Changes to registration, variations and cancelled services
Apply to vary conditions of registration
If you need to vary, (add, amend or remove) the conditions of registration of your service, you should in the first instance discuss this with the inspector responsible for your service. You will now be able to make an application to vary the conditions of your registration on the portal. Note, you are currently only able to have one application for variation in progress at a time.
Unless otherwise agreed with us, the date the variation is to take effect from must not be less than three months after the date of application. We can only grant or refuse an application to vary a condition – we cannot change the detail of the variation that you have originally requested. However, whilst the application is still in progress you can update/amend the application yourself within the portal. Where you subsequently decide that you no longer wish the variation request to be progressed, for instance, if it is no longer necessary due to a change of circumstances, then you should discuss this with whoever has been dealing with your application. You must then withdraw the application via the portal, and we will receive automatic notification of this.
Guidance for childminders on applying to increase capacity in childminding settings
Inactive services
We have implemented a revised policy on ‘Inactive Care Services’.
Services registered with the Care Inspectorate must operate within the legal framework laid out within the Public Services Reform (Scotland) Act 2010, (the “Act”). We have adopted a policy where any service can make an application to stop operating for up to 12 months, without having to cancel their registration. Where such an application is granted, a service will be referred to as ‘inactive’.
Reasons for a service to be treated as inactive would be limited to:
- refurbishment of premises
- provider has caring responsibilities for a limited period of time
- provider maternity leave
- provider health issues.
There may be, on occasion, other exceptional circumstances, which we may consider on an individual basis.
During a period of inactivity, a provider must continue to submit an annual return, pay continuation fees, submit notifications and ensure the service continues to meet all of the legal requirements under the Act. Prior to the service becoming operational, the provider must notify us in advance that their service is operational and ensure the service is ‘fit’ to operate and meets the needs of the service users.
Applications for inactive care service status and notifications of intention to become operational should be submitted using the digital portal.
The relevant forms are available via your portal account. Select the “apply to become inactive / active” option on the right hand side of your menu page. If you require any assistance please email This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.or contact 0345 600 9527 Monday to Friday 09:00 - 16:00.
Cancel a service
Any registered service can voluntarily apply to cancel their registration.
If you are a care service, and want to cancel your registration, you must complete our application to cancel a care service form before we can progress with your cancellation. You can submit your request using through our digital portal.
Cancelled services
We have an obligation to publish a list of all care services that have been previously registered and that are now cancelled.
You will be able to check here for a list of all cancelled services. This is updated monthly to reflect any new cancellations.
Cancelled services 30 November 2024
If you require any further information about these services please email This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. or contact 0345 600 9527.
Quality grades
Quality grades
Cancelling your registration
Cancelling your registration
Fees
Services must pay fees to be registered with us. The maximum limit is set by Scottish Ministers. The fees we collect contribute to our operating costs.
We charge a fee for registering a new service and an annual continuation fee. The annual continuation fee licenses a care service to operate.
Download our fees table here.
Annual continuation of registration fee
We will send an invoice each year for all your registered services. The date of when we send the invoice depends on the date you first registered. The table below helps you work out when your continuation fee will be due each following year:
| Date of first registration | Annual continuation fee due from |
| Between 1 April and 30 June | 1 April |
| Between 1 July and 30 September | 1 July |
| Between 1 October and 31 December | 1 October |
| Between 1 January and 31 March | 1 January |
If a service cancels part way through its fee year, we do not give a refund or discount.
Combined service discount
Separately registered services that operate from the same premises, sharing staff, management, policies and so on, are often referred to as ‘combined services’. Combined services can be cheaper for us to administer. If they are, we give a 15% discount on the smaller of their continuation fees.
The discount isn’t automatic and we must be confident that we can make a saving on their administration. Combined service discounts will show on the smaller service’s continuation fee invoice. If you think you may be entitled to a combined service discount, but there is no discount shown on your smaller service’s invoice, please contact your inspector.
We don’t normally give combined service discounts to fostering and adoption services. We don’t give discounts to services where the continuation fee is less than £500.
Variation, addition or removal of condition(s) – No fees charged
Although we have set this fee at zero, you must still complete an application to add, vary or remove a condition of registration. You can apply online through the digital portal. If this is not possible, call our Contact Centre on 0345 600 9527 for an application form.
New certificate fees – no charge
If we grant a variation to your registration, we will issue you with a new certificate of registration. There is no charge for sending your certificate.
Cancellations – no charge
Like variation fees, we have set the cancellation fee at zero. You can apply to cancel online through the digital portal. If this is not possible, call our Contact Centre on 0345 600 9527.
Unless we agree a shorter timescale, you must give us 3 months’ notice of your proposed cancellation. We will consider your cancellation completed when you have returned all the necessary documentation and we have confirmed your cancellation. If you are voluntarily cancelling a service in the period leading up to your annual continuation fee due date, make sure you don’t delay the process unnecessarily.
If you do not cancel your service before the annual continuation fee is due then it becomes payable in full. The annual continuation fee is not discounted for services that only operate for part of a year.
How to pay Care Inspectorate fees
Credit/Debit Card
You can pay by credit or debit card online through the following link: https://www.gov.uk/payments/care-inspectorate/continuation-fee
Direct Debit
You can pay by direct debit, either as a single payment or by 10 equal monthly instalments (only available if the fee is more than £100).
Direct Debits are normally collected at these times:
|
Annual continuation due date |
Single payment by |
10 equal instalments |
| 1 April | 31 May | from 31 May to 28 Feb |
| 1 July | 31 August | from 31 Aug to 31 May |
| 1 October | 30 November | from 30 Nov to 31 Aug |
| 1 January | 28 February | from 28 Feb to 30 Nov |
We do not fully control when the fees are set. We decide this in consultation with Scottish Government. Because of this, collection dates and number of instalments may change. If they do, we will let you know.
If you wish to pay by Direct Debit, please download, print and complete the Direct Debit instruction adding your customer number and return it to us.
BACS
Royal Bank of Scotland, St Andrew Square, Edinburgh
Sort Code: 83-06-08
Account Number: 11580052
Account Name: Social Care and Social Work Improvement Scotland
Cheque/Postal Order
You may pay by either cheque or postal order, made payable to The Care Inspectorate, including the remittance advice on the foot of your invoice, at any Care Inspectorate office or by posting to:
Care Inspectorate, Finance – Income Section, Compass House,
11 Riverside Drive, Dundee, DD1 4NY.
Contact us
Please contact us if you have an enquiry about your invoice. Call us on 0345 603 6979 Monday to Friday 9am – 4pm, or write to us at: Care Inspectorate, Finance – Income Section, Compass House, 11 Riverside Drive, Dundee, DD1 4NY or This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
Fee Information
This can be found within the fee section of our website
Inactive services
Please note that although your service may be inactive, you will still be due to pay annual continuation fees.
Register care
Message from the registration team - 2 February 2024
The Care Inspectorate aims to provide the highest quality and efficient service to providers or new applicants of care services through the registration and variation functions. We do this to enable care and support being available to people and communities. Currently the registration teams are experiencing an increased volume of registration and variation applications from across the care sector but particularly in adult care services. We are systematically working through the applications and undertaking routine checks where we can and allocating these to inspectors as soon as inspector capacity is available.
We appreciate that once you have submitted an application you will be keen to have your application progressed. Please be assured we will progress your application to an inspector as soon as we are able to do so. When you have submitted an application and we have not been able to allocate to an inspector we will contact you fortnightly to update you on the situation. Please be assured we will process your application as soon as we can.
Thank you for your understanding and patience with this during this challenging period.
If you want to operate a care service in Scotland you must, by law, register with the Care Inspectorate.
What to expect from the registration process
You can apply to register a care service online, using our secure system. The online application is simple to complete and only asks you questions that are relevant to your service type.
You can manage your application easily. You can save it as you go and return to it later so you can complete and submit at your own pace. You can go back to previous stages to check, change and add to your application. The application allows you to upload supporting documents and pay your application fee.
We aim to assess applications for a childminding service within three months and all other services within six months. However, this presumes that you supply us with a competent and fully detailed application, as well as any additional information we request. It is in your interest to give us all the information we ask for in the application form to prevent any delays or the risk of us closing or refusing your application.
Once you have submitted your application, our national registration team will check:
- the information you have given us
- whether the provider is fit to provide the service
- whether the manager is fit to manage the service
- that the proposed premises are fit to be used for that purpose
- that the service will make all the proper provisions for the health, welfare, independence, choice, privacy and dignity of everyone using the service.
We may also check the financial viability of the service. Any information we ask for during the registration process is in accordance with the Public Services Reform (Scotland) Act 2010.
Before applying to register a service
Before you apply to register a care service you must make sure you have read and understood the associated guidance and legislation.
Every registered care service must continuously meet the requirements of:
- the Public Services Reform (Scotland) Act 2010
- the Social Care and Social Work Improvement Scotland (Registration) Regulations 2011 (SSI 2011/28)
- the Social Care and Social Work Improvement Scotland (Applications) Order 2011 (SSI 2011/29)
- the Social Care and Social Work Improvement Scotland (Requirements for Care Services) Regulations 2011 (SSI 2011/210)
- the Health and Social Care Standards
- the Health and Care (Staffing) (Scotland) Act 2019
- any other legislation relevant to your service.
Before you apply, you should also read:
For more information read our guidance below:
- Guidance for applicants on applying to register a care service
- Online registration application form - user guide
For more information about registering a service (other than childminding) click here.
For more information about registering a childminding service click here.
If you are unclear about the kind of service you want to apply for, click here to see the definitions of care services which must be registered with us.
For general advice about registering a care service you can contact us at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
For more specific queries, you can request pre-application advice. Click here for guidance on how to do this.
Registered manager requirements
In response to feedback from services, the Care Inspectorate and the SSSC have amended the policy and guidance on the qualification requirements for managers of registered services. New managers applying to become the Registered Manager with the Care Inspectorate are required to already hold a level 7 practitioner qualification. This replaces the guidance issued in April this year that new managers must hold a level 9 manager qualification.
Please note, the SSSC registration requirements remain unchanged.
Access the latest guidance here.
Fees
Care services must pay fees to be registered with us. The maximum limit is set by Scottish Ministers. The fees we collect contribute to our operating costs. We charge a fee for registering a new service and an annual continuation fee. The annual continuation fee licenses a care service to operate.
All application fees are non-returnable.
To find out more about our fees click here.
Apply to register a service
Create an account to begin your application
Sign in to see an existing application
If you require the application form in an alternative format, please call our contact centre on 0345 600 9527.
Guidance and good practice
We expect services to be self-aware and able to evaluate their own performance effectively and openly.
To support this, we aim to:
- act as a catalyst for change and innovation
- support improvement and signpost good practice.
For general information for registered care services, read our guide.
Choose from the menu items on the left to find the information you need to deliver care and social work services.
We support nurseries, childminders and other early years care services that take a positive approach to risk.
Read our position statement here.
Read our improvement strategy here.
Read our Policy position on the use of restrictive practices.
We regularly publish resources to support services to keep up to date with best practice and improve. Click on the resources below to find out more.
- My World Outdoors
- My Childminding Experience
- Our Creative Journey
- Care... about physical activity
- Make every moment count
- Managing falls and fractures in care homes for older people
- Promoting continence for people living with dementia
- Medicine waste in care homes
Our other website The Hub provides ‘one-stop-shop’ access to a wide range of resources aimed at supporting improvement in social care and social work by sharing intelligence and research-led practice.
Open to everyone, The Hub includes:
- a library of good practice guidance
- information on the latest developments in policy and legislation
- video based examples of innovative practice
- guidance to help users carry out their own research
- toolkits and resources aimed at supporting improvement.
Professional
We are the national regulator for care services in Scotland. We also inspect the social work services provided by local authorities and we carry out joint inspections with partner organisations.
We are here to:
- provide assurance and protection for people who use services, their families and carers and the wider public
- play a key part in improving services for adults and children across Scotland
- act as a catalyst for change and innovation
- promote good practice.
People have the right to expect the highest quality of care and their rights promoted and protected. It is our job to drive up standards of care and social work services through regulation and inspection.
Choose from the menu items on the left to find the information you need to deliver care and social work services.
Our website, The Hub offers a wide range of resources to support services to learn, innovate and improve.