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RQIA domiciliary care package

RQIA registration for domiciliary care in Northern Ireland

To run a home care agency in Northern Ireland you must register with RQIA before you deliver any personal care. You request access to the RQIA Web Portal, then submit three applications, for the agency, the responsible person and the registered manager, with your Statement of Purpose, Service User Guide, policies, finance and insurance evidence and AccessNI checks. RQIA charges no fee for domiciliary care agencies.

We prepare the whole application and coach you for RQIA. Packages £500 to £8,500 + VAT, fixed before we start.

Book a consultation0333 577 0877Package brochure (PDF)
A home care worker helping an older woman settle on her sofa at home
Personal care in someone's own home is what brings an agency under RQIA.

Do you need to register with RQIA?

Yes, if your agency will provide or arrange personal care for people in their own homes in Northern Ireland. You must be registered before the first visit, and running an unregistered agency is a criminal offence.

Personal care includes help with

  • Washing, bathing or showering
  • Dressing and getting up or ready for bed
  • Using the toilet and continence care
  • Eating and drinking
  • Giving or helping with medicines
Conventional or supported living
Supported living services in Northern Ireland also register as domiciliary care agencies. You choose the sub-type on your application.
One application per agency
Each agency you run needs its own registration, its own Statement of Purpose and its own registered manager.

Each UK nation has its own regulator

RQIA and CQC: what is different in Northern Ireland

RQIA is the CQC equivalent in Northern Ireland, but the law, the roles and the checks are different. Documents written for CQC need rewriting before RQIA will accept them.

Regulator fee

RQIA:None. £0 to register, £0 a year and £0 to vary

CQC:Annual fee by size: £239 plus £54.31 for each person supported

Person accountable

RQIA:Responsible person

CQC:Nominated individual

Criminal record checks

RQIA:AccessNI enhanced check, £32, processed through RQIA

CQC:DBS enhanced check

Care worker register

RQIA:NISCC registration, within six months of starting

CQC:No register for care workers

Manager qualification

RQIA:Set in the Minimum Standards: a professional qualification plus 4 years, or Level 5 plus 5 years

CQC:No fixed rule; CQC expects a relevant qualification such as Level 5

Quality monitoring

RQIA:A written monitoring report every month

CQC:No set monthly report

Who buys care

RQIA:Five Health and Social Care Trusts

CQC:153 local councils and the NHS

Inspection

RQIA:Pre-registration inspection, then at least once a year from your second year

CQC:Risk based, with no fixed frequency

How to register with RQIA, step by step

Everything happens on the RQIA Web Portal. You cannot open an account yourself; RQIA sets it up after your first request.

Three applications, one portal

  1. 1The agencyCompleted by the providerStatement of Purpose, Service User Guide, policies, finance and insurance
  2. 2The responsible personCompleted by that personEmployment history, references, medical fitness, AccessNI and an ID call
  3. 3The registered managerCompleted by the manager as a delegated userQualifications, NISCC registration, references and AccessNI

How long it takes

Our experience. RQIA publishes no target time. In 2025-26 it received 2,044 applications of all kinds, almost 500 more than the year before.

  1. 1

    Request portal access

    On portal.rqia.org.uk choose How to register with RQIA and complete the form as a sole person, partnership or organisation. RQIA checks it, emails a temporary password and phones you with your username, called a CT number.

  2. 2

    Complete the new service application

    Choose domiciliary care agency, conventional or supported living. Add your service details and statement of financial viability, upload each document (10MB maximum) and finish with a signed declaration. The bank reference uses RQIA's template.

  3. 3

    Submit the responsible person application

    A full employment history, two referees RQIA will contact, your financial standing and a medical fitness form from a GP or occupational health. RQIA checks your identity on a Microsoft Teams call and processes your AccessNI enhanced check (£32).

  4. 4

    Add your manager

    You make your manager a delegated portal user. They log in with their own CT number and complete the manager application, with qualifications, NISCC registration, references and AccessNI.

  5. 5

    Answer RQIA's questions

    RQIA reviews each application and returns any that are incomplete or do not match for you to amend and resubmit. Every return adds weeks, so the first submission matters most.

  6. 6

    Interview and pre-registration inspection

    RQIA can interview the responsible person and manager, and inspects your proposed arrangements: management systems, recruitment, training, care planning and monthly quality monitoring.

  7. 7

    Decision

    RQIA registers the agency and manager, sometimes with conditions. If it proposes to refuse, you have 28 days to make written representations, and you can appeal a refusal to the Care Tribunal within 28 days.

Documents you need for RQIA registration

Each application has its own evidence. RQIA reads them together, so your Statement of Purpose, policies and staffing plan must describe the same service.

Application 1

The agency

  • Statement of Purpose, parts 1 and 2
  • Service User Guide
  • The 65 policies and procedures in Appendix 1
  • Staffing plan and training matrix
  • Statement of financial viability and bank reference
  • Business plan
  • Insurance certificates
  • Office, records and data protection arrangements

Application 2

The responsible person

  • Full employment history, every gap explained
  • Two written references
  • Statement of financial standing
  • Medical fitness form from a GP or occupational health
  • AccessNI enhanced check
  • Proof of identity, checked on a Teams call
  • Qualifications and any professional registration

Application 3

The registered manager

  • Qualifications that meet one of the two routes
  • NISCC registration as a manager
  • Employment history showing management experience
  • Two written references
  • AccessNI enhanced check
  • Medical fitness form
See all 65 policies the Minimum Standards require
  1. 1Absence of the manager
  2. 2Access to records
  3. 3Accidents: preventing, reporting, recording and notification
  4. 4Accounting and financial control arrangements
  5. 5Assessment of risks in the service user's home
  6. 6Assessment, care planning and review
  7. 7Changing a worker
  8. 8Communications with carers and representatives
  9. 9Complaints
  10. 10Confidentiality
  11. 11Continence promotion
  12. 12COSHH
  13. 13Dealing with dying and death
  14. 14Decontamination of reusable medical devices
  15. 15Disposal of clinical waste
  16. 16Equality issues
  17. 17Fire precautions
  18. 18First aid
  19. 19General communication arrangements
  20. 20Gifts to staff and donations to the agency
  21. 21Infection prevention and control
  22. 22Inspections of the agency
  23. 23Insurance arrangements
  24. 24Listening and responding to service users' views
  25. 25Maintenance of equipment, plant, premises and grounds
  26. 26Management of keys
  27. 27Management of keys for a service user's home
  28. 28Management of medicines in the service user's home
  29. 29Management of records
  30. 30Management of risks associated with care of individual service users
  31. 31Management, control and monitoring of the agency
  32. 32Managing aggression
  33. 33Moving and handling
  34. 34Occupational health arrangements
  35. 35Operational policy
  36. 36Protection of vulnerable adults and safeguarding children
  37. 37Quality improvement
  38. 38Recording and reporting care practices
  39. 39Referral arrangements
  40. 40Referrals to health and social care professionals
  41. 41Reporting adverse incidents
  42. 42Responding to service users' behaviours
  43. 43Restraint
  44. 44Safe and healthy working practices
  45. 45Safe handling of food
  46. 46Safeguarding and protecting service users' money and valuables
  47. 47Security of the service user's home
  48. 48Service user agreement
  49. 49Service user's guide
  50. 50Skin care
  51. 51Smoking
  52. 52Staff acting as a keyworker
  53. 53Staff clothing
  54. 54Staff discipline
  55. 55Staff grievance
  56. 56Staff handovers
  57. 57Staff induction
  58. 58Staff meetings
  59. 59Staff records
  60. 60Staff recruitment
  61. 61Staff supervision and appraisal
  62. 62Staff training and development
  63. 63Staffing arrangements
  64. 64Untoward incidents
  65. 65Whistle blowing

Source: Domiciliary Care Agencies Minimum Standards, Version 1.2, Appendix 1.

From our RQIA work

Why RQIA sends applications back

Each return can add weeks. These are the problems we fix most often before anything is submitted.

  1. 1A Statement of Purpose copied from another service
  2. 2Policies that say one thing and the staffing plan another
  3. 3Months missing from an employment history
  4. 4References from friends rather than managers
  5. 5A manager not yet on the NISCC register
  6. 6No clear plan for staffing, training or records

The responsible person and the registered manager

RQIA decides on people as much as paperwork. Both roles must show they understand the law, the standards and the service they will run.

Accountable

Responsible person

The director, partner or trustee who answers to RQIA when the provider is a company, partnership or charity. It is the Northern Ireland version of England's nominated individual. If you register as a sole person, you are the provider yourself.

RQIA checks
References, employment history, finances, health, AccessNI and identity
After registration
Monitors quality and writes a report every month, including what service users say

Day to day

Registered manager

Runs the agency every day and is registered by RQIA in their own right. They must be on the NISCC register as a manager (£65 a year), and one of their two references must come from their current or most recent employer.

RQIA checks
Qualifications, management experience, NISCC, references, health and AccessNI
After registration
Leads care, staffing, training, records and the response to inspections

The two routes to becoming a registered manager

Route 1

A social work qualification on the NISCC register, a first level registered nurse, or a registered allied health professional

Plus: 4 years in health or social care with the people you will support, at least 2 in operational management

Route 2

A Level 5 Diploma in Leadership and Management in Health and Social Care (Northern Ireland), or one of the earlier Level 5 titles the standards list

Plus: 5 years in health or social care with the people you will support, at least 2 in operational management

From the Domiciliary Care Agencies Minimum Standards, Version 1.2 (May 2026). Level 5 alone, without the experience, is not enough.

A future registered manager taking part in a video call interview
RQIA checks the responsible person's identity on a Microsoft Teams call.

What RQIA asks the responsible person and manager about

  • 01The Domiciliary Care Agencies Regulations and Minimum Standards
  • 02Adult safeguarding procedures in Northern Ireland
  • 03Managing medicines in someone's home
  • 04Safer recruitment, AccessNI and NISCC registration
  • 05Induction, training and supervision of care workers
  • 06Handling complaints, incidents and notifications
  • 07Monthly quality monitoring and what you do with it
  • 08Local services and the Trust you will work with

We coach both roles with mock interviews built around your own documents.

The Interview Prep Hub

Practise any time, until you pass.

Your own revision portal, with you from the day you join to the morning of your RQIA interview. Use it on your laptop or your phone, and your progress comes with you.

Six ways to practise. Each one built around what RQIA actually asks.

  • Question bank. Questions for the responsible person and the registered manager, built around the minimum standards.

  • Model answers. A full answer for every question, with the key points to hit and a tip from our team.

  • Mock interviews. Fifty questions against the clock, so the real interview already feels familiar.

  • Flashcards. Five spare minutes is enough. Flip a card, check the answer, mark what you knew.

  • Notification drills. Decide what RQIA must be told, how quickly, and what you handle yourself.

  • Judgement drills. Match scenarios to RQIA’s four domains, and put key processes in the right order.

Mock interviews

Rehearse out loud, before it counts.

Fifty questions in thirty minutes, with audio and video recording so it feels like the real call. After each answer, mark yourself honestly and check the key points RQIA listens for.

  • 30 minute timed simulation
  • Audio and video recording
  • Mark yourself after every answer

The Prep Hub comes with our RQIA interview preparation package: three hours one to one with Millicent and Hub access until you pass, £750 including VAT.

RQIA interview preparation

Staffing rules that only apply in Northern Ireland

Your recruitment plan has to show RQIA how every worker will be checked, registered and inducted. These are the four numbers to build it around.

6 monthsNISCC registration
New care workers must be registered with the Northern Ireland Social Care Council within six months of starting. Anyone returning to a registered role must be registered before they start.
£30a year, per care worker
The NISCC fee for a social care worker. You endorse each application as the employer, so build it into your onboarding.
£32AccessNI enhanced check
Every care worker needs an enhanced AccessNI check before they start. A DBS certificate from England or Wales does not count.
3 daysminimum induction
Each new worker gets at least three full working days of induction, following the NISCC Induction Standards.

The law and the 16 RQIA Minimum Standards

Your policies, Statement of Purpose and interview answers are all judged against these. The Minimum Standards were updated to Version 1.2 in May 2026.

The law

  • The 2003 Order

    The Health and Personal Social Services (Quality, Improvement and Regulation) (Northern Ireland) Order 2003 created RQIA and makes registration a legal duty.

  • The 2007 Regulations

    The Domiciliary Care Agencies Regulations (Northern Ireland) 2007 set what you must do: a Statement of Purpose and Service User Guide, fit providers, managers and workers, service user plans, staffing, induction and records.

  • The 2005 Fees Regulations

    Set RQIA fees, nil for domiciliary care agencies, and require an inspection at least once a year after your first year.

Standard 8.11

A quality monitoring report, every month

The registered person monitors the service and writes a monthly report covering what service users and families say and what was done about it. Inspectors ask to see them.

Quality of care

  1. 1Service users' involvement
  2. 2Information for service users
  3. 3Referral arrangements
  4. 4Agreement between a service user and the agency
  5. 5Recording and reporting
  6. 6Contributing to a service user's reviews
  7. 7Management of medicines

Management of the agency

  1. 8Management and control of operations
  2. 9Policies and procedures
  3. 10Management of records
  4. 11Recruitment of staff
  5. 12Staff training and development
  6. 13Staff supervision and appraisal
  7. 14Protection of vulnerable adults and safeguarding children
  8. 15Complaints
  9. 16Safe and healthy working practices
Read the Minimum Standards

How much does RQIA registration cost?

Nothing to RQIA. The Fees and Frequency of Inspections Regulations (Northern Ireland) 2005 set the registration, annual and variation fees for a domiciliary care agency at nil. Your costs are checks, registration of your team, insurance and the months before your first contracts.

Checks and registration for your team

AccessNI, workers plus 2 applicants
£384
NISCC, workers plus manager, first year
£365
Total
£749

Some employers ask workers to pay their own NISCC fee. RQIA charges nothing.

Start up costs in Northern Ireland

  • RQIA registration fee£0Agency and manager, set in law
  • RQIA annual fee£0No renewal; registration continues
  • AccessNI enhanced check£32 eachResponsible person, manager and every care worker
  • NISCC registration£30 a yearEach social care worker; £65 for the manager
  • Form a limited company£100Companies House, online
  • ICO data protection fee£52 a yearTier 1, most start ups
  • InsuranceGet quotesEmployers' liability is compulsory; Trusts expect public liability too
  • Office and equipmentVariesSomewhere secure to keep records and meet staff
  • Our start up package£500 to £8,500 + VATPlan, policies, Statement of Purpose, RQIA application, coaching, brand

Figures checked October 2026.

RQIA fees have not changed since 2005. RQIA has said it wants to recover more of its costs, which would need new legislation, so check the position before you budget.

After registration: RQIA inspections

There is no renewal, but RQIA keeps checking. Build the systems inspectors look for before your first visit, not after.

323
domiciliary care inspections by RQIA in 2025-26, nearly all unannounced
46%
of those inspections ended with a quality improvement plan
73
enforcement meetings with domiciliary care agencies in the same year

Source: RQIA Annual Report and Accounts 2025-26.

When RQIA inspects a new agency

  1. Before registration

    Pre-registration inspection

    RQIA checks your proposed systems, recruitment, training and care planning.

  2. Year 1

    Registered

    The law does not require an inspection in the year you are first registered.

  3. Every year after

    At least one inspection

    Each April to March year, usually unannounced.

What inspectors look at

  • Management, governance and the monthly monitoring reports
  • Recruitment files, AccessNI checks and NISCC registration
  • Induction, training, supervision and appraisal
  • Care plans, reviews and how service users are involved
  • Medicines, incidents, complaints and notifications

Changes such as a new manager or a change to the services you are registered for go through RQIA, and variation applications are free too.

A care worker checking in with a smiling older woman during a home visit
Inspectors ask service users and families for their views, so your monthly report should already show what they think.

Winning work from the five Health and Social Care Trusts

In Northern Ireland the Trusts, not councils, buy most home care, and independent agencies deliver most of it.

People waiting for a home care package

By Trust, at 31 December 2025

  • Northern835
  • Southern817
  • Western814
  • Belfast569
  • South Eastern83
Total across Northern Ireland3,118

Source: Assembly written answer, reported 21 February 2026.

71%
of home care hours delivered by independent agencies (2024)
£21.35
an hour, a published 2025/26 Western Trust lot rate

Three ways to win clients

  • Trust tenders

    Each Trust buys home care in local lots, advertised on eTendersNI. Register for alerts and be RQIA registered before the window opens.

  • Self-directed support

    People can take a direct payment or a managed budget and choose their own provider, so families find you directly.

  • Private clients

    People who pay for their own care, often while they wait for a Trust package.

Pay: the National Living Wage is £12.71 an hour from April 2026. The Health Minister is committed to the Real Living Wage for independent sector care staff, but funding has not yet been confirmed.

Tender writing for Trust contracts

Case study

Zoe Life Care: launching a home care agency in Northern Ireland

Zoe Life Care opened in June 2024 as a home care and nursing agency. We built the brand, the RQIA policies and procedures and the launch materials.

Zoe Life Care logo

Zoe Life Care

Full case study
Founded
June 2024, Northern Ireland
Services
Home care and nursing agency

The brief

Zoe Life Care set out to launch home care and nursing agency services in Northern Ireland in June 2024. They needed a brand that would speak to clients and staff, and a partner who understood RQIA's requirements and the practical side of opening an agency.

What we delivered

  • Business name and logo
  • Policies and procedures written for RQIA's standards
  • Website with service, recruitment and contact pages
  • Tri-fold brochure, recruitment leaflet and social media
“They paid attention to every detail covering everything from branding to meeting requirements, which made our launch smooth and gave us confidence.”
Ingrid, Director, Zoe Life Care Ltd
Zoe Life Care's website shown on a desktop, laptop, tablet and phone
Website
Zoe Life Care tri-fold brochure for compassionate homecare services
Tri-fold brochure
Zoe Life Care recruitment leaflet, front and back
Recruitment leaflet
Start yoursMore client stories

RQIA makes its own registration decisions. The register shows Zoe Life Care as a domiciliary care agency; we do not claim credit for the regulator's decision.

What our RQIA domiciliary care package includes

Everything to get registered and ready for your first clients, in about two months of work plus RQIA's assessment time. Take the full package or only the parts you need.

Plan

  • Business plan and financial viability

    Three years of forecasts built on Trust rates, the National Living Wage, AccessNI and NISCC costs, with your statement of financial viability and bank reference.

  • Statement of Purpose and Service User Guide

    Both parts of the Statement of Purpose the Minimum Standards set out, and a guide your service users can read.

Documents

  • All 65 required policies

    Written for the Northern Ireland Minimum Standards and adult safeguarding procedures, not adapted from England, in your brand.

  • Recruitment and staff files

    AccessNI and NISCC steps, a three day induction plan, a training matrix and supervision records.

Registration

  • RQIA portal applications

    We prepare and check the agency, responsible person and manager applications so they match before you submit.

  • Interview and inspection readiness

    Mock interviews for both roles and a pre-registration check of your systems, files and monthly monitoring.

Brand

  • Brand and website

    Logo, colours and a website that explains your service to Trusts, families and care workers.

  • Printed materials

    Business cards, a service brochure, client leaflets and recruitment posters.

After launch

  • Tenders and 12 months support

    Help with Trust tenders on eTendersNI when you are ready, and a year of advice as you take on your first clients.

A client leaflet we designed for OliveCross HealthCare

Above: a client leaflet we designed for OliveCross HealthCare

Fixed price

£500 to £8,500

+ VAT, agreed before we start

Our work
About 2 months
Support after launch
12 months
Book a consultationStarting in England instead? See the CQC package

Watch, read and download

Our team on getting RQIA approval first time and how the UK regulators compare.

How to get RQIA approval first time

The portal, the documents, the responsible person and manager, and the mistakes that delay registration for months.

How to register a domiciliary care agency under RQIA

A short overview of RQIA registration for a new home care agency in Northern Ireland.

CQC vs CIW vs RQIA: what is the difference?

How the three UK care regulators compare, and which one your agency needs.

Package brochure

RQIA domiciliary care package

Every part of the package, the timeline and what you receive, in one PDF to share with your partners.

PDF, 670 KB, 25 pages

Download

Some of the providers we have worked with

Client reviews

What care providers say about working with us

Care providers describe working with us, in their own words, on Trustpilot and Google.

Trustpilot

Read our reviews on Trustpilot
Read all our Trustpilot reviews
Google reviewsSee what clients say on GoogleRead our Google reviews

Moving slowly. Hover, tap or press Pause to read.

  • First of all i want to give Millicent…

    First of all i want to give Millicent her flowers. I recently became a registered manager ( OLIVE BRANCH CARE & SUPPORT LTD) because of her. She knows her stuff, she takes you through the whole process, the Q&A with encouragement and guidance. I am usually a nerve wreck, but I made it. I couldn't not have wished for a better person than her. THANK YOU MILLICENT. YOU ARE THE BEST.

    Audrey Eastwood

    3 October 2026

    Read full review by Audrey Eastwood on Trustpilot

  • Excellent Support Throughout Our CQC Registration Journey

    Care Sync Experts provided excellent support throughout our CQC registration journey for Tailored Healthcare 4 You Limited. The team was professional, knowledgeable and very supportive throughout the process. They provided valuable guidance with our application, policies, supporting documents and preparation for the CQC registration process. What I particularly appreciated was their willingness to answer questions, explain requirements clearly and provide support whenever we needed clarification. Their guidance helped us navigate what can be a detailed and demanding registration process with greater confidence. We are very grateful for their contribution towards the successful CQC registration of our company and would happily recommend Care Sync Experts to other care providers looking for professional CQC registration support. Thank you to the entire team for your continued support.

    Philip

    3 September 2026

    Read full review by Philip on Trustpilot

  • Thanks to Care Sync Experts

    Care Sync Experts supported with well tailored documentations for the CQC application, good prep/training for the CQC interview and prompt communication throughout the CQC registration stages which led to the success of Novaedge application I had an excellent experience working with Care Sync Experts on my CQC registration application. From the very beginning, their team demonstrated exceptional professionalism, knowledge, and commitment to ensuring my application met the required CQC standards. They provided clear guidance throughout the entire process, helped me prepare all the necessary documentation, and ensured I was fully ready for every stage of the application. Their attention to detail, prompt communication, and willingness to answer every question gave me confidence and made what could have been a stressful process much smoother. I truly appreciated their personalised support and expertise. Thanks to their dedication, I felt well-prepared throughout my CQC registration journey. I would confidently recommend Care Sync Experts to anyone seeking reliable and professional support with CQC registration and healthcare compliance.

    Novaedge Services Limited

    25 July 2026

    Read full review by Novaedge Services Limited on Trustpilot

  • The Experience that I have had with…care sync was a 5 star experience

    The Experience that I have had with Care Sync experts is so excellent and effortless. Care sync experts assisted me with the CQC registration of my company. It was a 5 star experience. Coming from a healthcare background myself, I worked with a group of dedicated experts who knows what there are doing. I will like to thank Colin who handled my registration process with the Care sync expert team in such a way that the process looked so simple.

    E. Lustre

    21 July 2026

    Read full review by E. Lustre on Trustpilot

  • Care Sync Experts are reliable

    Care Sync Experts are reliable, honest and operate with integrity. All the staff are knowledgeable and supportive whenever you need guidance. I recommend them for all those loking for CQC support services.

    customer

    12 June 2026

    Read full review by customer on Trustpilot

  • I am genuinely grateful that I chose Care Sync

    I am genuinely grateful that I chose Care Sync Experts to support me in establishing my domiciliary care company, Precious Care. From my very first conversation with them, it was clear that they truly understood my needs. Their knowledge, expertise, and professionalism were evident from the start—they really do live up to their name. The support provided to me and my wider team was exceptional and truly limitless. No matter how small the question, they were always available, approachable, and ready to help. From day one, Millicent and Collins made us feel valued and important. Speaking with them felt like talking to people I had known for years—warm, reassuring, and always willing to go the extra mile. Every phone call ended with clarity and confidence. Millicent’s guidance, training, and ongoing support were outstanding and made the entire process smooth and stress‑free. Without hesitation, I would recommend Care Sync Experts as the go‑to professionals for anyone seeking EXPERT support in this field.

    PN

    27 March 2026

    Read full review by PN on Trustpilot

  • CQC interview confidence building

    I found the material I was given very informative. This helped build my confidence during my CQC interview preparation. The staff responded to my inquiries timeously

    Lilian Muzorewa

    23 February 2026

    Read full review by Lilian Muzorewa on Trustpilot

  • 100% Support: How Care Sync Experts Made Our CQC Certification A Reality

    I couldn’t be more grateful for Care Sync experts exceptional support during our CQC interview presentations. From the very beginning, Millicent and Collins were not only professional but also incredibly approachable and dedicated. Every time we needed assistance, they were right there ready to help with guidance, expert advice, and all the information required to ensure our success. When our interview dates kept changing, Care Sync flexibility truly set them apart. They rescheduled sessions without hesitation and even provided extra sessions, going far beyond what we had paid for. Their unwavering commitment was a crucial factor in us achieving our CQC certification. Thanks to their 100% support, Victory Growth Care Services is now proudly registered with CQC. I wholeheartedly recommend Care Sync expats for anyone looking for top-notch, dependable support in navigating the complexities of CQC interviews. Their team truly makes a difference!

    Shaz K

    12 February 2025

    Read full review by Shaz K on Trustpilot

  • Outstanding Tender Writing Services

    I recently used Care Sync Experts for the first time to complete a tender, and I am thrilled to say that they won it for me! Their team is absolutely brilliant. They took care of everything with professionalism and expertise, making the whole process smooth and successful. I would 100% recommend Care Sync Experts to any provider looking for someone to write their tender. Their work is of a high standard, and I couldn’t be happier with the results.

    Vivian Owusu

    22 August 2024

    Read full review by Vivian Owusu on Trustpilot

  • Outstanding Service and Exceptional Results!

    I had the pleasure of working with Care Sync Experts for various projects, including website development, tender submissions, and branding materials such as brochures and leaflets. From start to finish, their professionalism and attention to detail have been nothing short of remarkable. They designed and developed my website with a keen understanding of my needs, creating a sleek, user-friendly platform that perfectly represents my brand. But they didn't stop there, their expertise in handling tenders is unparalleled. Of the six tenders they managed for me, they won five. This impressive success rate speaks volumes about their strategic approach and deep industry knowledge. I highly recommend Care Sync Experts to anyone looking for top notch services in web development, tender management, and branding. They have truly elevated my business, and I look forward to continuing our partnership!

    Living Plus Care

    12 August 2024

    Read full review by Living Plus Care on Trustpilot

94% of our clients approved first time

Ready to register your agency with RQIA?

Tell us where in Northern Ireland you want to work and who you want to support. We will plan your registration, your first year numbers and your route to Trust contracts, at a fixed price.

  • All three RQIA applications prepared and checked
  • Policies written for the Northern Ireland Minimum Standards
  • Your responsible person and manager ready for interview
Book a consultation0333 577 0877
A home care worker going through a care plan with an older woman in her living room

RQIA registration FAQs

Last reviewed

RQIA registration is the legal approval you need from the Regulation and Quality Improvement Authority, the independent health and social care regulator in Northern Ireland, before you can run a regulated service such as a domiciliary care agency. RQIA checks that the provider, the responsible person and the registered manager are fit, and that your plans meet the Domiciliary Care Agencies Regulations (Northern Ireland) 2007 and the Minimum Standards. Running a regulated agency without registration is a criminal offence.
Yes, if your agency will provide or arrange personal care for people in their own homes in Northern Ireland, such as help with washing, dressing, eating or medicines. You must be registered before you deliver any care. Supported living agencies also register as domiciliary care agencies, under the supported living sub-type. Each agency needs its own application.
You apply through the RQIA Web Portal at portal.rqia.org.uk. First you complete the How to register with RQIA form with your provider type (sole person, partnership or organisation). RQIA checks it, emails a temporary password and phones you with your username, known as a CT number. You then submit three applications: the new service, the responsible person and the registered manager, with your supporting documents. RQIA reviews them, may return them for changes, carries out a pre-registration inspection and then makes its decision.
RQIA charges no fee to register a domiciliary care agency or its manager, and there is no annual fee or variation fee. This is set by the Fees and Frequency of Inspections Regulations (Northern Ireland) 2005. You do pay £32 for each AccessNI enhanced check, paid to RQIA, and NISCC registration fees. RQIA has said it wants to recover more of its costs, which would need new legislation, so check before you budget. Our consultancy fees are separate.
RQIA does not publish a target time. In our experience a complete, consistent application is usually registered in 8 to 12 weeks, while one that is returned for missing evidence can take 3 to 6 months. The most common causes of delay are gaps in employment history, weak references, a generic Statement of Purpose and a manager who is not yet on the NISCC register.
For the agency you need a Statement of Purpose, a Service User Guide, policies and procedures that match the Minimum Standards, a staffing and training plan, a statement of financial viability with a bank reference, insurance and details of your office and record keeping. The responsible person and the registered manager each need a full employment history, two references, a medical fitness form and an AccessNI enhanced check, and the manager needs evidence of qualifications and NISCC registration.
The responsible person is the individual who is legally accountable for the agency when the provider is a company, partnership or charity. It is the Northern Ireland equivalent of the nominated individual in England. They complete their own application, attend an identity check with RQIA by video call and are responsible for monthly quality monitoring of the service.
Under the Domiciliary Care Agencies Minimum Standards (Version 1.2, May 2026) a manager needs either a professional qualification as a social worker, nurse or allied health professional plus four years' relevant experience, two of them in operational management, or a Level 5 Diploma in Leadership and Management in Health and Social Care Services (Northern Ireland) plus five years' experience, two of them in management. The manager must also be registered with the Northern Ireland Social Care Council (NISCC).
RQIA verifies the identity of the responsible person in a video meeting and can interview the responsible person and registered manager about how they will run the agency. Expect questions on the Regulations and Minimum Standards, adult safeguarding in Northern Ireland, medicines, complaints, recruitment and how you will monitor quality. Before registration RQIA also inspects your proposed arrangements, including management systems, recruitment, training and care planning.
Yes. Social care workers in domiciliary care must be registered with the Northern Ireland Social Care Council. New workers must achieve registration within six months of starting, and people returning to a registered role must be registered before they start. Registration costs £30 a year for a social care worker and £65 for a manager, and the employer endorses each application.
No. Northern Ireland uses AccessNI. The responsible person and registered manager need an AccessNI enhanced disclosure processed through RQIA, costing £32 each, and your care workers need enhanced AccessNI checks before they start. A DBS certificate from England or Wales does not replace them.
The Domiciliary Care Agencies Minimum Standards, Version 1.2 published by the Department of Health in May 2026, set 16 standards in two groups. Standards 1 to 7 cover the quality of care, such as involving service users, care agreements, recording, reviews and medicines. Standards 8 to 16 cover the quality of management, such as policies, records, recruitment, training, supervision, safeguarding, complaints and safe working practices.
RQIA carries out a pre-registration inspection before it registers you. After that the law requires at least one inspection in every April to March year, but not in the year you are first registered. Most domiciliary care inspections are unannounced, and inspectors check management, recruitment, training, care plans and your monthly quality monitoring reports.
Yes. If RQIA proposes to refuse, it sends a notice of proposal and you have 28 days to make written representations. If it then refuses, you can appeal to the Care Tribunal within 28 days of the decision. Most problems are avoided by sending a complete, consistent application and answering RQIA's questions quickly.
Most publicly funded home care is bought by the five Health and Social Care Trusts: Belfast, Northern, South Eastern, Southern and Western. Trusts tender domiciliary care in local lots through eTendersNI. You can also be chosen by people using a direct payment or another self-directed support option, and by private clients who pay for their own care.
No. Our domiciliary care packages cost £500 to £8,500 + VAT, fixed before we start. You can take the full package, with your business plan, policies, Statement of Purpose, RQIA application support, interview coaching, brand and website, or only the parts you need.
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