How to use this template
This is a guide for the people who use the service. Write it in plain language, and provide it in accessible formats (for example easy-read, large print, or another language) where people need them, particularly for a service supporting people with a learning disability or autism. Everything in it must match the Statement of Purpose; in particular, the people you say you support here must be the same service-user bands you declared to CQC. A guide that does not match the Statement of Purpose is a common reason for rejection.
(Throughout, replace the angle-bracket placeholders with your own details.)
1. About our service
- Who we are: <provider name, and a short description of the service>.
- Our aims: <the aims and objectives of the service, matching the Statement of Purpose>.
- The people we support: <the service-user bands you support, matching the Statement of Purpose>.
2. What we offer, and what we do not offer
- The care and support we provide: .
- What we do not, or cannot, offer: <state clearly the services that are not offered, so people know the limits of the service>.
3. How we decide whether we can meet your needs
- How we assess your needs before we start: .
- The criteria we use to decide whether we can meet your needs safely: .
- What happens if your needs change so that we can no longer meet them safely: .
4. Our fees and charges
- What we charge and how: .
- What is and is not included, and any extra charges: .
- How and when you pay, and what happens if circumstances change: .
5. How we deliver and check our service
- How we deliver care (for example visit times for home care): .
- How we monitor that care is delivered and on time, including how visits or calls are monitored and how we keep to time: .
- What to expect from our staff, and how we make sure they are suitable and trained: .
6. Your rights and how we treat you
- We treat you with dignity and respect, and we provide care that is centred on you and your wishes.
- We make reasonable adjustments and provide information in a format you can understand.
- We respect your privacy and keep your information safe under data protection law.
7. How to raise a concern or make a complaint
- You can raise a concern or complaint, and it will never affect the care you receive.
- How to complain, and who to contact: .
- What we will do and how long it will take: .
- Where you can go if you are not happy with our response: <the independent route, for example the relevant ombudsman>.
8. Keeping you safe
- How we keep you safe from abuse and neglect, in summary: .
- How to tell us, or someone independent, if you do not feel safe: <contact routes, including the local authority safeguarding team>.
9. Our contact details and the terms of our service
- How to contact us: <address, telephone, email, hours>.
- The terms of the care we provide: <a summary of the contractual terms, or where to find the full agreement>.
10. Accessible formats
This guide is available in other formats on request, for example easy-read, large print, audio, or another language. Ask us and we will provide one that works for you.
11. Document control
| Version | Date | Author | Changes |
|---|---|---|---|
| v1.0 | 2026-06-05 | Verivius (sample) | New template authored to CQC's "what to include" for a service user guide: declared service and limitations (what is and is not offered), the needs-assessment criteria, transparent fees and charging, how the service is delivered and monitored (including call monitoring and punctuality), embedded summaries of the complaints and safeguarding procedures, contact and contractual details, and accessible formats, with a clear instruction that the guide must mirror the Statement of Purpose service-user bands (the CQC red flag is banding misalignment). |
This sample template was issued by Verivius. It is a template, not a substitute for legal advice or the tenant's own development process. Where this template and the live guidance diverge, the live guidance wins.