Fast track assessment for experienced health and safety managers
No learning curve
— Designed around the work you already do
No Written Answers
— Your assessor asks. You simply talk about your work.
No online portfolio nightmare
— We analyse and map your evidence.
Accredited by
We'll email your PDF within 2 minutes.
Our Clients
We're trusted by...
What our candidates say about Up Level
5.0
Top rated on Google · 239 reviews
The NVQ Experience You Actually Want
Don't break the bank:
Manageable, affordable, interest-free payment plan with instant approval and no 3rd-party finance involved. From just £197.40/mo.
Customise your plan, up to 10 months
Money-Back Guarantee:
If you FAIL, you get 100% of your money back. Your success is OUR shared mission.
Enrolments strictly subject to eligibility screening
No Written Answers:
Your assessor asks about the work you already do, then documents your answers. No question sheets to fill in at home.
You provide the evidence. We work out where it belongs.
Busy and unpredictable schedules:
We have a proven and time-tested system to manage that. No judgment for rescheduling sessions.
The busier you are, the better
Respecting the Non-Academic Mind:
We speak in simple language and cut academic terminology. We relate all questions to your industry experience, ensuring relevance and clarity.
Tailored service with a personal touch
No online portfolio nightmare:
We understand you don't want the extra job of first learning a new platform, then spending evenings matching every document to the right criteria and uploading it, only to find out days later that it isn't accepted and that you have to do it again.
Communicate with a real person instead
NVQ Level 6 Diploma in Occupational Health and Safety Practice
: Everything You Need to Know
NVQ Level 6 Health and Safety Management: Entry Requirements
There are no formal entry qualifications for this NVQ. You do not need a prior NVQ, you do not need GCSEs, and you do not need a National Insurance number to register.
What is required is experience. This is a competence-based assessment, not a training course. You must be working, or have recently worked, in a construction health and safety management role, and you must be able to evidence that work. An assessor confirms your eligibility during screening, before you pay anything.
The NVQ Level 6 Health and Safety Manager's (official title: Level 6 NVQ Diploma in Occupational Health and Safety Practice) qualification is designed for experienced construction site, project, or contract managers responsible for developing, implementing, and monitoring health and safety procedures on construction sites. These individuals are typically employed by a main contractor or a large construction specialist company.
As a health and safety manager, you are expected to have a thorough understanding of organisational health and safety protocols. You must be actively involved in implementing health and safety measures on site.
This NVQ Level 6 qualification is equivalent to the NEBOSH Diploma for Occupational Health and Safety Management Professionals. It demonstrates your expertise and enhances your professional profile in the health and safety field.
The evidence can come from your current or previous projects.
Your evidence should show your ability to:
Develop, implement, and maintain health and safety procedures on site
Conduct risk assessments and introduce necessary safety measures
Carry out site inspections to ensure compliance with regulations
Train and instruct site staff on health and safety protocols
Maintain records of incidents, near misses, and corrective actions
Stay up to date with legislation and best practices, applying them as required
Engage with staff, subcontractors, and stakeholders to promote a positive safety culture
Coordinate emergency procedures and first aid arrangements
Manage and monitor the use of protective equipment
Document and conduct regular safety meetings, toolbox talks, and training sessions
It's important to understand that different companies use different types of information and documentation. Your task is to demonstrate and explain how you implement health and safety procedures in your work environment.
For details on the qualification units, see the Qualification Structure section.
* On completion, apply for a Black (Managerial) CSCS card!
* To apply for a CSCS card, you must have a valid H&S test, passed within the last two years.
Is NVQ Level 6 Equivalent to a Degree?
It sits at the same level. It is not the same qualification.
The UK's Regulated Qualifications Framework places every qualification at a numbered level. GOV.UK's official list of Level 6 qualifications includes, side by side and at the same level: a degree with honours (BA Hons, BSc Hons), a degree apprenticeship, a graduate diploma, an ordinary degree without honours, a Level 6 award, a Level 6 certificate, a Level 6 diploma, and a Level 6 NVQ.
So when a job advert asks for "a degree or equivalent", a Level 6 NVQ is precisely what that phrasing is designed to accommodate. What it does not do is entitle you to call yourself a graduate or to put BSc after your name. The certificate reads NVQ Level 6 Diploma, and that is what it is.
For health and safety professionals the level matters for a second reason. Professional body membership grades are tied to qualification level, and Level 6 is the threshold most commonly referenced.
Fast Track NVQ Level 6: Qualified in 4 to 6 Weeks
Fast track is included as standard, not sold as an extra. With it, the target is completion within 4 to 6 weeks. You get priority status and your assessor builds a plan around your working schedule to hit that window. If things stall, expect a friendly phone call.
Health and safety roles generate an unusually clean evidence trail. Risk assessments, inspection records, incident reports, toolbox talk records, audits and training logs are all produced as part of the job, and they are what the assessment wants to see. Most candidates cover the criteria in one or two sessions.
Two conditions apply, and they are worth stating plainly. You need to be motivated and willing to work with your assessor, and you need evidence available. The speed comes from the evidence your job already generates, not from any shortcut in the assessment.
Once your assessment is complete and the portfolio goes to the awarding body, certification typically takes up to 15 working days, though this varies with the awarding body's workload.
What the NVQ Level 6 Health and Safety Covers: All 10 Units
This qualification is straightforward, and it doesn't offer any additional pathways or a selection of optional units.
To achieve the NVQ Level 6 Diploma in Occupational Health & Safety Practice, you are required to complete all mandatory units.
Mandatory Units · 10 units
Unit Title
Level
Promote a positive health and safety culture
5
Develop and implement the health and safety policy
6
Develop and implement effective communication systems for health and safety information
5
Develop and maintain individual and organisational competence in health and safety matters
5
Identify, assess and control health and safety risks
6
Develop and implement proactive monitoring systems for health and safety
6
Develop and implement reactive monitoring systems for health and safety
6
Develop and implement health and safety emergency response systems and procedures
6
Develop and implement health and safety review systems
6
Maintain knowledge of improvements to influence health and safety practice
5
There is no optional unit selection to make. All ten units are mandatory, and the full unit titles and their levels are listed above. Between them they cover policy, risk, proactive and reactive monitoring, emergency response, competence and review, which is the full cycle of a health and safety management system rather than any one part of it. Your assessor confirms during screening that your role gives you evidence across all ten.
How the NVQ Level 6 Health and Safety Assessment Works
Typically, it takes 1 (in some cases 2) assessment sessions to cover the health and safety management criteria. This qualification is usually completed remotely through Teams or Zoom video calls.
While the assessment process can vary depending on your package selected at the time of your booking (for options, see the booking form), we can outline typical steps you can expect during your assessment. However, given the dynamic nature of our industry, we always adapt the process to best accommodate your individual circumstances.
For simplicity, let's break down the process of a typical level 6 health and safety management assessment into 6 chronological steps.
1
Introduction
You will receive an instructional email providing start-up guidance, including a list of product evidence examples and suggestions for effective collaboration with your assessor. This will help you identify the evidence you need to compile for your assessment portfolio.
2
Welcome Call
You will arrange an induction call (usually a video call) to discuss the assessment requirements, your role, and the product evidence from your current or previous projects. During this call, you will agree the next steps and gain a clear understanding of what you need to prepare for the first assessment session. The assessor will also email any required course materials.
3
Compile Evidence
Based on the assessor's guidance and advice, you will begin compiling evidence (if not already available) for the assessment session.
4
The Assessment
Once you have gathered sufficient evidence for the first session, you will arrange a video call to review your files and explain your work processes and methods. Depending on your preparation, this session may cover up to 100% of the assessment criteria.
5
Assessment Progress
Following the first session, the assessor will review your evidence and carry out a gap analysis to identify any remaining requirements. If applicable, you will receive feedback outlining the steps needed to address these gaps.
6
Completion
Our goal is to cover all criteria and complete your assessment as efficiently as possible. Once 100% of the assessment criteria have been met, we will finalise your portfolio and proceed to claim your qualification from the Awarding Body.
Health and Safety manager sitting at the managerial office desk
Key facts for NVQ Level 6 Diploma in Occupational Health and Safety Practice
Official title
NVQ Level 6 Diploma in Occupational Health and Safety Practice
Also known as
NVQ Level 6 Health and Safety Management
Assessment type
Work-based & distance assessment
Prior experience
Required
Classroom attendance
No
Fast Track
Yes
Typical completion
4 to 6 weeks
Remote assessments
Teams & Zoom options available
Dedicated assessor
Yes, with a direct contact number
Guidance & support
Yes, we're here to help
Planning & preparation
Guidance provided
CITB grant claimable
Yes, up to £600
Industry-recognised qualification
Yes, UK and globally
Our coverage
UK and overseas (Africa, Asia, Australia, UAE and Canada)
Qualification level
Same level as a bachelor's degree
Exams
No
NVQ Level 6 Health and Safety Management Cost and Payment Plans
The NVQ Level 6 Diploma in Occupational Health and Safety Practice costs £1,645 plus VAT. That is £1,974 including VAT at 20%.
You can pay in full, or spread the cost over up to 10 months from £197.40 per month including VAT. The payment plan is interest-free, approval is instant, and there is no third-party finance company involved.
Every enrolment is subject to eligibility screening before you pay anything, and every assessment carries a money-back guarantee. If you fail, you get 100% of your fee back.
What Is Included in the £1,645
1-Day Registration. All assessments start the same day. If you need proof of registration urgently, we aim to send your registration confirmation within one working day so you can apply for a temporary Experienced Worker (red) CSCS card.
A dedicated assessor with a direct contact number, not a shared inbox.
Assessment planning and gap analysis against every assessment criterion across all ten units.
Professional discussion sessions, held remotely by Teams or Zoom. Most health and safety assessments are completed in one or two video calls.
Portfolio construction. You supply the evidence from your day-to-day work. We analyse and map it against the assessment criteria.
No Written Answers. Your assessor asks about the work you already do, then documents your answers against the assessment criteria.
Fast track, targeting completion within 4 to 6 weeks.
Certification claim to the awarding body on completion.
One option sits outside the standard fee. Mentorship is an optional £500 add-on for managers who need help putting health and safety management systems and documentation in place, rather than simply evidencing systems they already run.
Total Cost from NVQ to Black CSCS Card in Hand
The NVQ is one of three costs. The other two are paid to CITB and CSCS directly, not to us.
Item
Paid to
Cost
NVQ Level 6 assessment
Up Level
£1,645 + VAT
CITB Health, Safety and Environment test (Managers and Professionals)
CITB
£23.50
Black CSCS Manager card application
CSCS
£36
CITB Short Qualification Grant, if your employer is eligible
Reclaimed by employer
up to £600
The fees shown are correct as of September 2026. Please check citb.co.uk and cscs.uk.com to confirm the current fees.
CITB Grant Funding for the NVQ Level 6
The NVQ Level 6 Diploma in Occupational Health and Safety Practice is covered by the CITB Short Qualification Grant. The grant is paid on achievement, which means after the qualification is completed and certificated, not up front.
The current rate is £600.
A rule change here has not been picked up by much of the guidance still circulating online. Until 31 December 2025, CITB paid an enhanced rate of £1,500 for specific management qualifications. That enhancement has ended. All management and supervision qualifications achieved from 1 January 2026 onwards receive the standard £600 rate. Any higher figure you have read elsewhere is out of date.
Who Can Claim the Grant
The grant is claimed by the employer, not by the candidate. To be eligible, the employer must be registered with CITB and up to date with their Levy Returns.
A registered employer can claim for directly employed staff on the payroll, for business owners and partners, and for subcontractors. That last category is often overlooked, and it matters where health and safety advice is bought in rather than employed.
The Short Qualification Grant is payable up to a maximum of four grants at each level per individual, and you can only claim once per individual for the same achievement.
How to Claim It
Claims are made through the CITB Online Services portal within 52 weeks of the achievement date. You will need to attach the achievement certificate or the achievement notification email from the awarding body. The application cannot be processed without it.
If the portal is not an option, CITB accepts claims by email using an individual or bulk application form. For help with eligibility or with the claim itself, CITB Customer Services is on 0344 994 4455.
Up Level is an approved member of the CITB Training Provider Network, and our centre is listed on the official CITB Training Directory.
Grant rates and rules are correct as at September 2026. Confirm current terms with CITB before relying on them.
How to Get Your Black CSCS Card After the NVQ Level 6
The black CSCS Manager card is the card for managerial and advanced technical occupations in UK construction. It is valid for five years.
To qualify for it you need a qualification from the CSCS accepted list at Level 6 or Level 7. The NVQ Level 6 Diploma in Occupational Health and Safety Practice is the route taken by construction health and safety managers.
You also need a valid CITB Health, Safety and Environment test pass for Managers and Professionals. The two together are what CSCS assesses.
The CITB Managers and Professionals (MAP) Test
You must have passed the CITB Health, Safety and Environment test for Managers and Professionals within the two years before you apply for the card.
The test costs £23.50. It runs for 45 minutes and contains 50 questions. There are three versions of the HS&E test (Operatives, Specialists, and Managers and Professionals). For a black card you need the Managers and Professionals version specifically.
It is worth saying plainly that this test is not a measure of your professional competence in health and safety, and passing it will not be difficult for someone in this role. It is a card requirement, nothing more.
Book online through Pearson VUE, by phone on 0344 994 4488, or directly with a local Internet Test Centre. On the day, arrive at least 15 minutes early and bring photo ID that includes your signature. Keep your Score Report afterwards, because it carries information you will need for the card application.
If you need to move the booking, you can reschedule free online up to 72 hours before the test. Rescheduling by phone in the same window carries a £5 fee. You can cancel online for a full refund up to 72 hours before; cancelling by phone in that window costs a £10 administration fee. Inside 72 hours there is no refund either way.
Applying for the Black CSCS Card
Apply online through CSCS Online or the My CSCS app. The application fee is £36.
You will need your NVQ certificate, your valid MAP test pass, proof of identity and a recent photograph. Two situations need extra paperwork:
City & Guilds qualifications issued after 1 April 2013. You must submit an electronic certificate showing the qualification details and a certificate authentication code, so CSCS can verify it directly with City & Guilds.
Qualifications gained outside the UK. You will need to contact Ecctis, the UK national agency for international qualifications, and apply for an Industry Skills Statement so CSCS can compare your award against UK standards.
CSCS issues the card, not us. Their application rules apply and can change. Fees quoted are correct as at September 2026.
Does NEBOSH or IOSH Get You a Black CSCS Card?
This is the question this page gets asked most, and the answer needs care.
NEBOSH qualifications are regulated qualifications, not short courses, and IOSH is a professional body rather than an awarding organisation. That makes the situation different from, say, SMSTS, which is a five-day training course and is not a qualification at all.
CSCS still issues cards against its own accepted list, plus a valid CITB Health, Safety and Environment test pass. Vocational NVQs at Levels 4 to 7 take the black Manager card, with the MAP test. Academic qualifications (degrees, HNDs, HNCs, CIOB Certificates and certain NEBOSH awards) take the white Academically Qualified Person card. They are different routes. Professional body membership, including IOSH grades, does not carry a card on its own.
Sitting at the same level as a NEBOSH Diploma does not put this NVQ on the academic card route. This NVQ is a Level 6 vocational qualification assessed on the health and safety work you already do, so the application is for the black Manager card, not white AQP.
What this NVQ does is evidence competence through the work you actually do, assessed on site records rather than examined in a classroom. For a manager who has been running health and safety for years without a Level 6 qualification behind it, that is usually the shortest route to a formal award.
NVQ Level 6 Health and Safety Management Salary
The National Careers Service publishes a health and safety adviser job profile, which is the closest match to this role. Its published salary range is £24,000 for starters up to £50,000 for experienced advisers. That is the most authoritative public figure available, and it is a career-wide range rather than a promise attached to any single vacancy.
Construction health and safety roles span a wide band, from site-based advisers up to group or divisional head of health and safety, and pay follows that span.
What the NVQ changes is not the number itself. It is formal standing. Health and safety managers frequently reach senior responsibility through experience and short courses, and then find that a client, framework or professional body wants a Level 6 qualification on file. This is the qualification that answers that, assessed on the systems you already run.
Salary figures are indicative UK ranges as at September 2026. Actual pay varies by region, sector, organisation size, employer, and the level of responsibility the role carries.
NVQ Level 6 Health and Safety for Employers and Main Contractors
Up Level works with individual candidates and with major contractors. Clients include Balfour Beatty, CBRE, AtkinsRéalis, Bechtel, Transport for London, Shepley Engineers and TSL.
For an employer qualifying a health and safety team, the points that usually matter are:
No time off site. Assessment is work-based and delivered remotely, usually in one or two video sessions. Your advisers stay on the projects.
Grant recovery. If you are CITB registered and up to date with your Levy Returns, the Short Qualification Grant is £600 per achievement, claimable for employed staff, owners, partners and subcontractors alike, up to four grants at each level per individual.
Evidence from live work. Candidates evidence the risk assessments, audits, incident records and training they already run. Nothing has to be manufactured for the assessment.
System-level coverage. The ten mandatory units cover policy, risk, monitoring, emergency response, competence and review. A candidate who completes it has evidenced a full management system, not one part of it.
Volume enrolment. The booking form takes a quantity, and payment plans apply to multi-candidate bookings.
Competence evidence. CSCS positions the black card as evidence of qualifications and health and safety knowledge that helps demonstrate elements of competence to employers, as required by the Building Safety Act.
For multiple candidates, call the office on 0333 050 9007.
Why Health and Safety Managers Choose Up Level for Their NVQ Level 6
10+Years operating
2,000+Learners certified
5.0Consistent customer rating over 7 years
We're a UK-registered NVQ assessment centre working with individuals and major contractors alike.
Read more about us
Raymond Lusis, MCIOB
Lead Assessor and Lead Internal Quality Assurer
Raymond is a Chartered Member of the Chartered Institute of Building and leads internal quality assurance across all of our qualifications.
LinkedIn
Approved member of the CITB Training Provider Network.
Approved centre for ProQual awarding body.
CIOB
Chartered Assessors
Higher qualifications are assessed by construction professionals who hold Chartered Membership with CIOB.
FAQ
NVQ Level 6 Health and Safety Management: Common Questions
Everything you need to know about accreditation, eligibility, and what happens after your assessment.
Once your assessment has been successfully completed and your qualification is ready to be issued, you have a few options if you're paying by instalments:
Pay the remaining balance in full and we'll issue your certificate immediately.
Continue with your payment plan, and we'll issue your certificate once the final instalment has been received.
Request an Early Certificate Release (ECR), which may allow you to receive and use your certificate before your payment plan is completed. To do this, you'll need to sign an ECR agreement and provide identification and proof of address — this helps protect both parties while you continue making your scheduled payments.
If you have any questions about your payment plan or certificate release options, our team will be happy to help.
Up Level Training Centre is officially registered and accredited by nationally recognised awarding and industry bodies. We operate as an NVQ assessment and training centre for construction-related qualifications. We are an approved member of the CITB Training Provider Network (TPN), an approved centre with Pearson (Edexcel), and an approved centre with ProQual Awarding Body.
As a CITB TPN member, our centre is listed on the official CITB Training Directory. Please note CITB is currently updating its directory system — while our centre is visible, NVQ qualifications may not yet appear on the map listing during this update period. You can also contact CITB directly for confirmation.
No, this is not a traditional training or college course. This is an NVQ assessment for experienced workers and professionals who know their job very well and require official recognition of their skills in the industry. Knowledge and prior experience is mandatory.
Yes, to apply for a temporary Experienced Worker (red) CSCS card, you must have a valid H&S test that was completed within the last two years. Find more information on the CSCS website.
Yes, to apply for a CSCS card, you must have a valid H&S touch screen test, passed within the last two years. You do not need this test to start the NVQ assessment. Find more information on the CSCS website.
No. You do not need to complete a lower NVQ level first. Eligibility for the NVQ is based on your current role, occupational competence and ability to provide suitable workplace evidence.
The timeframe for the NVQ assessment may vary depending on your employment status and your ability to provide evidence of your work practice. Typically, you'll discuss all aspects of your circumstances with your assessor before starting, to confirm a potential completion date.
Yes, you can register for the NVQ assessment without a National Insurance number.
Once your assessment is completed and your portfolio is submitted to the awarding body for achievement, the typical waiting period is up to 15 working days — though this may vary depending on the awarding body's workload and your individual case. Your certificate is released by our sales department upon receipt of full payment.
Yes. NVQ assessment is based on demonstrating your occupational competence and knowledge. Your assessor can take your individual circumstances into account when planning the assessment and use appropriate assessment methods, including professional discussion where suitable.
Ready when you are
Turn your experience into a recognised qualification.
Start with a free eligibility check — no cost, no obligation — or go straight ahead and book your assessment.
Do you have experience in health and safety management?
Application form
Let's check your eligibility
You're applying for
A free eligibility check for the NVQ Level 6 Diploma in Occupational Health and Safety Practice.
Once confirmed and happy to proceed, the booking fee is £1,645.00 + VAT,
or from just
£197.40/month (including VAT) with an interest-free payment plan over up to 10 months. Instant approval and no 3rd-party finance involved.
This assessment isn't suitable for beginners
Sorry, this assessment is not suitable for beginners. We only work with experienced workers and professionals who know their job and require official recognition of their skills in the industry.
Knowledge and prior experience are mandatory.
Application received
We've got your details
Thanks — your application has been received by our team. We're sending an email to
.
Please double-check that the email address is correct.
Meanwhile, hear from our customers
5.0
Top rated on Google · 239 reviews
Booking for
NVQ Level 6 Health and Safety Management
From only
£197.40
p/m (VAT incl.)
or £1,645.00 + VAT paid in full
1-Day Registration
All assessments start the same day. However, if you need proof of registration urgently, choose this package. If you can't get on site without a CSCS card, we'll aim to send your registration confirmation within 1 working day so you can apply for the Experienced Worker (Red) CSCS card right away.
* To apply for a temporary CSCS card, you must hold a valid H&S test, passed within the last two years
Included
No Written Answers
Replace hours of written knowledge questions with assessor-led questions about your work. It feels like a natural conversation. You provide the answers. Your assessor records and documents them against the assessment criteria.
* Professional discussions (interviews) are audio or video recorded as evidence for your qualification
Included
Fast Track
With this option, you'll speed up the process and complete your assessment within 4 to 6 weeks. You'll receive priority status, and your assessor will work out a plan that fits around your work schedule and hits that timeframe. When procrastination creeps in, expect a friendly phone call from your assessor to help you get back on track.
* You must be motivated and willing to cooperate with your assessor
Included
Optional package
Even experienced managers can have knowledge gaps or may need support with some management systems, procedures or documentation. With this option, your assessor also works as a mentor, helping you understand what is expected, where to find the right industry information, and how to put suitable systems into practice on your real projects. As you apply them in your workplace, the genuine procedures, records and documentation created through your normal management activities may also be used as assessment evidence where they meet the required criteria.
* This package is NOT intended for novices without prior industry experience
+£500
Choose your payment plan
Instant approval, no 3rd party
Qty
1
Total (incl. VAT)£1,974.00
Monthly payment (incl. VAT)
£197.40
10
months
No hidden fees. All enrolments strictly subject to eligibility screening with money-back guarantee.
Contact us
Before you call
Check common questions first. If you still need assistance, call our office — we’ll be happy to help.
Yes — prior experience is mandatory. The NVQ Level 6 Diploma in Occupational Health and Safety Practice is a competence-based qualification that assesses your existing skills and knowledge in the field.
No — we don't run workshops or training courses. Our NVQ qualifications are designed for experienced professionals who are already working in the industry. The assessment is based on your existing skills and evidence gathered from your work on site.
No — you don't need any prior qualifications to be eligible. However, you must have practical experience and be actively working in the industry.
