Nobody regulates CPD accreditation in the UK, so the only way to judge a CPD mark is to look at the body behind it. Does it publish its standard? Can you find accredited courses on a public register? Are decisions kept apart from the course provider? Is there a written way to complain? And does it avoid claiming to be official or regulated?
Why this matters
There is no government regulator for CPD accreditation in the UK and no official CPD body. Anyone can start a scheme and print certificates. Some schemes are rigorous; others are not much more than a logo you pay for. The Advertising Standards Authority has upheld complaints against CPD bodies over claims they could not back up, so this is a real problem, not a theoretical one.
For a buyer, the risk is paying for training that does not hold up. For a learner, it is logging hours that their professional body questions later.
Six questions to ask
- Is the standard published? You should be able to read what was checked.
- Is there a public register? You should be able to find the course, the provider and a date.
- Who decided? Look for someone independent of the provider.
- Does the course provider own the scheme? A provider badging its own courses through its own brand is not independent.
- Is there a written complaints and appeals route? If not, ask what happens when something goes wrong.
- Does it renew? A mark given once and never reviewed tells you little about the course today.
Claims that should make you look again
Some phrases are red flags because they cannot be true of a CPD scheme in the UK:
- Government approved, official or regulated CPD.
- The leading, only or national CPD body.
- Recognised internationally, with no named body to back it up.
- A CPD course described as a qualification, or with a framework level attached.
None of these proves a scheme is poor. Each one is a good reason to ask for evidence, though.
A five-minute check
If you only have a few minutes, do this. Look up the course on the accrediting body's register. Check the date and the hours match the certificate. Read the body's standard, or at least its headings. Search the body's name alongside the word complaint. And ask the provider one direct question: who made the accreditation decision, and were they independent of you? A good provider will have a straight answer.
Check with the professional body too
Even a sound CPD accreditation does not oblige a professional body to accept the hours. Each body decides what counts for its own members. If the hours matter for revalidation or a CPD return, check the body's rules before you book, and keep the certificate and course details in case anyone asks.
How we use these questions
We do not certify courses ourselves. When a provider asks us to take a course through CPD Certification, these six questions are how we shortlist CPD bodies with them. We look for a published standard, a register you can search, decisions kept apart from the provider, a written complaints route and a fixed renewal cycle. If we ever have a business link with a body on the shortlist, we say so before the provider chooses.
Common questions
Is CPD accreditation regulated in the UK?
No. There is no government regulator for CPD accreditation and no official CPD body, so every scheme sets its own standard.
How can I tell if a CPD provider is genuine?
Look for a published standard, a public register, independent decisions, a written complaints route and regular renewal, and be wary of anyone claiming to be official or regulated.
Will my professional body accept any accredited CPD?
Not necessarily. Each body sets its own rules, so check them before relying on a course for your CPD record.
What is the difference between CPD certified and CPD accredited?
In practice the terms are used loosely and often mean the same thing: a CPD scheme has reviewed the course. What matters is which scheme, and how it works, not the exact word.
Can a training provider accredit its own courses?
It can create its own badge, but that is not independent accreditation. Look for decisions made by people outside the provider.
Is an expensive CPD scheme always better?
No. Price tells you little. A published standard, a public register and independent decisions tell you far more.
Want a course CPD certified?
Book a 30 minute scoping call. We will look at the course and tell you honestly whether CPD certification is the right fit, and which CPD body might suit it. No preparation needed.
Book a 30 minute scoping callSources
Apollo Accreditation is not a regulator or an awarding organisation, and CPD accreditation is not a regulated qualification.
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