComply keeps every deadline and document in one place and warns you 60 days before anything lapses. Free for 30 days, then £9.90 a month.
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