UK contractor accreditation costs in 2026

How much does contractor accreditation cost?

The table lists the contractor (supplier) prices each scheme publishes on its own website. We have left out figures that only appear on third-party sites. Most pages don't say whether VAT is included; where a page does, we note it. Assume the published figure is the lowest you will pay, and get a quote for your own headcount or turnover.

Prices are the lowest published figure for each level and change often. Check the scheme's own page before you budget. Checked November 2026.

What does each level get you?

The levels aren't directly comparable, because they assess different things. Broadly there are three steps.

SSIP health and safety assessment

The entry level at most schemes is an assessment of your health and safety management against the SSIP Core Criteria. CHAS Standard covers "SSIP requirements"; SMAS Worksafe is its SSIP certification. The SSIP explainer covers what it does and doesn't show.

Broader prequalification

The middle levels add questions on finance, quality, environment and similar areas. CHAS Advanced adds "the former PAS 91 standard"; Achilles Silver+ is a single prequalification questionnaire with SSIP deem to satisfy, "suitable where Common Assessment Standard is not required".

Common Assessment Standard (CAS)

The top levels certify you against Build UK's Common Assessment Standard, either by desktop review or by a site-based audit. CHAS Elite, Achilles Gold, and Constructionline Gold (desktop) and Platinum (site) are CAS levels. A site audit costs much more than a desktop one: at Achilles the published starting price rises from £695 to £3,095.

What drives the cost?

• Headcount. SafeContractor says the "annual subscription is calculated based on the number of employees in your organisation, so your final price may be higher than the amount shown". SMAS says its prices "vary depending on the size of your business and how many employees you have". CHAS says costs scale with the size of your organisation.
• Turnover. Constructionline members "pay an annual fee based on their turnover", and its one-off joining fee for new members is also set by turnover band.
• Level. Moving from an SSIP assessment to CAS, and from desktop to site audit, is the biggest single jump.
• Speed. SafeContractor's Express and Premier plans cost more than Standard and promise faster turnaround (review within 2 working days rather than 20). CHAS offers a Fast Track service that cuts its review period from up to 10 working days to 2; its price isn't published.
• Number of clients. Builder's Profile is free for your first client profile; each additional client needs Premium, from £349 + VAT a year.
• Extras. Constructionline sells a Concierge bolt-on at £499 a year excl VAT, which assigns someone to chase expiring documents. Achilles offers add-ons such as carbon reduction and ethical employment audits.

What if my clients ask for different schemes?

This is where costs multiply. If one client wants CHAS, another SafeContractor and a third Constructionline, paying for three full assessments is rarely necessary.

SSIP member schemes recognise each other's health and safety assessments through deem to satisfy: the second scheme checks your existing certificate rather than assessing you from scratch. It isn't free. SSIP publishes the saving each scheme offers against a full assessment:

SMAS publishes a deem to satisfy price from £200, and says the certificate stays valid for the life of your existing SSIP certificate. Deem to satisfy only covers the SSIP health and safety element. If a client wants CAS or a scheme-specific level, expect to pay for that.

Before paying for a second scheme, ask the client whether it will accept SSIP from any member scheme. Mutual recognition between member schemes is what SSIP was set up for.

Do I have to pay for accreditation at all?

Not by law. HSE's CDM 2015 guidance, L153 (paragraph 65), says: "The law does not require any business or individual to use the services of a third party to help them bid for work." It is equally acceptable to assess your own capability and give the client the documents. Clients also have a duty under paragraph 60 to keep enquiries "sensible and proportionate" and avoid "excessive or duplicated paperwork".

In practice, though, accreditation is often a commercial requirement: if a client's supply chain policy or a framework says CHAS, SSIP or CAS, you need it to get on the list. Treat it as the cost of reaching those clients, and buy the level they actually ask for.

How can I keep the cost down?

1. Ask each client exactly what they accept. "SSIP from any member scheme" is cheaper to meet than a named scheme at a named level.
2. Use deem to satisfy for second and third SSIP schemes instead of full assessments.
3. Buy CAS only when someone asks for it, and a desktop audit unless a site audit is specified.
4. Have your documents ready. Up-to-date policies, insurance certificates and training records make assessments faster and avoid paying extra for speed.
5. Diary your renewals. Schemes sell annual memberships, and Constructionline warns that when profile items expire, members can lose their verified status.
6. Check renewal quotes against the published prices each year, since fees depend on your headcount or turnover band.

Sources

Checked 11 November 2026. Legislation links go to legislation.gov.uk; guidance links to the publisher's own pages.

1. SafeContractor: contractor pricing plans
2. Veriforce CHAS: products and packages
3. CHAS: FAQ
4. Constructionline: supplier FAQs
5. Constructionline: membership bolt-ons
6. Achilles: BuildingConfidence
7. SMAS Worksafe: contractors
8. SMAS Worksafe: deem to satisfy
9. Builder's Profile: Willmott Dixon register
10. SSIP: Deem to satisfy
11. SSIP Core Criteria
12. Build UK: Common Assessment Standard
13. HSE L153: Managing health and safety in construction

This guide is general information, not legal advice. Check the current legislation and guidance for your own site and work.