The Common Assessment Standard Question Set, Explained

The Common Assessment Standard is a single, industry-agreed pre-qualification question set — broader than SSIP — administered by Build UK. It replaced the withdrawn PAS 91 and covers far more than health & safety: governance, finance, environmental, corporate social responsibility, information security and building safety all sit inside it. If a client names it, a plain SSIP scheme won't do.

What it covers

The Common Assessment Standard rolls a pre-qualification into one recognised certificate, so you answer once and reuse it across buyers who accept it. Its question set spans, among others:

• Health & safety
• Environmental management
• Quality management
• Financial and corporate standing
• Corporate social responsibility (added beyond PAS 91)
• Information security & GDPR (added beyond PAS 91)
• Building safety (reflecting the Building Safety Act)

Two assessment levels

You're certified at one of two levels, chosen by your size, trade and what your clients require:

	DesktopDocument-based★ Most subbies	Site-basedVerification audit
How it's assessed	Documents reviewed remotely	On-site verification audit
Typical at	Constructionline Gold / CHAS Elite	Constructionline Platinum / CHAS Elite Assured
Asked for when	General pre-qualification	Higher-risk or larger contracts
Renewal	Annual	Annual

Who can certify you

The Common Assessment Standard is certified by Recognised Assessment Bodies — not by Build UK directly. These include Veriforce CHAS, Constructionline, Achilles, CQMS, SCCS, SMAS Worksafe and Compliance Chain. You hold the standard through one of them, typically as the top tier of their product range — for example Constructionline Gold/Platinum or CHAS Elite (see CHAS cost).

How it relates to SSIP and PAS 91

PAS 91 was the old standardised pre-qualification questionnaire; BSI withdrew it in April 2023, and the Common Assessment Standard is its broader successor. SSIP covers health & safety only and is recognised across schemes via Deem to Satisfy — but Deem to Satisfy does not extend to the Common Assessment Standard. Public bodies are pointed toward the Common Assessment Standard (or equivalent) under procurement policy note guidance. For the wider picture, start at SSIP accreditation explained; and note the SSIP scheme behind Constructionline was renamed — Acclaim is now Once For All Health & Safety.

Frequently asked questions

What is the Common Assessment Standard?

It's a single, industry-agreed pre-qualification standard for UK construction, administered by Build UK. It covers health & safety plus finance, environmental, quality, corporate social responsibility, information security and building safety — so one certificate satisfies many buyers' pre-qualification needs.

Is the Common Assessment Standard the same as SSIP?

No. SSIP covers health & safety only; the Common Assessment Standard is much broader and includes SSIP-level health & safety as just one part. Holding SSIP does not give you the Common Assessment Standard.

What replaced PAS 91?

The Common Assessment Standard. BSI withdrew PAS 91 in April 2023, and the Common Assessment Standard is its broader successor, adding corporate social responsibility, information security and building-safety sections.

What's the difference between desktop and site-based assessment?

The desktop level reviews your documents remotely; the site-based level adds an on-site verification audit. Most subcontractors start with desktop (e.g. Constructionline Gold or CHAS Elite) and only move to site-based when a client requires the verified level.