Guide
CHAS vs SSIP: what is the difference?
Contractors often ask whether they need CHAS or SSIP, as if they are alternatives. They are not. Here is how the two fit together.
The short answer
SSIP is the umbrella body; CHAS is one of the schemes under it. SSIP, Safety Schemes in Procurement, sets the core criteria that member schemes assess against, and those criteria are endorsed by the Health and Safety Executive. CHAS is a founding member scheme. So you do not choose between them: when you pass CHAS Standard, you are assessed against the SSIP core criteria and you receive SSIP recognition as a result. CHAS is the door; SSIP is the standard behind it.
What SSIP is
SSIP is not itself an assessor you apply to for a certificate. It is the umbrella organisation that keeps a common set of health and safety core criteria and coordinates the member schemes that carry out assessments. Its purpose is to reduce duplication, so that a contractor assessed once against the core criteria is recognised widely rather than having to prove the same thing repeatedly. Because the criteria are endorsed by the Health and Safety Executive, a buyer can treat any SSIP certificate as evidence of the same baseline.
What CHAS is
CHAS, the Contractors Health and Safety Assessment Scheme, now operating as Veriforce CHAS, is one of the member schemes that assesses contractors against those criteria and issues a certificate. It is a founding member of SSIP and one of the largest schemes. When people say they need CHAS, they usually mean a buyer has named CHAS specifically, but any SSIP scheme assesses against the same health and safety core.
For electrical contractors
Electrician CHAS pack · £95
The health and safety documents behind an SSIP assessment, whichever scheme name your client uses, written for electricians.
Do I need CHAS or SSIP?
If a client asks for SSIP, any SSIP member scheme will satisfy them, and CHAS is one option among several. If a client asks specifically for CHAS, you need CHAS itself, though your CHAS certificate is then recognised by other SSIP schemes through Deem to Satisfy. In short, holding CHAS gives you SSIP recognition, but holding a different SSIP scheme does not automatically put you on the CHAS portal unless you register with CHAS too.
The practical takeaway
Prepare for the standard, not the logo. Because every SSIP scheme assesses against the same core criteria, the documents you need are the same whether the buyer names CHAS, SafeContractor, SMAS or SSIP in general. Get the health and safety evidence right once and you are ready for whichever scheme the client happens to use.
Related guides
Read what SSIP is, what CHAS accreditation is, and how Deem to Satisfy works.
Common questions
Is CHAS the same as SSIP?
No, but they are directly related. SSIP is the umbrella body that sets the health and safety core criteria, and CHAS is one of the member schemes that assesses contractors against them. Passing CHAS Standard gives you SSIP recognition.
Do I need CHAS or SSIP?
If a client asks for SSIP, any SSIP member scheme satisfies them, and CHAS is one option. If they ask specifically for CHAS, you need CHAS, but that certificate is then recognised by other SSIP schemes through Deem to Satisfy.
Does CHAS give me SSIP?
Yes. CHAS Standard is assessed against the SSIP core criteria, so passing it gives you SSIP accreditation, which many other schemes recognise.
Are the SSIP core criteria set by the government?
The SSIP core criteria are maintained by SSIP and are endorsed by the Health and Safety Executive. They are based on the requirements of health and safety legislation, including the Construction (Design and Management) Regulations 2015.