CPDQE - The CPD Register Review

Commercial identification and contactability

CPDQE operates at cpdqe.co.uk as a trading name of Explore Management Limited (Companies House number 14755408, incorporated 24th March 2023, registered office 48 Victoria Street, Cheltenham, Gloucestershire, GL50 4HU). No legal entity name, Companies House registration number, or registered address is published on the CPDQE website, on any sub-page, in the terms and conditions, or in the privacy policy. The contact details available on the CPDQE website are a mobile telephone number and an email address.

Under the Companies Act 2006, sections 1200 to 1206, businesses operating under a trading name are required to disclose the registered company name on their website and in commercial correspondence. The CPDQE website does not comply with this requirement. A training provider or consumer dealing with CPDQE has no means of identifying the legal entity with which they are contracting from the CPDQE website alone.

Source: https://cpdqe.co.uk/ -- accessed 16th June 2026; https://cpdqe.co.uk/terms-conditions/ -- accessed 16th June 2026; https://find-and-update.company-information.service.gov.uk/company/14755408 -- accessed 16th June 2026.

Transparency of assessment framework

CPDQE publishes a CPD Framework page at https://cpdqe.co.uk/cpd-framework/ which describes its accreditation service in general terms. The page states that submitted courses are evaluated against a "CPDQE Certification Framework" and that learning outcomes must be "clearly defined, measurable and relevant to professional development." A PDF document titled "CPDQE-Framework.pdf" is referenced on both the CPD Framework page and the CPD Courses page.

However, access to the framework document is gated. Both pages require a visitor to submit an email address before the document is made available for download. The framework criteria are therefore not freely accessible without providing personal data, which is not consistent with good practice for a published assessment framework. No version date, revision history, or criteria summary is published on the website itself.

The CPD Framework page also contains text that appears to be placeholder or template content, including the phrase "Quick financial guidance to get you ahead" appearing immediately beneath the heading "Why Choose Us" -- content that has no relevance to CPD accreditation. This raises questions about the completeness and accuracy of the published framework materials.

Source: https://cpdqe.co.uk/cpd-framework/ -- accessed 28 May 2026; https://cpdqe.co.uk/cpd-courses/ -- accessed 28 May 2026.

Pricing transparency

CPDQE publishes a pricing calculator on its CPD Courses page at https://cpdqe.co.uk/cpd-courses/. The calculator invites visitors to select the number of courses and an accreditation term of 12, 24, or 36 months.

The Become a CPD Provider page at https://cpdqe.co.uk/cpd-providers-2/ offers "Free CPDQE Approval for Your Training Organisation." This creates an apparent inconsistency: provider status is offered at no charge while course accreditation fees are described as applying separately on the CPD Courses page. The relationship between these two pricing structures is not clearly explained on either page.

The terms and conditions state that fees for accreditation are applied based on the services provided and that prices may be adjusted periodically. No current fee schedule is accessible in static published form.

Source: https://cpdqe.co.uk/cpd-courses/ -- accessed 16th June 2026; https://cpdqe.co.uk/cpd-providers-2/ -- accessed 16th June 2026; https://cpdqe.co.uk/terms-conditions/ -- accessed 16th June 2026.

Terms and conditions

CPDQE publishes terms and conditions at https://cpdqe.co.uk/terms-conditions/. The terms address accreditation services, fees, data protection, intellectual property, and termination. Accreditation validity periods of 12, 24, or 36 months are referenced. A seven-day refund policy for courses is stated in clause 3.2, though this clause is titled "Agreement and Acceptance" rather than refund policy, which introduces ambiguity. Section 7.2 sets out a separate position that fees are non-refundable once service has been initiated, which creates an inconsistency with clause 3.2 that is not resolved within the document.

The terms contain a structural drafting error: clause 6.3 "Service Suspension" appears twice -- once within Section 6 and again within Section 7 (Payment and Billing) -- with identical text reproduced under a duplicate clause number. This indicates the document has not been subject to legal review.

No date of publication or version number appears on the terms, meaning a contracting party cannot confirm which version applied at the time of entering into an agreement. The terms state that CPDQE reserves the right to update them at any time, with continued use of services constituting acceptance of changes.

The terms do not identify the legal entity behind CPDQE at any point within the document. Section 12 states that the agreement is governed by the laws of England and Wales but no registered company name or number is given as the contracting party. A training provider or consumer entering into a contract under these terms cannot identify the legal entity with which they are contracting from the document itself.

Source: https://cpdqe.co.uk/terms-conditions/ -- accessed 16th June 2026.

Individual course assessment

CPDQE states that submitted courses are reviewed individually against its certification framework. The CPD Framework page states that the provider must submit the course and the relevant team will evaluate and certify it against the CPDQE Certification Framework. The CPD Courses page describes a three-stage process: submission of course structure and learning outcomes; review against CPDQE professional standards and CPD hour allocation; and certification framework implementation.

No blanket accreditation model is described. The published process refers to individual submission and assessment of each course or activity. However, the framework document against which assessment is conducted is not freely accessible (see Section 2), which means the criteria applied at individual course level cannot be independently verified from the published website alone.

Source: https://cpdqe.co.uk/cpd-framework/ -- accessed 16th June 2026; https://cpdqe.co.uk/cpd-courses/ -- accessed 16th June 2026.

Review and renewal

CPDQE's terms and conditions state that accreditation validity periods are typically 12, 24, or 36 months, with notification provided prior to expiration. The CPD Framework page states that accreditation emphasises ongoing evaluation and refinement rather than a one-off approval, and that it is mandatory for providers to continuously enhance their programmes using feedback and new developments.

No specific review cycle or proactive review process is published as a standalone policy. The obligation for ongoing enhancement appears to rest primarily with the provider rather than being initiated by CPDQE on a defined schedule. No information is published regarding how material changes to accredited content are handled before the accreditation term expires.

Source: https://cpdqe.co.uk/cpd-framework/ -- accessed 16th June 2026; https://cpdqe.co.uk/terms-conditions/ -- accessed 16th June 2026.

CPDQE publishes a directory of CPD providers at https://cpdqe.co.uk/cpd-providers/ and operates consumer-facing pages for CPD Courses, CPD Events, CPD Webinars, CPD Audio Podcasts, CPD Video Podcasts, and CPD Edutorials under its CPD Activities navigation menu. The primary navigation includes a "Get Accredited" link that directs to the CPD Courses page, which is simultaneously used as the application page for training providers seeking accreditation and as a consumer-facing course directory.

CPDQE's CPD Courses page describes a "50/50 Partnership Model" under which certificate revenue generated by accredited training providers is shared with CPDQE. The page states that CPDQE provides the accreditation framework and recognised certification and that certificate revenue is shared, framing this as creating commercial alignment between CPDQE and its accredited providers.

CPDQE-branded certificates are sold directly to end learners through dedicated order pages hosted on provider platforms. At Empower UK Employment Training (ukemploymenttraining.co.uk) -- a trading brand of Explore Management Limited, the same legal entity as CPDQE -- a dedicated CPDQE certificate order page exists at https://ukemploymenttraining.co.uk/cpdqe-certificate-and-transcript/. Published pricing is: CPDQE Certificate (PDF) £10; CPDQE Transcript (PDF) £10; CPDQE Certificate and Transcript (PDF) £12. A corresponding page exists on the Learndrive platform at https://learndrive.org/order-cpdqe-certificate/, where CPDQE certificates are sold at prices ranging from £15 for a PDF certificate to £90 for a hardcopy certificate with transcript.

The CPDQE FAQ at https://cpdqe.co.uk/faq/ states that CPDQE certificates can be used to "support compliance and professional requirements" and to share achievements with "employers, clients, or regulators." No qualification is made as to which compliance or professional requirements these certificates satisfy or in which regulatory contexts they are recognised.

Source: https://cpdqe.co.uk/ -- accessed 16th June 2026; https://cpdqe.co.uk/cpd-courses/ -- accessed 16th June 2026; https://ukemploymenttraining.co.uk/cpdqe-certificate-and-transcript/ -- accessed 16th June 2026; https://learndrive.org/order-cpdqe-certificate/ -- accessed 16th June 2026; https://cpdqe.co.uk/faq/ -- accessed 16th June 2026.

Financial relationships with third-party service providers

CPDQE discloses on its CPD Courses page a "50/50 Partnership Model" under which certificate revenue generated by accredited training providers is shared with CPDQE. This means CPDQE has a direct and ongoing financial interest in the commercial success of the training providers it accredits. The greater the volume of certificates issued by an accredited provider, the greater the revenue to CPDQE. This creates a structural financial relationship that is not consistent with the independence expected of an accreditation body and which is not disclosed to consumers seeking to rely on CPDQE accreditation as an independent quality signal.

This commercial integration is evidenced in practice by the dedicated CPDQE certificate sales infrastructure operated by provider websites. Empower UK Employment Training and Learndrive each host transactional pages through which individual learners purchase CPDQE-branded certificates. The transactional infrastructure for these sales, including order forms and payment processing, is hosted and operated by the respective provider platforms. The division of certificate revenues between CPDQE and each provider under the stated partnership model is not disclosed to learners purchasing certificates, to training providers applying for accreditation, or to employers and regulators to whom CPDQE certificates may be presented.

No safeguards, firewalls, or governance arrangements are described on the CPDQE website that would separate accreditation decision-making from these financial interests.

Source: https://cpdqe.co.uk/cpd-courses/ -- accessed 16th June 2026; https://ukemploymenttraining.co.uk/cpdqe-certificate-and-transcript/ -- accessed 16th June 2026; https://learndrive.org/order-cpdqe-certificate/ -- accessed 16th June 2026.

Ownership or control relationships with aligned commercial interests

Explore Management Limited (Companies House number 14755408) operates both CPDQE, as a CPD accreditation body, and Empower UK Employment Training, as a training provider listed in the CPDQE provider directory. This is confirmed in the Empower UK Employment Training terms and conditions, which state in the preamble: "Welcome to Empower UK Employment Training ('Empower', 'we', 'us', 'our'), a brand of Explore Management Limited," and in clause 16, which states: "These Terms, together with our Privacy Policy, represent the entire agreement between you and Explore Management Limited trading as Empower UK Employment Training."

This constitutes a direct self-accreditation arrangement. The same legal entity is simultaneously operating as an accreditation body under the CPDQE brand and as an accredited training provider under the Empower UK Employment Training brand, while receiving revenue from certificate sales made through that provider. This arrangement is not disclosed on the CPDQE website.

Source: https://ukemploymenttraining.co.uk/terms -- accessed 16th June 2026; https://find-and-update.company-information.service.gov.uk/company/14755408 -- accessed 16th June 2026;

Consistency of filings with advertised activity

Explore Management Limited was incorporated on 24th March 2023. Its Companies House SIC codes are 70229 (management consultancy activities other than financial management), 74100 (specialised design activities), 85590 (other education not elsewhere classified), and 85600 (educational support services). The education SIC codes are consistent with the accreditation and training activities advertised under the CPDQE and Empower UK Employment Training brands. The SIC codes 70229 and 74100 are not consistent with any publicly described activity of either brand and have not been explained.

The current registered office on Companies House is 48 Victoria Street, Cheltenham, GL50 4HU, which is a virtual office address. The Empower UK Employment Training website publishes 71 Gerald Street, Newcastle upon Tyne, NE4 8QH as its business address. These are different addresses. No address is published on the CPDQE website.

The CPDQE website contains internal naming inconsistencies. The footer and branding consistently refer to "CPDQE -- Continuing Professional Development, Quality Ensured," whilst the copyright footer reads "©2026 CPDQE All Right Recevied" -- a misspelling of "All Rights Reserved" -- with no legal entity name disclosed.

Source: https://find-and-update.company-information.service.gov.uk/company/14755408 -- accessed 16th June 2026; https://cpdqe.co.uk/ -- accessed 16th June 2026; https://ukemploymenttraining.co.uk/ -- accessed 16th June 2026.

Companies House status

Explore Management Limited (Companies House number 14755408) is active, incorporated on 24th March 2023, and currently registered at 48 Victoria Street, Cheltenham, Gloucestershire, GL50 4HU. The current director is Md Tufayel Ahmed, appointed 7th April 2025. The previous director, Khadiza Hajera Khanom Ahmed, resigned 7th April 2024. Last filed accounts covered the period to 31st December 2024, with next accounts due by 30th September 2026. The last confirmation statement was dated 23rd March 2026.

Source: https://find-and-update.company-information.service.gov.uk/company/14755408 -- accessed 16th June 2026; https://find-and-update.company-information.service.gov.uk/company/14755408/officers -- accessed 16th June 2026.

Website Status

The CPDQE website at https://cpdqe.co.uk/ was live and accessible at the date of this review.

Source: https://cpdqe.co.uk/ -- accessed 16th June 2026

Regulatory rulings and public enforcement records

No Advertising Standards Authority rulings have been identified in relation to CPDQE or cpdqe.co.uk. No ICO enforcement notices have been identified. No ICO registration has been confirmed for Explore Management Limited. An organisation that collects and processes personal data -- including learner names, email addresses, course completion evidence, and payment details through the CPDQE certificate ordering process -- is required to be registered with the ICO unless a specific exemption applies. This could not be confirmed from the live ICO register at the date of this review and should be verified directly at https://ico.org.uk/ESDWebPages/Search.

Source: ASA rulings search -- accessed 16th June 2026; ICO register -- status unconfirmed at date of review.

Distinguishing CPD from regulated qualifications

The CPDQE website and provider directory use qualification-level terminology extensively throughout. Course titles listed across the provider directory and referenced in homepage testimonials include "Level 3 Diploma in Conflict Management at Work," "Master Herbalist Level 5," "Certificate in Bookkeeping Level 1 and 2," "Level 1, 2 and 3 Diploma in Health and Social Care," "Web Design Level 3 Diploma with UX/UI and Graphic Design," and "Diploma in Artificial Intelligence (AI): ChatGPT and Prompt Engineering." Terms such as "Level 3," "Level 5," "Diploma," and "Certificate" are strongly associated with regulated qualifications issued by awarding organisations recognised by Ofqual and other qualifications regulators. CPDQE is not an Ofqual-recognised awarding organisation and CPD accreditation does not confer a regulated qualification. No statement on the CPDQE homepage, in the testimonials section, on the provider directory pages, or in the FAQ clarifies that courses described using level and diploma terminology are CPD-accredited activities rather than regulated qualifications.

The CPDQE FAQ states that CPDQE certificates can be used to "support compliance and professional requirements" and to share achievements with "employers, clients, or regulators." No explanation is provided as to which compliance or professional requirements these certificates satisfy or in which regulatory contexts they carry recognition. This creates a material risk that learners may believe CPDQE certificates carry a formal compliance or regulatory standing that has not been independently verified or established.

Source: https://cpdqe.co.uk/ -- accessed 16th June 2026; https://cpdqe.co.uk/faq/ -- accessed 16th June 2026; https://cpdqe.co.uk/cpd-providers/ -- accessed 16th June 2026.

Unsubstantiated claims

The CPDQE website makes a number of quantified and qualitative claims that cannot be verified from publicly available information.
The homepage displays animated counters stating "500+ Accredited activities," "10+ Trusted by our clients," and "85+ Years of combined experience." No source, methodology, or date is provided for any of these figures. The claim of 85+ years of combined experience is notable given that the operating company, Explore Management Limited, was incorporated in March 2023, and no named individuals are identified anywhere on the website, making it impossible to verify to whom this experience is attributed.

The CPD Framework page displays "85%" prominently with no explanation of what the percentage refers to or how it was calculated.
The CPD Courses page states that "Learners are significantly more likely to enrol in courses that provide CPDQE recognised CPD hours." No evidence, study, or source is cited in support of this claim.

The CPDQE FAQ states that its certificates are "credible, secure, and independently verifiable" and offer "Global Recognition" that "adds significant value to your professional credentials." No evidence, independent endorsement, or third-party verification is cited in support of any of these claims. The certificate validation tool on the CPDQE website verifies only that a code matches a record in the CPDQE system; it does not constitute independent verification by any recognised body.

Under the CAP Code, marketing claims must be substantiated before they are made. None of the claims identified above is accompanied by supporting evidence and several are not verifiable from any publicly available source.

Source: https://cpdqe.co.uk/ -- accessed 16th June 2026; https://cpdqe.co.uk/cpd-framework/ -- accessed 16th June 2026; https://cpdqe.co.uk/cpd-courses/ -- accessed 16th June 2026; https://cpdqe.co.uk/faq/ -- accessed 16th June 2026.

Further Information about this organisation

Website

https://cpdqe.co.uk/

Companies House Number

14755408

Companies House Incorporation Date

24th March 2023

ICO Number

Not Registered

ICO Registration Date

Not Registered

Physical Office Published

Telephone

Yes

Live Chat

Yes

Pricing Published

Partial

Accreditation Criteria Published

Partial

Activities Individually Accredited

Stated

Review Frequency