Do I need certification to work on construction sites in the UK?

There is no legal requirement to hold a specific certification. However, most principal contractors, housing associations, councils, and NHS trusts require evidence of compliance before awarding work. NAS certification provides that evidence — independently assessed and publicly verifiable, with real assessor review of your actual documents.

How much does NAS certification cost?

NAS Basic is £349/year, NAS Bronze is £749/year, NAS Silver is £950/year, and NAS Gold is £1,150/year. Pricing is flat — never scaled by headcount or turnover. Loyalty discounts apply from year 2 (5% rising to 20% by year 5).

How long does NAS certification take?

Most NAS assessments complete within 3-5 working days of evidence submission. The full process from application to certificate typically takes 1-3 weeks.

What is ISO 17021 and why does it matter?

ISO/IEC 17021 is the international standard governing bodies that certify management systems. It requires independent assessors, separation of assessment and decision-making, and evidence-based decisions. NAS operates its certification scheme in alignment with these principles.

How long is NAS certification valid?

NAS certification is valid for one year and is renewed annually. The annual renewal cycle ensures your compliance is kept current. Loyalty discounts apply from year 2.

Certification vs Accreditation — What is the Difference?

Quick Answer

What is the difference between certification and accreditation?

Certification is a process where an independent body reviews whether a business meets a defined standard and issues a certificate confirming this. Accreditation is a higher-level process where a national body — such as UKAS in the UK — formally recognises that a certification body itself is competent and impartial. NAS (National Assurance Standard) is a certification scheme aligned with ISO/IEC 17021 principles.

Certification Explained

Certification is the process by which an independent third-party body assesses whether a business, product or system meets a defined standard. The certification body:

Reviews evidence submitted by the applicant
Assesses the evidence against the standard
Issues a certificate if the standard is met
Maintains a register of certified entities

NAS is a contractor compliance certification scheme. Assessors review actual compliance documents submitted by contractors — including health and safety policies, insurance certificates, RAMS and training records — and issue a NAS certificate if the evidence meets the standard.

Accreditation Explained

Accreditation is a formal process by which a national accreditation body evaluates and recognises a certification body. In the UK, UKAS (United Kingdom Accreditation Service) is the national accreditation body. UKAS accreditation confirms that a certification body is technically competent, impartial and consistent in carrying out its certification activities.

Accreditation adds a further layer of oversight above certification. An accredited certification body has itself been independently assessed and recognised as meeting international standards for certification bodies.

What ISO/IEC 17021 Means

ISO/IEC 17021 is the international standard for bodies providing audit and certification of management systems. It sets out requirements covering impartiality, competence, responsibility, openness, confidentiality and responsiveness to complaints.

NAS operates in alignment with ISO/IEC 17021 principles. This means the scheme is designed to follow these requirements in its processes — including governance, assessor competence, impartiality controls, and complaint handling — without yet holding UKAS accreditation.

NAS — Current Status

NAS (National Assurance Standard) is an independent, evidence-based certification scheme for UK contractors and SMEs, operated by BuiltRight Technologies Ltd. The scheme is aligned with ISO/IEC 17021 principles. NAS is working towards UKAS accreditation. The scheme is not currently UKAS accredited, and all communications use this accurate description.

NAS is not a membership scheme. Certification requires submission of actual compliance documents that are reviewed by independent assessors before a certificate is issued.