SSIP and CHAS accreditation, done for you

What SSIP is, and who asks for it

SSIP stands for Safety Schemes in Procurement. It's the umbrella body for health and safety pre-qualification schemes such as CHAS, SafeContractor, SMAS Worksafe, Acclaim and Constructionline's Once For All health and safety assessment. Member schemes assess you against the same SSIP core criteria, so the scheme you pick matters less than whether your client accepts it.

It's the baseline that councils, housing associations and facilities clients ask for. If a client's supplier form asks for "CHAS or equivalent", an SSIP scheme is usually what they mean. Ask them which schemes they accept before you buy, or forward us their email and we'll tell you.

Once you hold one SSIP scheme, other member schemes can usually recognise it through a shorter "deem to satisfy" route. That's why each extra scheme added alongside costs less.

Prices

Headcount sets the price. Pick your staff band and buy online. Extra activities, locations and urgent deadlines are priced on the package page before you pay.

SSIP application: CHAS Standard, SafeContractor, SMAS Worksafe, Acclaim or Once For All H&S

Each extra SSIP scheme, added alongside using fast-track routes

VAT at 20% is added at checkout. The scheme’s own fee is separate and paid by you directly to the scheme, so the membership stays in your name.

As a guide, CHAS Standard starts from £429 a year (checked November 2026). Schemes set their own prices, so check their calculator before you buy. Need a policy pack on its own? It's £245 + VAT.

What's included

• Your gap list within 1 working day of receiving your information: exactly what's missing and what we'll write for you.
• We complete the application or question set, using delegate access where the scheme allows it.
• Any missing policies written for you: H&S policy and arrangements, organisation chart, environmental, quality, equality, modern slavery, anti-bribery and data protection policies, and a training matrix.
• Nothing is submitted without your approval.
• We answer the assessor's queries and correct our submission within the agreed scope and support period.

What we need from you

• Your company details, activities and locations, and the documents you already have, through a short intake form after you buy.
• Accurate evidence, and any operational changes the assessor asks for. If the assessor needs you to change how you actually work, that part is yours, and we'll tell you exactly what's needed.

How long it takes

Typically 5 working days for an SSIP application. The clock starts on the day we have everything we need, and pauses while we're waiting on you. The scheme then makes its own assessment.

Your expiry date goes in our diary. Add Compliance Desk and we'll handle the renewal for you.

Need more than SSIP?

Many main contractors want Constructionline Gold, which meets the Common Assessment Standard and includes an SSIP. See Constructionline help. Tendering for public work? See tender and PQQ writing.

Questions

CHAS or Constructionline: which one do I need?

Ask the client what they accept. Councils and housing associations usually take any SSIP scheme, CHAS being the most common. Many main contractors want Constructionline Gold, which meets the Common Assessment Standard and includes an SSIP. Not sure? Use the 30-second checker, or forward us the client's email and we'll tell you.

Is the scheme fee included in your price?

No. You pay the scheme or certification body directly, so the membership stays in your name. Our price covers the work of getting you through it.

Do you guarantee I'll pass?

No, and be wary of anyone who does. The assessment body makes the decision. We include answering the assessor's queries and correcting our submission within the agreed scope and support period. If the assessor needs you to change how you actually work, that part is yours, and we'll tell you exactly what's needed.