How often should I update my Statement of Purpose?

Review it at least annually and whenever something material changes — a new location, a new regulated activity, or a change of registered manager or provider details. CQC expects a living document, and any revision must be notified to them within 28 days.

What happens if I don’t notify CQC of a change within 28 days?

Failing to keep your Statement of Purpose current and notify changes is a breach of Regulation 12 of the 2009 Registration Regulations and can lead to CQC enforcement action. Notify promptly using CQC’s “changes to your statement of purpose” process and send the revised copy.

Can I use a Statement of Purpose template?

Yes, and CQC publishes its own, free, which is the one to use. It must still be fully tailored to your service: a statement listing the wrong regulated activities, locations or manager is a common registration problem, and the five Schedule 3 items must match your actual registered service exactly.

Who needs a Statement of Purpose?

Every provider registered with, or applying to register with, CQC in England must have one — from a single-clinician clinic to a multi-site organisation, and for both physical and online/remote services.

What’s the difference between a Statement of Purpose and my policies?

The Statement of Purpose is a single legal document describing who you are, what you do and where. Policies set out how you manage specific areas such as safeguarding or medicines. You need both, and they must be consistent with one another.

CQC Statement of Purpose: What It Is & What It Must Contain | Barker Scott

In plain English

Your Statement of Purpose is a legally required document (Regulation 12 of the CQC (Registration) Regulations 2009) that tells CQC who you are, what you do, and where. It must contain the five items in Schedule 3, be kept up to date, and any change must be notified to CQC within 28 days.

What is a Statement of Purpose?

It’s a short, factual document describing your service: your aims, the services you provide and who for, your contact and legal details, and where you deliver care. CQC uses it to understand your service and to check you’re only carrying on the regulated activities you’re registered for.

Use CQC’s own template

CQC publishes its own statement of purpose template, free, alongside its guidance on what the document must show and the two application forms. Use CQC’s version: it is the format CQC expects, and CQC checks every other document you send against it.

Get the statement of purpose template from CQC →

What the law requires

Regulation 12(1) of the Care Quality Commission (Registration) Regulations 2009 states: “The registered person must give the Commission a statement of purpose containing the information listed in Schedule 3.”

Don’t confuse the three “Regulation” numbers

The Statement of Purpose is Regulation 12 of the 2009 Registration Regulations. That’s different from Regulation 12 of the 2014 Regulated Activities Regulations (safe care and treatment) and Regulation 5 (fit and proper directors). Same numbers, completely different rules — a frequent source of confusion.

What it must contain (Schedule 3)

Your aims and objectives in carrying on the regulated activity.
The services you provide and the range of service users’ needs they meet.
Contact details — full name, business address, phone and (where available) email of the provider and of any registered manager.
Your legal status (e.g. individual, partnership, or company / organisation).
Your locations — details of where the regulated activities are carried on.

Keeping it current — and the 28-day rule

Regulation 12(2) requires you to keep the Statement of Purpose under review and revise it where appropriate. Regulation 12(3) requires you to give CQC written details of any revision within 28 days — and you should send CQC the revised copy when you notify them (via CQC’s “changes to your statement of purpose” notification process).

Common mistakes to avoid

Letting it go stale — addresses, managers or services change but the statement isn’t updated.
Listing regulated activities or locations you’re not actually registered for (or missing ones you are).
Vague aims and objectives that don’t reflect what the service really does.
Forgetting to notify CQC within 28 days of a change.
Treating it as a one-off form rather than a living document inspectors will read.

Frequently asked questions