The Accreditation Group - The CPD Register Review

Commercial identification and contactability

Yes — meets the criterion.

The Accreditation Group Limited is a private limited company registered at Companies House under number 15786279, incorporated on 18 June 2024. The registered office address is Halifax House, 93–101 Bridge Street, Manchester, England, M3 2GX, consistent with the trading address published on the website. A telephone number (0161 302 3410), email address ([email protected]), and live chat are published and accessible on the website without login or payment.

The sole director and Person with Significant Control (PSC) is Mr Mohammad Naqi Shah (born August 1987, British national, resident in the United Kingdom), holding 75% or more of shares and voting rights and the right to appoint or remove directors. Identity verification under the Economic Crime and Corporate Transparency Act 2023 is due by 1 July 2026 and is within the permitted transition period at the date of this review.

The filing history records two registered office address changes: from Halifax House to Grampian House, 144 Deansgate, Manchester, M3 3EE (12 November 2024), and back to Halifax House, 93–101 Bridge Street (3 June 2025). Both are commercial office locations. The current registered address is not a PO Box.

Sources: Companies House overview — https://find-and-update.company-information.service.gov.uk/company/15786279 (accessed 19 May 2026); Companies House officers — https://find-and-update.company-information.service.gov.uk/company/15786279/officers (accessed 19 May 2026); Companies House PSC — https://find-and-update.company-information.service.gov.uk/company/15786279/persons-with-significant-control (accessed 19 May 2026); Companies House filing history — https://find-and-update.company-information.service.gov.uk/company/15786279/filing-history (accessed 19 May 2026); Website contact page — https://theaccreditationgroup.co.uk/contact/ (accessed 19 May 2026).

Transparency of assessment framework

Partially meets the criterion — a published framework exists and is publicly accessible, but a material factual inaccuracy is noted.

The organisation publishes the ASSURED framework at https://theaccreditationgroup.co.uk/standards, comprising seven named pillars: Accountable, Standards-driven, Structured, Up-to-date, Rigorous, Evidence-based, and Documented. Separate sub-frameworks are published for courses (https://theaccreditationgroup.co.uk/standards/courses), providers (https://theaccreditationgroup.co.uk/standards/providers), and CPD activities (https://theaccreditationgroup.co.uk/standards/cpd). The courses framework sets out what assessors look for under each pillar and states that interim feedback is provided before any final decision is made. The level of framework documentation published is above average for the sector.

However, a material inaccuracy is noted. The UK and International Recognition page at https://theaccreditationgroup.co.uk/about/international states: "Our Assessment Panel is named publicly, with declared qualifications." This claim is factually inaccurate at the date of this review. The Assessment Panel page at https://theaccreditationgroup.co.uk/about/panel describes five roles — Chair of the Assessment Panel, Lead Course Assessor, Lead Provider Assessor, CPD Specialist, and Independent Lay Member — with associated qualifications and responsibilities, but no individual is named anywhere on that page or elsewhere on the website. No names, institutional affiliations, or independently verifiable credentials are published for any panel member.

Training providers and consumers should be aware that while the assessment methodology is published and detailed, the individuals responsible for applying it cannot be independently identified from the public record at the date of this review, contrary to the claim made on the organisation's own website.

Sources: https://theaccreditationgroup.co.uk/standards (accessed 19 May 2026); https://theaccreditationgroup.co.uk/standards/courses (accessed 19 May 2026); https://theaccreditationgroup.co.uk/about/panel (accessed 19 May 2026); https://theaccreditationgroup.co.uk/about/international (accessed 19 May 2026).

Pricing transparency

Yes — meets the criterion.

Pricing is published in full on the website at https://theaccreditationgroup.co.uk/pricing without requiring login, payment, or an enquiry. Three tiers are available on a monthly subscription basis: Development at £100 per month (up to 10 accredited courses), Professional at £150 per month (up to 20 accredited courses), and Deluxe at £250 per month (unlimited accredited courses). Quarterly and annual billing options are stated to be available. The pricing page states there are no setup fees and no hidden fees. Bespoke packages are available via direct contact for organisations with specific requirements.

The pricing page includes a comparison table making specific claims about competitor practices — for example that other UK accreditation bodies do not publish prices and operate on a quote-on-request basis. A footnote states that the comparison reflects publicly available information on competitor websites at the time of writing. These are objective comparative claims and training providers should verify them independently before relying on them.

Source: https://theaccreditationgroup.co.uk/pricing (accessed 19 May 2026).

Terms and conditions

Published — but with material gaps and an internal inconsistency identified.

Terms of Service are published at https://theaccreditationgroup.co.uk/terms, dated 21 April 2025. The Terms are specific to the accreditation relationship rather than generic website terms, and address the scope of services, application requirements, fees, logo usage, confidentiality, and limitation of liability. This is a positive position relative to many organisations in this sector.

However, the following material gaps and one direct inconsistency are recorded.

Clause 4.4 states that "The Accreditation Group's decision regarding accreditation is final." This directly contradicts the published Complaints Procedure at https://theaccreditationgroup.co.uk/standards/complaints, which provides for a three-stage process including an independent review by the Chair of the Assessment Panel at Stage 3, whose decision is described as final. The Terms do not reflect the complaints and appeals process that the organisation's own published policies describe. Training providers should be aware of this discrepancy when entering into an agreement.

There is no cancellation or refund clause. Given that accreditation is offered on a monthly subscription basis starting from £100 per month, the absence of any published terms governing cancellation notice periods, rights on termination, or refund entitlements is a material gap. Training providers should request written clarification of these terms before committing.

There is no intellectual property clause governing what happens to course materials, content, and documentation submitted during the accreditation process. Training providers submitting proprietary materials for assessment should seek specific written assurances regarding confidentiality and non-use of those materials before submitting.

Clause 5.1 states that fees are "outlined on our website or in direct communications with providers," which leaves open the possibility of pricing communicated outside the published schedule.

Source: https://theaccreditationgroup.co.uk/terms (accessed 19 May 2026).

Individual course assessment

Yes — meets the criterion.

The organisation's published model provides for individual assessment of each course against the ASSURED framework. The courses framework at https://theaccreditationgroup.co.uk/standards/courses sets out the seven assessment pillars applied to each course and states that assessors look for documented evidence against each pillar. The pricing structure confirms accreditation is granted per course, with plan tiers defined by the number of accredited courses held. The website provides a public certificate and provider verification function at https://theaccreditationgroup.co.uk/verification, allowing consumers and employers to confirm the accreditation status of specific courses and providers without login.

The homepage records 388 accredited courses across 174 training providers. These figures are not independently verifiable from the public record but are consistent with a model of individual course assessment.

Sources: https://theaccreditationgroup.co.uk/standards/courses (accessed 19 May 2026); https://theaccreditationgroup.co.uk/pricing (accessed 19 May 2026); https://theaccreditationgroup.co.uk/ (accessed 19 May 2026).

Review and renewal

Yes — meets the criterion. A detailed, published review cycle policy exists.

The Review Cycle Policy at https://theaccreditationgroup.co.uk/standards/review-cycle sets out a three-year full re-assessment cycle for all accredited providers and courses, with annual lightweight self-declaration check-ins between full reviews. Full re-assessments use the same ASSURED framework as the original accreditation, supplemented by a review of complaints, learner outcome evidence, content changes, and organisational changes. Providers are notified at least 90 days before a scheduled review. Annual check-in reminders are sent 30 days before the due date. Outcomes are confirmed in writing within 20 working days of the review meeting. Interim reviews are triggered by upheld complaints, material content changes, changes of ownership or leadership, or third-party regulatory referrals.

One contextual observation is noted for transparency: The Accreditation Group Limited was incorporated on 18 June 2024. At the date of this review the organisation has been operating for less than two years, meaning no provider could yet have reached the three-year full review point, and the annual check-in process will only recently have come into operation for the earliest customers. The policies describe a mature governance framework that is, by definition, still early in its operational life.

Source: https://theaccreditationgroup.co.uk/standards/review-cycle (accessed 19 May 2026).

Sale of training courses or materials

A material conflict of interest is identified, with a directly evidenced instance of accreditation granted to a connected training provider.

Companies House records establish that Mr Mohammad Naqi Shah, the sole director and PSC of The Accreditation Group Limited (Company No. 15786279), was also a director of The Cosmetics Academy Ltd (Company No. 15204605) from 11 October 2023 until 27 August 2024. The Cosmetics Academy Ltd operated as a beauty and aesthetics training provider registered at the same address as The Accreditation Group Limited — Halifax House, 93–101 Bridge Street, Manchester, M3 2GX. The Cosmetics Academy Ltd was dissolved on 19 May 2026.

The Accreditation Group's public verification register records The Cosmetics Academy (provider code KBX3735) as a currently verified, active accredited provider, with four courses — Foundation Anti-Wrinkle, Micro Needling, Fat Dissolve, and Advanced Dermal Filler — each approved on 20 April 2026 and each assigned 10 CPD hours. The accreditation is recorded as valid until 8 April 2027. This accreditation was therefore granted by The Accreditation Group to The Cosmetics Academy on 20 April 2026 — 29 days before The Cosmetics Academy Ltd was dissolved at Companies House on 19 May 2026. The accreditation record remains live and shows as Verified on The Accreditation Group's public verification system at the date of this review, notwithstanding the dissolution of the underlying legal entity.

The Cosmetics Academy UK is also recorded on The CPD Register's provider database as a previously accredited provider under The CPD Group, with seven aesthetics and cosmetics training activities accredited from February 2021 and expired or suspended by March 2025. The registered address on The CPD Register's provider record for The Cosmetics Academy UK is also Halifax House, 93–101 Bridge Street, Manchester, M3 2GX.

The following factual matters are recorded in combination:
The sole director and PSC of The Accreditation Group held a prior directorship in The Cosmetics Academy Ltd. The Accreditation Group granted accreditation to The Cosmetics Academy on 20 April 2026, while that company remained live. The Cosmetics Academy Ltd was dissolved 29 days later. The Accreditation Group's verification system continues to show The Cosmetics Academy as Verified and valid until April 2027, with no indication that the underlying legal entity has been dissolved. No disclosure of the prior directorial relationship between Mr Shah and The Cosmetics Academy Ltd is made anywhere on The Accreditation Group's website.

The Accreditation Group is also registered on the UK Register of Learning Providers (UKRLP) under provider number 10096012 with Verified status, indicating a current or historic relationship with publicly funded learning delivery. The organisation's current website does not identify any training courses or learning materials offered directly for sale.

Training providers and consumers are advised to take particular note of these findings when assessing the independence of this organisation's accreditation decisions, particularly in the beauty, aesthetics, and cosmetics training sector.

Sources: Companies House — The Accreditation Group Limited (15786279) — https://find-and-update.company-information.service.gov.uk/company/15786279 (accessed 19 May 2026); Companies House — The Cosmetics Academy Ltd (15204605) — https://find-and-update.company-information.service.gov.uk/company/15204605 (accessed 19 May 2026); Companies House — The Cosmetics Academy Ltd officers (15204605) — https://find-and-update.company-information.service.gov.uk/company/15204605/officers (accessed 19 May 2026); The Accreditation Group verification register — https://theaccreditationgroup.co.uk/verification (accessed 19 May 2026 — screenshot retained); The CPD Register provider record — https://thecpdregister.com/providers/cpd-group-providers--778518 (accessed 19 May 2026); UKRLP — https://www.ukrlp.co.uk/ukrlp/ukrlp_provider.page_pls_provDetails?x=&pn_p_id=10096012&pv_status=VERIFIED&pv_vis_code=L (accessed 19 May 2026).

Financial relationships with third-party service providers

No financial relationships with third-party service providers have been identified on the current website at the date of this review. Previous research by The CPD Register had identified links to insurance companies on an earlier version of the website. No such links or referral arrangements are present on the current website. This section will be updated if evidence of any such arrangements is identified in future reviews.

Source: https://theaccreditationgroup.co.uk/ (accessed 19 May 2026).

Ownership or control relationships with aligned commercial interests

The sole director and PSC is Mr Mohammad Naqi Shah, holding 75% or more of shares and voting rights in The Accreditation Group Limited. No additional PSCs or corporate shareholders are recorded at Companies House at the date of this review. The directorship and ownership relationship with The Cosmetics Academy Ltd, which is the primary aligned commercial interest identified, is recorded under Section 7 above.

Source: Companies House PSC — https://find-and-update.company-information.service.gov.uk/company/15786279/persons-with-significant-control (accessed 19 May 2026).

Consistency of filings with advertised activity

The company's registered SIC code is 85600 — Educational support services, which is consistent with the advertised function of providing CPD accreditation services. No material inconsistency between the Companies House registration and the organisation's stated activities has been identified.

One observation is noted. The About Us page at https://theaccreditationgroup.co.uk/about states that the organisation was established with a clear mission and describes growing "over the years" to become a trusted accreditation body working with "hundreds of training providers." Companies House records confirm the company was incorporated on 18 June 2024, less than two years before the date of this review. The language on the About Us page creates an impression of longer-standing establishment than is consistent with the public record. This is a factual observation.

Sources: Companies House overview — https://find-and-update.company-information.service.gov.uk/company/15786279 (accessed 19 May 2026); https://theaccreditationgroup.co.uk/about (accessed 19 May 2026).

Companies House status

Active. The Accreditation Group Limited (Company No. 15786279) is recorded as an active private limited company at Companies House, incorporated on 18 June 2024. No dissolution application, Gazette notice, or striking-off action has been identified in the filing history. Micro company accounts for the period ending 30 June 2025 were filed on 7 October 2025. The next accounts are due by 31 March 2027. A Confirmation Statement was filed on 23 August 2025, covering the statement date of 17 June 2025. Identity verification for the sole director and PSC is due by 1 July 2026, within the permitted transition period.

Source: Companies House filing history — https://find-and-update.company-information.service.gov.uk/company/15786279/filing-history (accessed 19 May 2026); Companies House overview — https://find-and-update.company-information.service.gov.uk/company/15786279 (accessed 19 May 2026).

Website status

The website at https://theaccreditationgroup.co.uk/ was live and fully accessible at the date of this review. The site presents the organisation as a UK-wide CPD accreditation body operating from Manchester. The copyright notice reads © 2026 The Accreditation Group. The ICO registration number ZB705957, registered 20 June 2024, is on record from previously verified research and is consistent with the date of incorporation.

Source: https://theaccreditationgroup.co.uk/ (accessed 19 May 2026).

Regulatory rulings and public enforcement records

No upheld ASA ruling or other public regulatory enforcement record naming The Accreditation Group Limited or theaccreditationgroup.co.uk has been identified at the date of this review.

Source: ASA rulings search conducted 19 May 2026 — https://www.asa.org.uk/codes-and-rulings/rulings.html.

Distinguishing CPD from regulated qualifications

No language has been identified on the website that conflates CPD accreditation with regulated qualification status, or uses qualification-level terminology such as "Level," "Diploma," or "Qualified" in a way that could mislead consumers as to the nature of a CPD-accredited course. No Ofqual-regulated qualification numbers or awarding organisation claims have been identified. This section will be updated if evidence to the contrary is identified in future reviews.

Source: https://theaccreditationgroup.co.uk/ (accessed 19 May 2026).

Use of sensitive word: "Accreditation"

The company's registered name — THE ACCREDITATION GROUP LTD — incorporates the word "Accreditation," listed as a sensitive word at item 2 of Annex A to the gov.uk Incorporation and Names guidance (updated 1 February 2026). To use the words "Accredit," "Accreditation," "Accredited," or "Accrediting" in a company, LLP, or business name, prior approval must be obtained from the Office for Product Safety and Standards (OPSS), part of the Department for Business and Trade.

Incorporation by Companies House under this name confirms that the required approval process was completed at the time of registration, as Companies House administers the sensitive words regime on behalf of the Secretary of State and does not register names containing sensitive words without the required non-objection. The presence of the word in the company name does not itself confer any statutory accreditation status.

Source: gov.uk Annex A — item 2 — 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 19 May 2026); Companies House — https://find-and-update.company-information.service.gov.uk/company/15786279 (accessed 19 May 2026).

Unsubstantiated claims

Several claims on the organisation's website are specific and objective in nature but are not supported by cited evidence, a named source, or an independently verifiable record. These are recorded here as factual observations for transparency.

The homepage states "78% Client Satisfaction" without identifying the methodology, sample size, date, or source of this figure. The homepage records "388+ Accredited Courses" and "174+ Training Providers" — these specific quantitative claims cannot be independently verified from the public record.

The International Recognition page at https://theaccreditationgroup.co.uk/about/international states that certificates are "accepted by professionals working across more than 40 countries," that accreditation is accepted by "EU and EEA professional bodies" under post-Brexit professional qualification arrangements, and that certificates are routinely accepted by "US employers and professional associations." No named body, bilateral agreement, or published evidence is cited in support of any of these claims. The page includes an appropriate caveat that recognition by specific overseas bodies should be confirmed with those bodies directly, which partially mitigates the headline claims.

The About Us page states that "Our accreditation process has been recognized for its thoroughness and value addition to educational providers" without identifying the body or process that conferred this recognition.

The same International Recognition page states "Our Assessment Panel is named publicly, with declared qualifications." As noted in Section 2, this claim is factually inaccurate at the date of this review. No panel member is named anywhere on the website.

Training providers and consumers are advised to seek independent verification of any specific claims that are material to their decision to engage with this organisation's services.

Sources: https://theaccreditationgroup.co.uk/ (accessed 19 May 2026); https://theaccreditationgroup.co.uk/about (accessed 19 May 2026); https://theaccreditationgroup.co.uk/about/international (accessed 19 May 2026).

Accreditation granted to dissolved entity

A further material concern is identified regarding the currency and accuracy of the organisation's public verification register.

The Accreditation Group's verification register at https://theaccreditationgroup.co.uk/verification records The Cosmetics Academy (provider code KBX3735) as Verified with accreditation valid until 8 April 2027. The four listed accredited courses — Foundation Anti-Wrinkle, Micro Needling, Fat Dissolve, and Advanced Dermal Filler — are each shown as approved on 20 April 2026.

Companies House confirms that The Cosmetics Academy Ltd (Company No. 15204605), registered at the same address as The Accreditation Group, was dissolved on 19 May 2026 — 29 days after accreditation was granted. A dissolved company has no legal existence, cannot deliver training, and cannot hold contractual relationships. The accreditation record on The Accreditation Group's public verification register does not reflect this dissolution at the date of this review and continues to present The Cosmetics Academy as a currently verified and active accredited provider.

Employers, professionals, and learners relying on The Accreditation Group's verification system to confirm the current status of an accredited provider or course should be aware that the register may not reflect changes in the legal status of accredited entities in real time, or at all. The CPD Register recommends that any person relying on an accreditation mark independently verify both the accreditation status and the legal standing of the training provider issuing it.

Sources: The Accreditation Group verification register — https://theaccreditationgroup.co.uk/verification (accessed 19 May 2026 — screenshot retained); Companies House — The Cosmetics Academy Ltd (15204605) — https://find-and-update.company-information.service.gov.uk/company/15204605 (accessed 19 May 2026).

Further Information about this organisation

Website

https://theaccreditationgroup.co.uk/

Companies House Number

15786279

Companies House Incorporation Date

18th June 2024

ICO Number

ZB705957

ICO Registration Date

20th June 2024

Physical Office Published

Yes

Telephone

Yes

Live Chat

Yes

Pricing Published

Yes

Accreditation Criteria Published

Yes

Activities Individually Accredited

Yes

Review Frequency

3 years (with annual check-ins)

Last Updated

20th 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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The Accreditation Group Limited t/a The Accreditation Group