Is CHAS accreditation worth it?

The benefits of CHAS is worth the investment, especially if: You are a small/medium businesses aiming to grow or work with larger clients.

  • You have been told to get CHAS accredited by your client.
  • You want to work for local authorities, large blue- chip companies and principal contractors.
  • You want to save time and reduce admin burden by streamlining pre-qualifications when tendering
  • You don’t already have a strong health & safety compliance system
  • You want to present a professional, safety-first image to clients.

If you are looking for the above, then yes CHAS accreditation is a wise investment.

Here’s a balanced breakdown of the value and considerations

Why CHAS Accreditation Is Valuable

1. It Shows Robust Health & Safety Compliance

CHAS is a recognised third-party assessment that verifies your health & safety management system meets current legislation and SSIP criteria. That gives you credible proof of compliance rather than just internal paperwork.

2. Improved Tendering and Contract Access

Many clients — especially in construction and public sector procurement — require CHAS (or equivalent SSIP) accreditation before inviting bids. Some councils and major contractors automatically reject bids from non-accredited firms.

3. Saves Time on Pre-Qualification

Once you’re CHAS-accredited, your health & safety compliance is pre-qualified — meaning fewer repeated forms and PQQ questions for each tender. This streamlines procurement admin.

4. Reputation & Trust

It’s a widely recognised badge of competence. Clients see it as a signal that you take safety seriously, which helps differentiate you from competitors. Beacon Risk

5. Other Member Benefits

CHAS membership often includes extras like legal helplines, discounts on training and services, and business resources — which can add indirect value.

Considerations & Drawbacks

1. Cost Can Be Significant

Accreditation fees vary by company size and level (Standard/Advanced/Elite), and they’re annual — not one-offs. For smaller businesses, lower-cost SSIP options may be more cost-effective.

2. Time & Documentation Burden

Preparing policies, risk assessments, method statements, insurance docs, training records, etc., takes effort — and many first-time applicants struggle to get it right without support.

3. Other SSIP Members Can Do the Same Job

CHAS is a member of SSIP alongside other schemes. Technically, any SSIP member accreditation should meet the same basic compliance standard, although some clients specifically ask for CHAS.

Practical Tips for Deciding if It’s Worth It

✔️ It’s likely worth it if:

  • Your target clients or frameworks explicitly require or favour CHAS.

  • You’re tendering regularly and want to cut down repeated PQQ work.

  • You want a strong industry-recognised compliance badge.

❓ Think twice if:

  • You rarely tender or clients don’t mandate CHAS.

  • Cost is a tight constraint and you could use a more affordable SSIP route.

  • You already hold a recognised SSIP accreditation that clients accept.

Bottom Line

CHAS accreditation is generally worth it for UK contractors and consultants — especially in construction and procurement-driven sectors — because it can unlock opportunities, save time, and improve credibility. However, it does come with costs and admin effort, and alternative SSIP accreditations may sometimes be a better value depending on your clients and business size.