United Kingdom Accreditation Service
UKAS is a not for profit company limited by guarantee. It is independent of Government, and operates under a Memorandum of Understanding with the Government through the Secretary of State for Business, Energy & Industrial Strategy. UKAS was appointed as the National Accreditation Body by the Accreditation Regulations 2009 (SI No 3155/2009) and the EU Regulation (EC) 765/2008.
Role
The United Kingdom Accreditation Service (UKAS) is the sole national accreditation body for the United Kingdom. UKAS is recognised by government, to assess against internationally agreed standards, organisations that provide certification, testing, inspection and calibration services.
Accreditation by UKAS demonstrates the competence, impartiality and performance capability of these evaluators. In short, UKAS ‘checks the checkers’. UKAS is a non-profit-distributing private company, limited by guarantee. UKAS is independent of Government.
UKAS is appointed as the national accreditation body by Accreditation Regulations 2009 (SI No 3155/2009) and the EU Regulation (EC) 765/2008. UKAS operates under a Memorandum of Understanding with the Government, through the Secretary of State for Department for Business, Energy & Industrial Strategy.
UKAS is licensed by BEIS to use and confer the national accreditation symbols (formerly national accreditation marks) which symbolise Government recognition of the accreditation process.
UKAS accreditation provides an assurance of the competence, impartiality and integrity of conformity assessment bodies. UKAS accredited certification, testing, inspection and calibration reduces the need for suppliers to be assessed by each of their customers.
UKAS' involvement in international groups such as EA, IAF and ILAC, provides for mutual recognition. This reduces the need for multiple assessments of suppliers, and as a consequence helps to reduce barriers to trade for organisations who have UKAS accreditation.
It is therefore BEIS policy to recommend the use of UKAS accredited conformity assessment services whenever this is an option.
History
From 1966 onwards, The British Calibration Service (BCS) was appointed to approve measurements. It was set up to extend the benefits of legal metrology and to also extend the service of measurements to industry and the consumer alike. The government re-located the organisation to the National Physical Laboratory (NPL) during the 1970s.
1n 1981 the testing scheme NATLAS (National Testing Laboratory Accreditation Scheme was introduced by NPL, now known as UKAS) to provide accredited certification certificates. This scheme was the first introduction of a 3rd party national scheme and moved away from 2nd party schemes, allowing accreditation to be independent. The rapid increase in accreditation was encouraged by large procurers taking up this independent scheme.
The accreditation of testing laboratories started to increase, as did the accreditation of calibration laboratories. Indeed 1981 is seen as the ‘trigger point’ for the increase in accredited laboratories, as it encouraged the testing laboratories to gain accredited calibrations for their measurement equipment.
The mid-eighties also followed a trend where 2nd party schemes reduced, and NATLAS found themselves completing more independent work for different types of industry fields such as Electricity and Concrete. This independent stance proved more useful for the laboratories that worked in a number of different sectors, as it also allowed a reduction in multiple assessments from various bodies.
In 1985 BCS and NATLAS merged into the National Measurement Accreditation Service (NAMAS).
In 1995 NAMAS and the National Accreditation Council for Certification Bodies (NACCB) which was operated by BSI merged to form UKAS which together account for over 60 years of experience and expertise in accreditation. In 1996 the accreditation of engineering inspection was added from the Institution of Mechanical Engineers (IMechE).
UKAS was set up under a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with the British Government. This MoU is an agreement between UKAS and the Secretary of State for Business Innovation and Skills (BIS), which was replaced by the Department for Business Energy and Industrial Strategy (BEIS) in July 2016. UKAS was appointed as the National Accreditation Body (NAB) by The Accreditation Regulations, 2009. It conforms to the EU Legislative Framework – Regulation EC 765/2008.
In 2010 UKAS acquired the CPA (Clinical Pathology Accreditation) from the Royal Colleges. It started ISAS (Imaging Services Accreditation Scheme) for the Royal College of Radiologists and the College of Radiographers.
In 2012, UKAS was appointed to deliver the IQIPS (Improving Quality In Physiological Services) Programme hosted by the Royal College of Physicians with support from the Department of Health.
UKAS continues to grow and is now recognised as a leader in the area of accreditation. This has been achieved through continual improvement in technology and innovation in to new areas of accreditation, and by offering customers a high level of service, which exceeds expectation.
