CHAS Accreditation Explained: A Subcontractor's Plain-English Guide

CHAS accreditation is a UK contractor pre-qualification scheme, run by Veriforce CHAS, that proves to clients you meet recognised health & safety standards. It has three membership levels: CHAS Standard costs roughly £150–£400 a year and does not require the Common Assessment Standard module; CHAS Advanced sits at roughly £300–£700 a year and adds the old PAS 91 modules; CHAS Elite costs roughly £500–£1,200 a year and includes the full Common Assessment Standard (CAS). All three renew annually, and most small subcontractors only need CHAS Standard — CHAS Elite is aimed at public-sector and Tier 1 main contractor work. According to CHAS, fees are set by employee headcount rather than a flat rate (chas.co.uk pricing pages, checked 15/06/2026.). For the exact figures by headcount and tier, see the CHAS cost guide; for the documents each tier needs, see the CHAS documents checklist.

If a main contractor or housing client has just asked you for "CHAS", you probably don't need a 40-page brochure — you need to know which version of CHAS they actually mean, what it costs in time and money, and whether you can use what you've already got. This guide does that, neutrally, for small UK subcontractors.

Last reviewed: 13/08/2026

TL;DR: What is CHAS accreditation?

CHAS accreditation is a UK contractor pre-qualification scheme that proves to clients you meet recognised health, safety and (at higher tiers) wider risk-management standards. Run by Veriforce CHAS, it has three membership levels: CHAS Standard (health & safety only, £150–£400/year, SSIP-recognised), CHAS Advanced (adds the old PAS 91 modules, £300–£700/year), and CHAS Elite (the full Common Assessment Standard, £500–£1,200/year, expected for public-sector work). Main contractors and housing associations ask for it. You renew annually. For costs by employee count, see our CHAS cost guide; for the documents each tier needs, see the CHAS documents checklist; and if you'll be quoting CHAS status on your own site or tender documents, see the CHAS logo usage rules.

For how CHAS sits against the other main schemes, see the scheme comparison hub.

What does CHAS accreditation cover?

CHAS Standard is the cheapest way to satisfy an " SSIP-"SSIP-approved" request; CHAS Elite is what most public-sector and Tier 1 contractor work now expects, following Procurement Policy Note 03/24. You renew every 12 months, and certificates issued by other recognised bodies can often be transferred in.

What does CHAS stand for and who runs it?

CHAS originally stood for the Contractors Health and Safety Assessment Scheme. It was set up in 1997 by local-authority health and safety officers to stop every council asking the same builder the same H&S questions over and over. According to CHAS, the scheme is now operated by Veriforce CHAS and is one of the co-founders of SSIP (Safety Schemes in Procurement), the umbrella body that recognises H&S pre-qualification schemes as broadly equivalent (chas.co.uk, checked 15/06/2026.) (SSIP).

In practice that means two things for a subcontractor. First, CHAS Standard is an SSIP-recognised H&S assessment — so a client asking for "any SSIP" should accept it. But CHAS Standard on its own does not satisfy a request for Constructionline Gold or the Common Assessment Standard — those sit outside SSIP mutual recognition and need a separate tier or scheme. Second, according to Build UK, CHAS is also a Recognised Assessment Body for the Common Assessment Standard, the Build UK / CECA scheme that has effectively replaced PAS 91 for higher-tier prequalification (builduk.org, Common Assessment Standard, checked 15/06/2026.).

What are the three CHAS membership levels?

(This section updated 25/06/2026)

According to CHAS, the three current contractor membership levels are Standard, Advanced and Elite, each with a different scope and price band (chas.co.uk, checked 15/06/2026.).

CHAS sells three core contractor membership levels. The names are confusingly close to each other, so check the wording on any tender carefully.

For exact pricing by headcount, see the dedicated CHAS cost guide. For the documents each membership level asks for, see the CHAS documents checklist.

What does a main contractor's PQQ wording actually require, and when is a higher CHAS tier overkill?

Most tender wording is vaguer than the scheme's own tier names suggest. The table below maps what a main contractor's PQQ typically says against the CHAS tier that actually satisfies it — and flags where paying for a higher tier is simply overkill.

Is CHAS accreditation worth it for a sole trader or a 12-person firm?

For a sole trader who never bids on work requiring SSIP or CAS, CHAS isn't worth the annual fee — there's nothing to satisfy. But the calculation changes fast once you're bidding for main-contractor or housing-association work: a single lost tender because you lack an SSIP certificate typically costs far more than a year of CHAS Standard.

For a small firm of around 12 employees, CHAS Standard is usually worth it if even one regular client asks for SSIP — the fee sits at the lower end of the tiered scale and the assessment is health & safety only, so the evidence you'll need (policy, insurance, risk assessments, training and accident records) is evidence most established firms already hold. CHAS Advanced or Elite is a different decision: only worth it if you're actively chasing PAS 91-referencing or public-sector/Tier 1 work, since the extra modules mean noticeably more evidence to assemble and a higher renewal cost each year.

Which CHAS membership level does a subcontractor actually need?

The honest answer: whatever the client's tender wording demands — no more. Paying for CHAS Elite when the client only asks for "SSIP" is money out of your pocket. Paying for CHAS Standard when the client demands the Common Assessment Standard means a failed bid. If you're wondering whether you need more than one accreditation, the answer usually depends on how diverse your client base is — our guide on whether you need more than one accreditation walks through the common combinations. | If the tender says… | Minimum CHAS membership level that meets it | | --- | --- | | "SSIP" or "SSIP-approved" | CHAS Standard | | "Health & safety prequalification to CDM 2015 Stage 1" | CHAS Standard | | "PAS 91" (legacy wording) | CHAS Advanced | | "Common Assessment Standard" or "CAS" | CHAS Elite | | Public-sector framework after June 2024 | CHAS Elite (per PPN 03/24) | | Tier 1 main contractor (Balfour Beatty, Kier, HS2, Mace etc.) | CHAS Elite, in most cases |

How does the CHAS accreditation process work?

For a small subcontractor, the journey is the same shape at every membership level — what changes is how much evidence you have to upload. For the step-by-step version, including what to gather before you start and when Deem to Satisfy saves you a second assessment, see how to get CHAS accreditation.

1. 1
   Pick the membership level the client wants. Read the tender wording carefully. "SSIP" ≠ "Common Assessment Standard". If in doubt, ask procurement before paying.
2. 2
   Register on the My CHAS / Veriforce CHAS portal. You'll set up a contractor profile with company details, trades, and employee numbers — the headcount drives the fee.
3. 3
   Complete the question set. Standard is purely health & safety. Advanced adds the PAS 91 areas. Elite is the full Common Assessment Standard question set across roughly 13 risk-management modules — see our breakdown of the actual common assessment standard question set for what's asked at each module (per CHAS – Common Assessment Standard).
4. 4
   Upload supporting evidence. Typical items include a written H&S policy, employers' & public liability insurance, risk assessments, training records, accident records and (at higher tiers) financial statements, equality, environmental and modern-slavery policies.
5. 5
   Wait for assessment. CHAS states standard H&S assessments are usually completed within around 10 working days, with a fast-tracked option (CHAS H&S assessment page).
6. 6
   Renew every 12 months. CHAS is a fixed annual cycle. Diary the renewal date — lapsed CHAS means you fall off client portals until you re-pass.

How does CHAS compare to SafeContractor, Constructionline and SMAS?

According to SSIP, CHAS Standard, SafeContractor, SMAS Worksafe and Constructionline all sit under the SSIP umbrella and are mutually recognised at the health & safety level only (ssip.org.uk, checked 15/06/2026.). That mutual recognition does not extend to Constructionline Gold or the Common Assessment Standard, which each scheme assesses separately.

At the H&S layer they are broadly interchangeable: CHAS Standard, SafeContractor, SMAS Worksafe and Constructionline all sit under SSIP, so the SSIP mutual recognition ("Deem to Satisfy") mechanism means a client asking for any SSIP certificate should accept any of them. Where they differ is the non-H&S layers — and that's where the duplication pain starts. For detail on what SSIP mutual recognition does not cover, see our dedicated guide covering exactly what falls outside mutual recognition between schemes.

For a side-by-side breakdown of fees, audit style and which clients tend to specify each one, see our pillar comparison: CHAS vs SafeContractor vs Constructionline. The short version: CHAS Elite and Constructionline Gold are the two most commonly demanded "top tier" badges, and a contractor who needs to win work across multiple client types can end up paying for both, plus their renewals — see our guide on whether you need more than one accreditation for how to decide.

How much does CHAS accreditation cost?

Fees are tiered by employee headcount and by which CHAS membership level you choose, and they change each year, so we keep them in a single living guide rather than repeating them here: see How much does CHAS cost? for the latest figures, checked against chas.co.uk. As a rule of thumb, CHAS Standard is the cheapest entry point, CHAS Advanced is a meaningful step up, and CHAS Elite — because it's the full Common Assessment Standard assessment — is the most expensive and the most evidence-heavy.

How long does CHAS accreditation take to get?

CHAS states standard health & safety assessments are usually completed within around 10 working days, with a fast-tracked option available (CHAS H&S assessment page). CHAS Elite (Common Assessment Standard) may take longer depending on the complexity of your evidence and whether you need to upload additional documents. Plan for 2–3 weeks from application to certificate for Standard, and up to 4 weeks for Elite.

What documents do I need for CHAS accreditation?

The documents each CHAS membership level requires are listed in full in our CHAS documents checklist. At minimum (CHAS Standard) you'll need a written health & safety policy, employers' and public liability insurance, risk assessments, training records and accident records. CHAS Advanced and Elite add financial statements, equality, environmental and modern-slavery policies, quality-management evidence and information-security documentation.

What residual pain does CHAS accreditation not solve?

This is the bit the marketing brochures skip. Even once you hold CHAS:

• Annual renewal still bites. CHAS is a 12-month cycle. Miss it and you drop off the VeriforceONE client portal until you re-pass. If you also hold Constructionline, SafeContractor or SMAS, each has its own renewal date.
• The same evidence gets re-uploaded. SSIP mutual recognition only deems the H&S section across schemes. The finance, insurance, equality and environmental modules are not mutually recognised between, say, CHAS Elite and Constructionline Gold — even though they ask similar questions. See what SSIP mutual recognition does not cover for the full list of gaps.
• Client-specific PQQs keep arriving. Tier 1 contractors and housing associations still send their own bespoke questionnaires that sit on top of CHAS.

The TradeComply tracker tracks those renewal deadlines and the duplicated evidence in one place. The schemes themselves remain useful — the pain is in the joins between them. For more, see Accreditation renewal deadlines: how to keep on top of them and Do I need more than one accreditation?.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is CHAS worth it for a sole trader?

Only if you're bidding for work where the tender or client PQQ specifically asks for an SSIP certificate or the Common Assessment Standard. If your work is entirely private domestic or small commercial with no such requirement, CHAS is an unnecessary annual cost. As soon as one regular client asks for SSIP, CHAS Standard usually pays for itself against a single won tender.

Is CHAS the same as SSIP?

No. SSIP is the umbrella body; CHAS is a member scheme within SSIP and was one of its co-founders in 2009. Holding CHAS Standard means you hold an SSIP-recognised health & safety certificate, which under SSIP mutual recognition ("Deem to Satisfy") should be accepted by clients asking for any SSIP scheme (per SSIP).

Is CHAS the same thing regardless of firm size?

The assessment questions are the same, but the evidence expected scales with your firm. A 12-person firm going for CHAS Standard needs the same core documents (H&S policy, insurance, risk assessments, training and accident records) as a much larger contractor — CHAS doesn't have a separate "small firm" tier, only cost bands based on employee headcount. See the CHAS cost guide for the exact bands.

Is CHAS mandatory in the UK?

No — CHAS is not a legal requirement. It's a commercial prequalification scheme. However, many main contractors, housing associations and public-sector buyers require some form of SSIP H&S certificate (which CHAS Standard satisfies) or the Common Assessment Standard (which CHAS Elite satisfies). After PPN 03/24, public-sector contracting authorities are expected to use the Common Assessment Standard for works prequalification.

How long does CHAS accreditation last?

CHAS certificates are valid for 12 months and must be renewed annually. Miss the renewal and your status drops off the CHAS / VeriforceONE client portal until you re-pass the assessment.

Can I transfer my Common Assessment Standard from another body to CHAS?

Yes. The recognised assessment bodies share data, so if you already hold the Common Assessment Standard through another body you can register it with CHAS rather than re-doing the questionnaire — you'll still pay a CHAS membership fee to appear on the CHAS client portal (per CHAS – Common Assessment Standard).

What is the difference between CHAS Standard and CHAS Elite?

CHAS Standard is a health & safety-only assessment costing roughly £150–£400 a year and satisfies most "SSIP" or CDM 2015 Stage 1 requests. CHAS Elite costs roughly £500–£1,200 a year and includes the full Common Assessment Standard (CAS), covering around 13 risk-management modules including finance, insurance, equality, environmental and information security — it's the tier expected for public-sector and Tier 1 main contractor work.

Can I use a CHAS Standard certificate for a public sector contract?

Usually not on its own. According to CHAS, public-sector contracting authorities are expected to specify the Common Assessment Standard following PPN 03/24, which CHAS Standard does not cover (chas.co.uk, checked 15/06/2026.). You would typically need CHAS Elite, or an equivalent Common Assessment Standard certificate from another recognised assessment body, unless the specific tender explicitly states that SSIP alone is sufficient.

How often do I renew CHAS accreditation?

Every 12 months, regardless of tier. CHAS certificates expire a year after issue and you must resubmit evidence to renew — lapsing means dropping off the CHAS / VeriforceONE client portal until you re-pass.

What documents do I need for CHAS?

At minimum, for CHAS Standard, you need a written health & safety policy, employers' and public liability insurance, risk assessments, training records and accident records. CHAS Advanced and Elite add financial statements, equality, environmental and modern-slavery policies, and quality-management evidence — see the CHAS documents checklist for the full list by tier.

What's the difference between CHAS Elite and CHAS Premium Plus?

CHAS has rebranded and restructured its membership levels over time. As of 2026-06-15 the three current contractor membership levels on chas.co.uk are Standard, Advanced and Elite, with Elite being the Common Assessment Standard membership level. If a tender references older names (Premium, Premium Plus, Plus), confirm with the client whether they mean today's CHAS Elite or a legacy equivalent before paying.