International Approval Limited - The CPD Register Review

Commercial identification and contactability

The organisation trades as International Approval LTD. The legal entity is International Approval Limited, company number 12996449, incorporated on 4th November 2020 and registered at 32 Broxton Avenue, Orrell, Wigan, England, WN5 8NP. The registered company name and company number are disclosed in the footer of each page of the website, satisfying the basic Companies Act 2006 trading disclosure requirement. Source: https://internationalapprovalltd.com/, accessed 24th June 2026; https://find-and-update.company-information.service.gov.uk/company/12996449, accessed 24th June 2026.

No physical trading address or business premises address is published on the website. The contact page provides only an email address, with no telephone number and no postal address at which legal correspondence can be served. The privacy policy references a right to submit data subject access requests by post but does not state a postal address. Training providers seeking to serve legal correspondence would need to rely on the Companies House registered address. Source: https://www.internationalapprovalltd.com/contact, accessed 24th June 2026; https://www.internationalapprovalltd.com/privacy-policy, accessed 24th June 2026.

Transparency of assessment framework

No published assessment framework or accreditation criteria are available on the website. The how-to-apply page lists the documents required at application — including a teaching qualification, subject-specific certificates, student training manuals, lesson plans, and written assessments — but does not publish the criteria against which those documents are evaluated, the standard against which approval is granted or withheld, the methodology applied, who conducts assessments, or what outcome levels exist. Source: https://www.internationalapprovalltd.com/how-to-apply, accessed 24th June 2026.

The homepage describes the organisation's purpose as approving "the best in the industry" and ensuring members offer "the highest level of industry-recognised training," but no published framework exists against which these standards can be grounded or independently assessed. Training providers cannot determine before applying what standard their courses are being measured against, and consumers cannot understand what the approval represents. Source: https://internationalapprovalltd.com/, accessed 24th June 2026.

Pricing transparency

Pricing for approval packages is published on both the homepage and the how-to-apply page. Four packages are offered on a 12-month basis: Expert (up to 5 course subjects, £350); Minimis (up to 10 course subjects, £420); Grandis (up to 20 course subjects, £720); and Magnus (unlimited course subjects, £1,000). Prices are clearly stated alongside package names and subject limits. Source: https://internationalapprovalltd.com/, accessed 24th June 2026; https://www.internationalapprovalltd.com/how-to-apply, accessed 24th June 2026.

It is noted that the pricing model is structured by the number of course subjects within a single approval rather than by individual course assessment. This is relevant to the individual course assessment criterion assessed in Section 5 below.

Terms and conditions

No terms and conditions governing the accreditation service are published on the website. The footer includes a "Terms & Conditions" link, but this is a non-functional anchor (#) that does not navigate to any page or document. No terms and conditions are accessible at any point in the application journey or within any linked document on the site. Source: https://internationalapprovalltd.com/, accessed 24th June 2026.

Limited policy information is disclosed in the FAQ: the organisation states it operates a non-refundable policy and that members wishing to cancel should contact support by email. These disclosures are not presented as formal contractual terms and do not address intellectual property provisions relating to course materials submitted for assessment, conditions under which approval may be withdrawn, the scope and nature of the approval granted, or dispute resolution procedures. Source: https://www.internationalapprovalltd.com/frequently-asked-questions, accessed 24th June 2026.

Individual course assessment

The application process requires applicants to submit documentation for each course subject they wish to have approved, including a student training manual and corresponding lesson plan per subject. This indicates that some degree of per-subject review occurs at the point of application. Source: https://www.internationalapprovalltd.com/how-to-apply, accessed 24th June 2026.

However, the pricing structure is based on bundled subject-area packages rather than individual course assessment fees. No published criteria exist against which individual courses are assessed. No public register of currently approved courses or training providers is available on the website, meaning there is no mechanism for consumers to verify whether a specific course they are considering holds current approval. The extent to which courses submitted within a package are individually assessed against a defined standard, rather than accepted on the basis of the trainer's documented standing, cannot be determined from publicly available information. Source: https://internationalapprovalltd.com/, accessed 24th June 2026.

Review and renewal

All approval packages are issued on a 12-month basis. The how-to-apply page states that members wishing to cancel or renew after 12 months should contact support by email, indicating that annual renewal is required to maintain active approval status. Source: https://www.internationalapprovalltd.com/how-to-apply, accessed 24th June 2026.

No information is published regarding whether approved courses are proactively reviewed during or between renewal cycles. There is no stated process for handling material changes to courses within an active approval period, no published review cycle for approved content, and no indication of whether renewal involves reassessment of course materials or is an administrative continuation of membership. Source: https://internationalapprovalltd.com/, accessed 24th June 2026.

Sale of training courses or materials

International Approval Limited operates a dual commercial model. In addition to providing approval services to third-party hair and beauty training providers, the same legal entity sells its own training programmes. These include The Rise Programme — a Level 3 Award in Education and Training (AET) qualification programme, sold at £897 pay-in-full or via instalment plans — and a suite of educator training courses listed on the homepage: Level 3 Award AET, Level 4 Certificate CET, Level 5 Diploma DET, Assessor Level 3 Certificate CAVA, and Assessor Level 4 Award IQA. A shop page is also referenced across the site, though it was displaying "COMING SOON" at the time of review. Source: https://internationalapprovalltd.com/the-rise-aet, accessed 24th June 2026; https://internationalapprovalltd.com/, accessed 24th June 2026; https://www.internationalapprovalltd.com/shop, accessed 24th June 2026.

The Rise Programme is specifically designed to prepare hair and beauty professionals to establish training academies and then apply for IAL accreditation approval. The programme page states: "Once you have completed the course you will then need to apply for your accreditation (we go through all the steps for this and offer discount inside this course to)." This establishes a direct commercial pathway in which the organisation receives revenue from training a prospective applicant and subsequently receives further revenue when that same individual applies for approval. No published safeguards explain how the independence of the assessment function is maintained in relation to graduates of the organisation's own training programmes. Source: https://internationalapprovalltd.com/the-rise-aet, accessed 24th June 2026.

Financial relationships with third-party service providers

The FAQ page states that the organisation's main insurance partner in the United Kingdom is Insync and directs members to apply for insurance through that provider. The homepage states that the organisation's approval certificate allows students to gain insurance from the organisation's "insurance partners" and that the accreditation is recognised by "a variety of insurance providers." Source: https://www.internationalapprovalltd.com/frequently-asked-questions, accessed 24th June 2026; https://internationalapprovalltd.com/, accessed 24th June 2026.

The financial terms of these insurance partnerships are not disclosed. It is not stated whether referral fees, commissions, or other commercial arrangements exist between International Approval Limited and the insurance providers it references and directs members towards.

Ownership or control relationships with aligned commercial interests

International Approval Limited has a sole active director, appointed on 24th November 2020, who is also the sole person with significant control. Identity verification under the Economic Crime and Corporate Transparency Act 2023 was completed on 20th January 2026 via an Authorised Corporate Service Provider. The director's personal appointments record shows one active directorship only, confirming no cross-directorship conflict with separately incorporated entities at the time of review. Source: https://find-and-update.company-information.service.gov.uk/company/12996449/officers, accessed 24th June 2026; https://find-and-update.company-information.service.gov.uk/officers/Vydq3aQv8EgfkXwoUjPQoXKHxc4/appointments, accessed 24th June 2026.

The material conflict of interest in this review arises not from cross-entity directorships but from the dual commercial activity conducted within the single legal entity. International Approval Limited both sells training programmes designed to prepare hair and beauty professionals to set up academies and seek IAL approval, and operates the approval service to which those trained individuals subsequently apply. The organisation has a direct financial interest in approving the training providers it has trained: their successful accreditation validates the commercial proposition of the training programmes and the organisation receives renewal income from their ongoing membership. No governance arrangements, separation of functions, or independent oversight are published that would address this structural conflict. Source: https://internationalapprovalltd.com/the-rise-aet, accessed 24th June 2026; https://www.internationalapprovalltd.com/frequently-asked-questions, accessed 24th June 2026.

Consistency of filings with advertised activity

The company's registered SIC code is 82990 — Other business support service activities not elsewhere classified. This is a generic classification that does not reflect the organisation's two primary advertised activities: the provision of accreditation and approval services to hair and beauty training providers, and the delivery of regulated educator qualification programmes including the Level 3 Award in Education and Training. Source: https://find-and-update.company-information.service.gov.uk/company/12996449, accessed 24th June 2026.

The word "International" appears in the registered company name. This word does not appear in Annex A of the UK Government's incorporation and names guidance as a sensitive word requiring prior approval. No concern arises on this basis. Source: 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 24th June 2026.

The word "Accreditation" is used extensively throughout the website as a descriptor of the organisation's services — for example in the phrases "IAL accreditation approval" and "your accreditation certificate." The word "Accredit / Accreditation / Accredited / Accrediting" is listed as a sensitive word in Annex A and requires a letter or email of non-objection from the Office for Product Safety and Standards (part of the Department for Business and Trade) before use in a company or business name. The word does not appear in the registered company name at Companies House; however, its repeated use as a trading descriptor throughout the website warrants consideration of whether the appropriate consent has been obtained for its use in this commercial context. No evidence of such consent is available in the public domain. Source: https://internationalapprovalltd.com/, accessed 24th June 2026; https://www.internationalapprovalltd.com/how-to-apply, accessed 24th June 2026; 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 24th June 2026.

Companies House status

International Approval Limited (company number 12996449) is confirmed as active on the Companies House register. The company was incorporated on 4th November 2020 as a private limited company and is registered at 32 Broxton Avenue, Orrell, Wigan, England, WN5 8NP. The most recent accounts — micro company accounts made up to 30th November 2025 — were filed on 22nd June 2026, within the required filing period. The most recent confirmation statement, made on 24th November 2025, was filed on 21st January 2026. All filing obligations appear to be current. The sole director's identity has been verified under the Economic Crime and Corporate Transparency Act 2023. Source: https://find-and-update.company-information.service.gov.uk/company/12996449, accessed 24th June 2026; https://find-and-update.company-information.service.gov.uk/company/12996449/filing-history, accessed 24th June 2026.

Website status

The website at internationalapprovalltd.com is live and operational at the time of review. The primary navigation, homepage, how-to-apply, FAQ, contact, and privacy policy pages are accessible and render correctly. However, three issues are noted. First, the "Terms & Conditions" link in the footer is a non-functional anchor (#) that resolves to no content. Second, the "Course pre-requisites" page referenced in the primary navigation returns a 404 error, meaning a page linked from the main menu of the site is not accessible. Third, the "Shop" page is live but displays only "COMING SOON" with no purchasable content, despite being linked from the main navigation. Source: https://internationalapprovalltd.com/, accessed 24th June 2026; https://www.internationalapprovalltd.com/shop, accessed 24th June 2026.

Regulatory rulings and public enforcement records

International Approval Limited holds a current ICO registration under reference ZB376074. The registration was first made on 19th August 2022 and is recorded as expiring on 18th August 2026, placing it within the valid registration period at the time of this review. The registered data controller address matches the Companies House registered address. The registration is Tier 1. Source: https://ico.org.uk/ESDWebPages/Entry/ZB376074, accessed 24th June 2026.

No ASA rulings or other public regulatory enforcement records were identified in respect of International Approval Limited or the trading name International Approval at the time of review.

Distinguishing CPD from regulated qualifications

The homepage presents the organisation's activities across two streams — an approval service for hair and beauty training providers, and a suite of teaching and assessor courses including Level 3 Award AET, Level 4 Certificate CET, Level 5 Diploma DET, Assessor Level 3 Certificate CAVA, and Assessor Level 4 Award IQA — without any clear delineation between the two. Source: https://internationalapprovalltd.com/, accessed 24th June 2026.

The Rise Programme page describes the programme as leading to an "Ofqual Regulated Level 3 Teaching Qualification" and an "Ofqual Approved Certificate," and provides substantive information about the regulated nature of the AET qualification. However, nowhere on the website is a clear statement made that the organisation's own approval service is separate from, and not equivalent to, a regulated qualification; that the approval certificate issued to training providers is not issued by an Ofqual-recognised awarding body; and that courses approved by International Approval Limited are CPD-accredited activities rather than regulated qualifications. The co-presentation of regulated qualification delivery and an unregulated approval service throughout the website, without distinguishing language, creates a material risk that consumers or training providers conflate the two or attribute regulated status to the organisation's own approval mark. Source: https://internationalapprovalltd.com/the-rise-aet, accessed 24th June 2026; https://internationalapprovalltd.com/, accessed 24th June 2026.

Unsubstantiated claims

The following claims published on the website are not accompanied by verifiable supporting evidence and fall for consideration under CAP Code rules 3.1 and 3.7.

The homepage states the organisation offers "accreditation to the best hair and beauty training providers worldwide" and that members are "offering the highest level of industry-recognised training." These are superlative claims. No independent verification, benchmark, or objective basis for characterising members as "the best" or their training as "the highest level" is published. Source: https://internationalapprovalltd.com/, accessed 24th June 2026.

The homepage states that the organisation's accreditation is "recognised in most countries by a variety of insurance providers." The claim that recognition extends to "most countries" is a quantitative comparative claim for which no supporting evidence is published. Source: https://internationalapprovalltd.com/, accessed 24th June 2026.

The how-to-apply page describes the organisation as "an Independent Approval Accreditation Company." Given that the same legal entity both trains prospective training providers through The Rise Programme and subsequently approves their courses through the same commercial structure — including a published discount on approval for programme graduates — the claim to independence is not substantiated by any published governance framework, separation of functions, or independent oversight arrangements. Source: https://www.internationalapprovalltd.com/how-to-apply, accessed 24th June 2026.

Further Information about this organisation

Website

https://internationalapprovalltd.com/

Companies House Number

12996449

Companies House Incorporation Date

4th November 2020

ICO Number

ZB376074

ICO Registration Date

19th August 2022

Physical Office Published

Telephone

Yes

Live Chat

Pricing Published

Yes

Accreditation Criteria Published

Activities Individually Accredited

Stated

Review Frequency

Unknown

Last Updated

30th June 2026

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