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SSIP ACCREDITATION · SCHEME-AGNOSTIC · UK-WIDE

Win more contracts with the right SSIP accreditation, not just any badge.

A tender now demands SSIP and the deadline is tight. The usual first question is which scheme — and the quickest answer is often to check what your client or main contractor actually requires. We help you pin that down, give you the templates to prepare your evidence so it passes first time, and manage the assessment through to the result.

Book a Free SSIP Review Use the SSIP Scheme Selector
Win more contracts with the right SSIP accreditation,
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Independent of every scheme we advise on — so the advice is about your business, not our commission.

CHAS
SafeContractor
Constructionline
SMAS Worksafe
Acclaim
Achilles
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WHAT YOU GET OUT OF IT

SSIP accreditation isn't decoration. It's a procurement gate, and clearing it changes the work you can chase.

Safety Schemes in Procurement isn't one badge. It's an umbrella over a set of recognised health and safety schemes. Get accredited under one and the doors a buyer keeps shut start to open.

Win more work

More buyers, public-sector frameworks and Tier 1 contractors now require SSIP-recognised accreditation just to bid. No accreditation, no invitation.

Prequalify faster

SSIP is built around mutual recognition. One accreditation can satisfy multiple buyers, so you stop re-proving the same health and safety credentials to every client who asks.

Cut duplication and cost

The "Deem to Satisfy" principle means schemes recognise each other's core assessment, so you're not paying to be assessed from scratch every time a new client wants reassurance.

Show clients you're serious

It's third-party proof that your health and safety systems hold up, which matters when a client is deciding whether to let you on their site.

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WHY SCHEME-AGNOSTIC MATTERS

Most SSIP "help" comes from firms tied to one scheme. Ask which you need and the answer is always the one they sell.

We're not tied to any of them. We advise across CHAS, SafeContractor, Constructionline, SMAS Worksafe, Acclaim and Achilles. So when we recommend a scheme, it's because it's the one your clients actually require, not because it pays us a referral. Pick the wrong one and you can end up accredited, out of pocket, and still locked out of the tender you needed. We get that decision right before you spend a penny on assessment.

The right scheme depends on your sector, your target clients and the frameworks you want onto.
Constructionline and Achilles feature heavily on public-sector and Tier 1 supply chains.
CHAS and SafeContractor are widely recognised across construction; SMAS Worksafe is common with main contractors.
Use the SSIP Scheme Selector
A consultant shaking hands with a client at the start of an SSIP review
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YOUR ACCREDITATIONS TEAM

A named team runs your accreditation with you, from first call to certificate.

Not a rota, not a call centre. Charlotte heads up our accreditations department; Shannon runs the accreditations day to day. They give you our proven templates to complete, check your evidence is ready before it goes in, and stay your point of contact when the next scheme or renewal comes round.

Charlotte
Charlotte
Head of Accreditations

“Most contractors had the safety right all along. The job is turning what you already do into evidence an assessor accepts — first time.”

Book a free SSIP review
Shannon
Shannon
SSIP & Accreditation Specialist

“I deal with clients who require SSIP. I manage the whole process from start to finish, which normally involves working with clients to ensure the right documentation is provided, contacting the assessor and then dealing with any queries. My job is to make this process as easy as possible for clients, as SSIP can sometimes be complex and our aim is to save clients valuable time, resource and costs.”

Book a free SSIP review
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PROOF IT WORKS

Stuck on an accreditation, then back in the bid.

N. Stead, founder of an M&E contractor, needed CHAS to bid for a contract and had been stuck on it. Charlotte got the accreditation through in four weeks. The contract was back in play.

to CHAS accreditation
4 weeks

“We were stuck needing CHAS to bid. Spectra's consultant got the accreditation through in four weeks and the contract was back in play.”

N. Stead Founder, M&E contractor· Verified
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HOW WE GET YOU ACCREDITED

Five steps. We make it straightforward because we do this for a living.

— STEP 01
Free SSIP review
We look at the work you want to win and, where a client or main contractor has asked for a specific scheme, confirm that's the one to go for.
— STEP 02
Gap check
We compare your current health and safety documentation against the scheme's assessment criteria and tell you exactly what's missing.
— STEP 03
Evidence prepared
We give you our proven templates for the policies, risk assessments and records the assessor will want, and check what you complete before it goes in, so nothing's left to chance.
— STEP 04
Submission and assessment
We package everything to the scheme's standard and manage the assessment through to the result.
— STEP 05
You're accredited
And ready to bid for the work that needed it. We stay on for the next scheme or renewal.
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Not ready to talk yet? Use the SSIP Scheme Selector.

Answer a few questions about the work you want to win and your sector, and get a personalised scheme recommendation in two minutes. No call attached. When you're ready, book a free review with Charlotte and we'll tell you whether your deadline is realistic.

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QUESTIONS

Common questions about SSIP

What is SSIP?
SSIP stands for Safety Schemes in Procurement. It's an umbrella body that links a set of recognised health and safety accreditation schemes, including CHAS, SafeContractor, Constructionline, SMAS Worksafe, Acclaim and Achilles. Being accredited under an SSIP-member scheme lets you prequalify for clients and frameworks that require proof your health and safety arrangements are sound. The whole point of SSIP is mutual recognition: instead of being assessed from scratch by every buyer, one accreditation can satisfy many.
Which SSIP scheme should I get?
It depends on the work you want to win, your sector and the clients or frameworks you're targeting. CHAS and SafeContractor are widely recognised across construction; Constructionline and Achilles feature heavily on public-sector and Tier 1 supply chains; SMAS Worksafe is common with main contractors. There's no single right answer, which is exactly why getting independent advice matters. We aren't tied to any scheme, so we confirm the one your client or main contractor requires. The SSIP Scheme Selector will give you a starting steer.
How long does SSIP accreditation take?
With the right preparation it can be quick. A typical first-time pass often lands within two to four weeks, and where your documentation is in reasonable shape and we engage early it can be faster. The biggest delay is almost always missing or weak evidence, which is the part we fix before submission so the assessment doesn't bounce back.
Do I need SSIP and ISO 45001?
They do different jobs, and many contractors hold both. SSIP accreditation is a procurement gate: it proves your health and safety arrangements to buyers so you can bid for their work. ISO 45001 is a full international management-system standard, certified independently, that goes deeper into how you run health and safety day to day. SSIP is usually the faster route to winning tenders; ISO 45001 is the longer-term system that some larger clients prefer or require. We can advise on both and tell you which to prioritise.
What's the difference between CHAS and SafeContractor?
Both are SSIP-member schemes that assess your health and safety arrangements, and both are widely accepted, so for many contractors either will open similar doors. The differences come down to which clients and frameworks favour each, the assessment format, the cost and the extra modules each offers beyond core health and safety. Because they recognise each other under SSIP's mutual-recognition principle, holding one often satisfies a buyer asking for the other. We'll tell you which one your specific clients actually want before you commit.
We failed an SSIP assessment. Can you help?
Yes. A failed or stalled assessment almost always comes down to evidence gaps the assessor flagged. We'll review the feedback, identify exactly what fell short, fix the documentation, and resubmit. Plenty of our accreditations are firms that came to us after getting stuck on their own.
Is SSIP only for construction?
No. It started in construction and is most common there, but any contractor or supplier whose clients ask for proof of health and safety competence can benefit, from facilities and maintenance firms to manufacturers in a supply chain. If a client has asked you for SSIP, we can get you there whatever your sector.
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Reviews

Rated excellent on Trustpilot.

Don't take our word for it. Rated 4.98 out of 5 by the businesses we support.

HR

Alison always picks up the phone and quickly sorts whatever we throw at her. I cannot recommend her highly enough.

Property management client
HR support · Verified
ISO 9001

Marco expertly guided us through achieving our ISO 9001 certification. Our sincere thanks to the whole Spectra team.

Manufacturing client
ISO certification · Verified
CDM

From start to finish, Barrie was professional, knowledgeable and proactive as Principal Designer on our project.

Construction contractor
CDM / Principal Designer · Verified
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Start before the deadline beats you.

Book a free SSIP review with Charlotte. We'll confirm which scheme your client requires and whether your deadline is realistic. Most clients are surprised how fast this can move. Nationwide support from our Altrincham base.

Book a Free SSIP Review Call 0161 926 8519
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