CPD Quality Standards - The CPD Register Review

Commercial identification and contactability

The organisation is traceable through the statutory registers; however, two material discrepancies remain.

Trading name vs legal entity.
The website trades as "CPD Quality Standards" and "CPDQS". The legal entity registered at Companies House is CPD QUALIFICATION STD. LTD (Company No. 10211776). The Information Commissioner's Office register (entry ZB919616) records "CPD QUALITY STANDARDS" as an "Other name" of CPD QUALIFICATION STD. LTD, which provides a documented link between the trading name used on the website and the legal entity on a UK statutory register. The website application-form declaration refers to "CPD Quality Standards Ltd" as the contracting party — this exact name does not appear on the Companies House register as a separate legal entity, and the documented legal entity is CPD QUALIFICATION STD. LTD. Under Companies Act 2006 sections 1200–1206 (trading disclosures), the trading name disclosure on the website would benefit from explicit identification of CPD QUALIFICATION STD. LTD as the legal entity behind the CPD Quality Standards trading name.

Address discrepancy.
The website footer publishes "International House, 24 Holborn Viaduct, London EC1A 2BN" as the trading address. Both the Companies House registered office (for company 10211776) and the ICO data-controller address (for entry ZB919616) are recorded as 87 Greening Road, Rothwell, Kettering NN14 6JB. The Holborn Viaduct address does not appear on either statutory register for this entity. International House, 24 Holborn Viaduct is a multi-occupancy serviced/coworking office building hosting several hundred registered companies.

Contactability. Telephone and email are published on every page. The published Terms and Conditions list a different contact email ("[email protected]"), which is inconsistent with the rest of the site.

Sources:

https://cpdqs.co.uk/ (footer) — accessed 1st May 2026
https://cpdqs.co.uk/terms-and-condition — accessed 1st May 2026
https://find-and-update.company-information.service.gov.uk/company/10211776 — accessed 1st May 2026
https://ico.org.uk/ESDWebPages/Entry/ZB919616 — accessed 1st May 2026

Transparency of assessment framework

No published assessment framework or accreditation criteria were located on the website at the date of review.

The "Get Accredited" page sets out a four-step process (membership form → initial review → submit activities → certification) but does not publish the criteria or framework against which submitted activities are assessed. The Pricing page states the review process "normally takes an average of 1 week" but does not link to or include a criteria document. The Activities page lists categories of training accredited (classroom courses, workshops, seminars, online courses, webinars, events) but does not publish the standard each is assessed against.

The application form requires applicants to submit eight separate organisational policy documents (terms, privacy, complaints, data protection, safeguarding, malpractice, health and safety, plus an organisational description), but the criteria those policies are assessed against are not published.

Sources:

https://cpdqs.co.uk/get-accredited/ — accessed 1st May 2026
https://cpdqs.co.uk/pricing/ — accessed 1st May 2026
https://cpdqs.co.uk/activities/ — accessed 1st May 2026
https://cpdqs.co.uk/cpdqs-application-form/ — accessed 1st May 2026

Pricing transparency

Yes — pricing is published on the website.
A dedicated CPDQS Pricing page sets out five annual membership tiers with both initial and renewal fees:

S2 — £300/year (renewal £200) — up to 2 activities
S5 — £500/year (renewal £400) — up to 5 activities
S15 — £1,050/year (renewal £950) — up to 15 activities
S25 — £1,500/year (renewal £1,350) — up to 25 activities
Corporate — quoted, unlimited activities

Three additional alternative membership tiers (Free, Regular £250, Premium £400) also appear on the same page with different inclusions, which creates some inconsistency between the two pricing structures presented.

VAT treatment is not stated.

Sources:

https://cpdqs.co.uk/pricing/ — accessed 1st May 2026

Terms and conditions

The published Terms and Conditions are website use terms only. They govern access to and use of the cpdqs.co.uk website and do not address the accreditation relationship.

The published terms (last updated 02/02/2023) cover: website access, intellectual property in website content, user-generated content rules, prohibited use, indemnity, changes to the policy, and a website disclaimer. They do not address:

The accreditation service itself
Fees, payment terms, or refund rights
Duration of accreditation and renewal terms
Rights of use and restrictions on the CPDQS logo or trustmark
Intellectual property in course materials submitted by training providers for accreditation
Confidentiality of materials submitted for assessment
Circumstances in which accreditation may be withdrawn
Complaints and dispute resolution procedures

The Get Accredited application form declaration states that signing the form "constitutes a contractual membership agreement with CPD Quality Standards Ltd" — but the terms and conditions of that contractual membership agreement are not published on the website. The contact email in the Terms and Conditions ("[email protected]") differs from the email used elsewhere on the site ("[email protected]").

Prospective members would not be able to review the terms governing their accreditation engagement before signing the application form.

Sources:

https://cpdqs.co.uk/terms-and-condition — accessed 1st May 2026
https://cpdqs.co.uk/cpdqs-application-form/ — accessed 1st May 2026

Individual course assessment

The website states that activities are reviewed and accredited individually. The Get Accredited page describes a process in which members "submit your training activities for CPD accreditation" after joining, and the membership tiers (S2, S5, S15, S25) are defined by the number of activities included. The Pricing page states that submitted materials are reviewed against criteria and standards and that recommendations are made if minimum standards are not met.

A public directory of accredited courses is available at cpdqs.co.uk/courses, listing individual courses with provider attribution.
The criteria against which each activity is assessed are not published on the website (see Section 2 — Transparency of assessment framework).

Sources:

https://cpdqs.co.uk/get-accredited/ — accessed 1st May 2026
https://cpdqs.co.uk/pricing/ — accessed 1st May 2026
https://cpdqs.co.uk/courses — accessed 1st May 2026

Review and renewal

Membership operates on an annual renewal basis. Each membership tier on the Pricing page lists both an initial annual fee and a separate renewal fee, indicating that membership is renewed yearly.

However, the website does not publish:

Whether accredited activities are proactively re-reviewed at renewal, or whether renewal is administrative only
Any defined review cycle for accredited course content
A process for handling material changes to accredited content between cycles

The published material describes accreditation in terms of an annual membership rather than a defined review or re-assessment cycle for the content itself.

Sources:

https://cpdqs.co.uk/pricing/ — accessed 1st May 2026
https://cpdqs.co.uk/get-accredited/ — accessed 1st May 2026

Sale of training courses or materials

No — no evidence that the organisation sells its own training courses or training materials.

A review of the website (Home, About, Get Accredited, Activities, Providers, Pricing, Resources, Contact) shows that CPDQS positions itself as an accreditation-only service. The course directory (cpdqs.co.uk/courses) lists courses delivered by third-party providers (e.g. Transition With Paula, Teach The DR Teacher, MK Physio Skill Academy, University of Fujairah). No own-branded training products are offered for sale.

On this criterion, no conflict of interest of the kind addressed in the methodology has been identified.

Sources:

https://cpdqs.co.uk/ — accessed 1st May 2026
https://cpdqs.co.uk/courses — accessed 1st May 2026
https://cpdqs.co.uk/activities/ — accessed 1st May 2026

Financial relationships with third-party service providers

No disclosed affiliate or referral arrangements with insurance providers, software platforms, or other third-party service providers were identified on the website at the date of review.

No claims of partnership with insurers, software vendors, or complementary service providers appear on the published pages reviewed.

Sources:

https://cpdqs.co.uk/ — accessed 1st May 2026
https://cpdqs.co.uk/about/ — accessed 1st May 2026
https://cpdqs.co.uk/get-accredited/ — accessed 1st May 2026

Ownership or control relationships with aligned commercial interests

Companies House records for CPD QUALIFICATION STD. LTD (10211776) show:

Director: David Stevenson Nicol (appointed 26 October 2017, identity verification status: Verified)
Person with Significant Control: David Stevenson Nicol — Ownership of shares 75% or more (notified 2 November 2017)
Former Director and PSC (resigned 26 October 2017): Bryan Anthony Thornton

No common directorship or PSC relationship between CPD QUALIFICATION STD. LTD and any training provider listed in the CPDQS course directory was identified on the public Companies House record at the date of review.

The previous company name was "PRIMAL BELLS LTD" (2nd June 2016 – 26th October 2017) before being renamed to CPD QUALIFICATION STD. LTD.

Sources:

https://find-and-update.company-information.service.gov.uk/company/10211776/officers — accessed 1st May 2026
https://find-and-update.company-information.service.gov.uk/company/10211776/persons-with-significant-control — accessed 1st May 2026

Consistency of filings with advertised activity

Filings at Companies House are current. Accounts to 30 June 2025 have been filed; next accounts due 31 March 2027. The most recent confirmation statement is dated 26 January 2026.

Three consistency points should be noted:

SIC code. The company's nature of business (SIC) is recorded as 63990 — "Other information service activities not elsewhere classified". This is a generic information-services code rather than a code specific to education, accreditation, or certification activity.

Address inconsistency. The website's published trading address (International House, 24 Holborn Viaduct, London EC1A 2BN) does not match either of the addresses recorded on UK statutory registers. Companies House registered office: 87 Greening Road, Rothwell, Kettering NN14 6JB. ICO data-controller address (entry ZB919616): 87 Greening Road, Rothwell, Kettering NN14 6JB. The Holborn Viaduct address is a serviced/multi-occupancy office building. There is no public-register filing on either Companies House or the ICO register linking CPD QUALIFICATION STD. LTD to the Holborn Viaduct address.

Trading name on ICO register. The ICO register records "CPD QUALITY STANDARDS" as an "Other name" for CPD QUALIFICATION STD. LTD. This provides documented public-register support for the trading name but no equivalent registration as a Companies House business name.

Sources:

https://find-and-update.company-information.service.gov.uk/company/10211776 — accessed 1st May 2026
https://ico.org.uk/ESDWebPages/Entry/ZB919616 — accessed 1st May 2026
https://cpdqs.co.uk/ — accessed 1st May 2026

Companies House status

Active.

Company name: CPD QUALIFICATION STD. LTD
Company number: 10211776
Company type: Private limited company
Incorporated: 2nd June 2016
Status: Active
Last accounts filed: made up to 30 June 2025
Last confirmation statement: 26 January 2026
Director identity verification status: Verified

Previous company names: PRIMAL BELLS LTD (02 June 2016 – 26 October 2017).

Sources:

https://find-and-update.company-information.service.gov.uk/company/10211776 — accessed 1st May 2026

Website status

The website at https://cpdqs.co.uk/ was live and operational at the date of review. The site uses HTTPS, displays a current copyright notice ("Copyright © 2017–2025 CPD Quality Standards"), and hosts dated blog content with posts from 2025 and 2026, indicating active maintenance.

A members' login portal is published at cpdqs.co.uk/login, and a public course/provider directory is accessible at cpdqs.co.uk/courses and cpdqs.co.uk/providers.

Sources:

https://cpdqs.co.uk/ — accessed 1st May 2026

Regulatory rulings and public enforcement records

No ASA (Advertising Standards Authority) rulings naming CPD QUALIFICATION STD. LTD, CPD Quality Standards, or CPDQS were identified on the public ASA rulings database at the date of review.

No published court or tribunal judgments naming the organisation were identified at the date of review.

Sources:

https://www.asa.org.uk/codes-and-rulings/rulings.html (search of public rulings database) — accessed 1st May 2026

Distinguishing CPD from regulated qualifications

Two points to note in relation to this criterion:

Use of the word "Qualification" in the legal entity name. The Companies House registered name of the legal entity is "CPD QUALIFICATION STD. LTD" — the word "Qualification" forms part of the company name. The website operates under the trading name "CPD Quality Standards" rather than "CPD Qualification". Within UK CPD marketing, the term "qualification" is associated with regulated qualifications delivered by awarding organisations recognised by Ofqual, Qualifications Wales, SQA Accreditation or CCEA Regulation. CPD accreditation is distinct from a regulated qualification. The use of "Qualification" in the legal entity name without an accompanying explanation that CPDQS is not a regulated awarding organisation may give rise to confusion for prospective customers who consult Companies House.

Statements on the website. No claims to be a regulated awarding organisation, no Ofqual qualification numbers, and no use of "Level 2", "Level 3" or "Diploma" terminology were identified on the public pages reviewed. The website refers to "CPD accredited courses" and "CPD certified" terminology consistently.

The website would benefit from a clear published statement that CPDQS accreditation is independent of, and does not constitute, a regulated qualification.

Sources:

https://find-and-update.company-information.service.gov.uk/company/10211776 — accessed 1st May 2026
https://cpdqs.co.uk/ — accessed 1st May 2026
https://cpdqs.co.uk/about/ — accessed 1st May 2026

Sensitive words and government-association considerations

The trading name "CPD Quality Standards" includes the word "Standards", which appears on the UK Government's published list of sensitive words and expressions or words that could imply a connection with government (Companies House guidance, Annex A). Use of such words in a company or trading name may, in some contexts, require evidence to support the claim or may give rise to a perception of official or quasi-official status.

The legal entity name "CPD QUALIFICATION STD. LTD" includes the abbreviation "STD." (an abbreviation of "Standards") rather than the word in full.

The website does not include claims of government endorsement, regulatory authority, or government partnership. No use of the words "Accreditation" or "Institute" in the trading name was identified that would be likely to imply Companies House sensitive-word concerns; however, the use of "Standards" is a point CPDQS may wish to be aware of in light of the published Companies House guidance.

Sources:

https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/incorporation-and-names/annex-a-sensitive-words-and-expressions-or-words-that-could-imply-a-connection-with-government — accessed 1st May 2026
https://cpdqs.co.uk/ — accessed 1st May 2026
https://find-and-update.company-information.service.gov.uk/company/10211776 — accessed 1st May 2026

Reference to previous findings

This listing supersedes the previous published finding for CPD Quality Standards (last updated 1st September 2025), which stated that the organisation should not be listed because it did not publish an address and was therefore non-traceable and non-verifiable under the Economic Crime and Corporate Transparency Act, and recorded its terms and conditions as "website terms" only.

At this review, the position has changed in part:

Legal entity traceability. The website now publishes Company Number 10211776, which corresponds to CPD QUALIFICATION STD. LTD — an active company with up-to-date Companies House filings. The Information Commissioner's Office register entry ZB919616 records "CPD QUALITY STANDARDS" as an "Other name" of CPD QUALIFICATION STD. LTD, providing documented public-register support for the trading name (registered 23 June 2025).

Address. A trading address (International House, 24 Holborn Viaduct, London EC1A 2BN) is now published on the website. However, this address differs from the address recorded for the company on both the Companies House register and the ICO register, both of which show 87 Greening Road, Rothwell, Kettering NN14 6JB — see Section 1 and Section 10.

Terms and conditions. The published terms remain website terms only; they do not govern the accreditation relationship — see Section 4. This element of the previous finding is unchanged.

Sources:

The CPD Accreditation Service2 (internal record, last updated 1st September 2025)
https://cpdqs.co.uk/ — accessed 1st May 2026
https://find-and-update.company-information.service.gov.uk/company/10211776 — accessed 1st May 2026
https://ico.org.uk/ESDWebPages/Entry/ZB919616 — accessed 1st May 2026

Further Information about this organisation

Website

https://cpdqs.co.uk/

Companies House Number

10211776

Companies House Incorporation Date

2nd June 2016

ICO Number

ZB919616

ICO Registration Date

23 June 2025

Physical Office Published

Yes — but does not match Companies House or ICO registered address

Telephone

Yes

Live Chat

Pricing Published

Yes

Accreditation Criteria Published

Activities Individually Accredited

Yes (stated)

Review Frequency

Not published

Last Updated

1st May 2026

Disclaimer

We do our best to ensure that all information is accurate and up to date. If you are part of the above-mentioned organisation and some of the information, we have found is inaccurate please contact us at [email protected] so we can rectify this for you.

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