1. What the regulation says
The Commission's website address ... the place on the Commission's website where the most recent assessment ... may be accessed ... the most recent rating ... in a way which makes it clear to which activities or premises a particular rating relates. (Reg 20A(2): what must appear on a website)
Any sign displayed, or anything shown on a website, under this regulation must ... be legible, be displayed conspicuously in a place which is accessible to service users, and for each rating shown, show the date on which it was given by the Commission. (Reg 20A(7): legibility and conspicuousness)
The full text of the regulation is at https://www.legislation.gov.uk/uksi/2014/2936/regulation/20A. Where this policy and the regulation diverge, the regulation wins.
2. Plain-English summary
If CQC has assessed and rated your performance, you have to display the rating: on every website you maintain, on a sign at each premises where you provide regulated activities, and on a sign at your principal place of business. Each sign or website entry must be legible, conspicuously placed, accessible to service users, and show the date the rating was given. The duty does not apply at your own home or at premises that are a service user's accommodation when it is not provided as part of their care.
3. Purpose
The purpose of this policy is to make sure that [Service Name] displays CQC ratings accurately, clearly and lawfully once a CQC rating applies.
The policy covers display at premises, display on websites, inherited or previous-provider rating information, review requests, rating changes and governance checks.
4. Policy warning
The provider must not hide, obscure, delay, misrepresent or selectively display CQC ratings.
A rating must not be displayed in a way that makes it unclear which provider, location, regulated activity or premises the rating relates to.
If a rating is under review, the rating must still be displayed unless live CQC guidance says otherwise.
5. Scope
This policy applies where the provider has received a CQC rating for:
- the provider overall
- a location or premises
- a regulated activity
- a service delivered from a location
- inherited regulatory history where the provider chooses to display it
It applies to:
- physical premises
- reception areas
- waiting areas
- service-user accessible areas
- provider website
- location website
- marketing pages that describe the regulated service
- digital profiles controlled by or on behalf of the provider
- printed information where ratings are promoted
6. Responsibilities
The provider or Nominated Individual is responsible for ensuring the organisation complies with Regulation 20A.
The Registered Manager is responsible for checking that location displays are accurate and current.
The website owner or marketing lead is responsible for ensuring online ratings are accurate, live, legible and linked correctly.
The governance lead is responsible for checking ratings display during audit and after any CQC publication or change.
7. When display is required
The service must check whether CQC has published a rating for the provider, location, premises or regulated activity.
Where a rating applies, the service must display it in line with current CQC requirements.
Where the service has not yet been rated, the provider must not invent or imply a rating.
Where the service is registered but not rated, the provider may use appropriate "regulated by CQC" wording or graphics only where current CQC guidance allows this.
8. Premises display
At each premises where regulated activity is provided, the provider must display the relevant CQC rating clearly and conspicuously in a place accessible to people using the service.
The display must show:
- the current rating
- the date the rating was given
- which provider, location, premises or activity the rating relates to
- CQC website information or required link/wording where applicable
- improvement information where the provider chooses to add it and where this does not obscure the rating
The provider should use CQC posters where appropriate.
9. Website display
Where the provider maintains a website, or a website is maintained on its behalf, the CQC rating must be displayed in line with current CQC requirements.
The website display must:
- be legible
- be easy to find
- link to the relevant CQC page where required
- make clear which location, activity or provider the rating relates to
- not present old ratings as current
- not omit lower-rated locations where multiple locations are shown
- not use promotional wording that misleads people about the rating
If the provider has multiple locations, each location page should show the relevant rating for that location where applicable.
10. Rating changes
When CQC publishes a new rating or updated report, the provider must update displays within the required timeframe. The provider must update premises and website displays no later than 21 calendar days after CQC publishes the rating on its website.
The update process must include:
- checking the provider page
- checking each location page
- checking CQC's published rating
- downloading or updating the CQC poster or widget where used
- updating website pages
- removing superseded graphics
- recording the date the display was updated
- notifying relevant managers
11. Review of ratings
If the provider has requested a review of rating, the current published rating must still be displayed unless live CQC guidance says otherwise.
The provider may add a clear explanatory note that a review has been requested, but this note must not obscure, dilute or contradict the published rating.
12. Inherited or previous-provider ratings
Where a provider takes over an existing location or displays regulatory history from a previous provider, it must make clear whether the rating belongs to the current provider or the previous provider.
The provider must not display inherited rating information in a way that misleads people into believing that the current provider has been awarded that rating.
If there is uncertainty, the provider must check the live CQC page and seek advice before displaying inherited rating material.
13. Services not rated
Some CQC-regulated services may not receive ratings. The provider must check current CQC guidance for its service type.
Where the service is not rated, it must not claim or imply a rating. It may only use wording or graphics about CQC registration where these are accurate and permitted.
14. Promotional use of ratings
Where the provider uses CQC ratings in marketing or promotional material, it must ensure that:
- the rating is current
- the provider, location or activity is clear
- the rating is not taken out of context
- the date and source are included where required
- the material is updated if the rating changes
- old brochures, webpages or graphics are removed or corrected
Outstanding or Good ratings may be promoted, but not in a misleading way.
15. Audit
The Registered Manager or governance lead must check rating display:
- after each CQC report or rating publication
- after any rating review outcome
- after website redesign
- after location change
- after provider acquisition or ownership transfer
- at least annually
The audit must check premises, website, provider and location pages, marketing material and any inherited rating references.
16. Records
The provider must keep records of:
- current CQC rating
- source page checked
- date rating was published
- date display was updated
- screenshots of website display
- photo of premises display
- review request note where applicable
- inherited rating decision where applicable
- audit record
- actions taken
17. Review
This policy will be reviewed annually, or sooner after any CQC rating change, provider acquisition, new location, website change, CQC guidance update or regulatory concern.
18. Sources and further reading
This template is based on CQC's guidance for providers and managers, the Health and Social Care Act 2008 (Regulated Activities) Regulations 2014, and other topic-specific legislation and guidance listed below. It is a starting point for adaptation, not a substitute for legal, clinical, HR, safeguarding or specialist professional advice.
- Health and Social Care Act 2008 (Regulated Activities) Regulations 2014, Regulation 20A (requirement as to display of performance assessments) (https://www.legislation.gov.uk/uksi/2014/2936/regulation/20A)
- CQC guidance on displaying your ratings (how providers must display ratings)
- CQC guidance on the CQC widget and posters
- CQC guidance on continuation of regulatory history where relevant
- Consumer protection and misleading advertising principles where ratings are used in marketing
19. When to seek further advice
Seek specialist advice where the issue involves serious harm, safeguarding, deprivation of liberty, restraint, children, professional misconduct, controlled drugs, radiation, termination of pregnancy, infection outbreak, water safety, employment dismissal, DBS barring referral, or regulatory enforcement. For this policy in particular, seek advice where there is uncertainty about inherited ratings, provider acquisition, multiple-location display, website ownership, disputed ratings, archived ratings, promotional use of ratings or any risk that the public may be misled.
20. Document control
| Version | Date | Author | Changes |
|---|---|---|---|
| v1 | 2026-06-10 | Verivius (sample) | Conformed new cross-cutting draft to the Verivius policy standard. |
This sample policy template was issued by Verivius. It is a template, not a substitute for legal advice or the tenant's own policy-development process. Where this template and live law or regulator guidance diverge, the live source wins.