Registering your care service with the CQC
Registering with the Care Quality Commission is the legal gateway to operating a care service in England. The application itself is free, but the process is demanding: CQC must be satisfied that your service will be safe, effective, caring, responsive and well-led from the day it opens. Applications that are incomplete, generic or poorly evidenced stall — and every month of delay costs money.
AJG Advisory provides practical, end-to-end CQC registration support for new and expanding providers, led personally by Jack Andrew Green. The aim is simple: a complete, credible application that reflects how your service will actually run, submitted once and approved without avoidable delay.
What the support covers
- Statement of purpose — drafted or reviewed so it accurately describes your service, regulated activities and locations.
- Policies and procedures — a full suite written around your actual service model, not generic templates that assessors see through.
- Application documents — preparation and review of the information CQC requires from providers, nominated individuals and registered managers.
- Registered manager preparation — coaching for the fit-person interview, so your manager can speak confidently about governance, safeguarding and quality.
- Governance and systems — making sure your audits, records and oversight arrangements are ready to evidence from day one.
- Budgeting and planning — a realistic view of the costs involved, from DBS checks and insurance to premises and staffing. See our guide: How much does CQC registration cost?
Who we help
Support is available for domiciliary care agencies, supported living services, care homes and specialist services — including providers registering under the Right support, right care, right culture guidance for people with a learning disability and autistic people.
A straightforward process
- Initial conversation — a free, confidential discussion about your service, your timescale and where you are in the process.
- Gap review — an honest assessment of what is ready and what needs work before you apply.
- Preparation — hands-on support with documents, policies, systems and interview preparation.
- Submission and beyond — support through CQC queries, and inspection-readiness advice once you are registered.
Discuss your registration
Every registration is different. Start a confidential conversation about your service, or book a free consultation to talk through your plans.
FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS
CQC Registration Support: your questions answered
How much does CQC registration cost?
There is no fee to apply. Once registered, CQC charges an annual fee based on your service type and size. The larger costs are preparation: DBS checks, policies, insurance, recruitment, training and systems. Our guide to CQC registration costs breaks these down.
How long does CQC registration take?
It varies, but incomplete or generic applications are the most common cause of delay. A complete, well-evidenced application — with a prepared registered manager — moves through the process significantly faster.
Can you help with the registered manager fit-person interview?
Yes. We coach registered managers on what CQC assessors explore, from safeguarding and governance to how the service will evidence quality from day one.
Do I need a consultant to register with CQC?
No — many providers register without one. Consultancy earns its fee by avoiding the delays and resubmissions that come from weak applications, and by getting your service genuinely ready to operate.
How much does it cost?
Consultancy is £45 per hour or £350 per day. Larger projects are priced on application after a free initial conversation, so you know the cost before any work starts.
Do I need to buy any software?
No. Consultancy is completely independent. MyCareCompliance, MyCarePolicies and MyCareManager are available if they suit your service, but they are never a condition of working with AJG Advisory.
FIND THE RIGHT SOLUTION
Consultancy, policies, compliance or management tools?
Tell us what you need and we’ll point you to the right support — whether that’s AJG Advisory, MyCareCompliance, MyCarePolicies, MyCareManager or a combination.
A CONVERSATION IS A GOOD PLACE TO START
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