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1. National Site Standard Membership Fees
The National Site Standard is the UK’s Workforce Governance Standard.
NSS provides an independent governance, benchmarking and accreditation framework for organisations seeking to strengthen workforce culture, leadership, accountability and organisational performance across construction and construction-related environments.
Membership helps organisations demonstrate independent assurance of workforce governance to clients, funders, procurement teams, framework providers and wider stakeholders.
All membership fees are for a 24-month membership period and are subject to VAT.
2. Which Membership Route Applies?
NSS offers two core membership routes:
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Contractor Membership
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Education & Skills Membership
Additional Enhanced Assurance Services may also be commissioned where organisations, clients, principal contractors or framework providers require further independent verification.
3. Contractor Membership Fees
Contractor Membership is for main contractors, subcontractors and construction organisations seeking organisation-level NSS membership and national accreditation.
The membership provides an independent framework to assess, benchmark and strengthen workforce governance across the organisation.
Membership fees are based on annual turnover and, across every pricing band, represent less than 0.1% of company turnover, providing an affordable investment in workforce standards, governance and accreditation.
NSS may also take into account organisational size, operating model, workforce profile, geographic spread, project complexity and assurance requirements to ensure the assessment process remains appropriate to each organisation.
All prices below are subject to VAT.
Annual Turnover | Monthly Subscription Amount |
|---|---|
Up to £2m | £159 p/m |
£2m-£10m | £299 p/m |
£10m-£50m | £499 p/m |
£50m-£250m | £799 p/m |
£250m+ | £1,599 p/m |
4. Contractor Membership Includes
Every Contractor Membership includes:
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Access to NSS implementation guidance and supporting resources.
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Assessment against National Site Standard (NSS) criteria;
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Organisation Benchmarking
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Executive Reporting
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Improvement Planning
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Independent Site Verification Assessments
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Ongoing governance, scheme updates and central oversight
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Procurement & Framework Evidence Pack / Client Assurance Documentation
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Inclusion on the NSS Accredited Register
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Authorised use of the NSS Accredited Contractor mark
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Digital accreditation certificate
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Digital badges for websites, email signatures and tender submissions
Independent Site Verification Assessments are undertaken where required as part of the proportionate assurance programme determined by NSS.
The scope and frequency of assessment activity are determined according to the size, complexity, operating profile and assurance requirements of each organisation.
Additional project-specific, client-requested or enhanced assurance activity may be commissioned separately where required.
4.1 SITE RECOGNITION
Following successful assessment, qualifying sites may receive:
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NSS Assessed Site;
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NSS Commended Site;
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NSS Excellent Site; or
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NSS Outstanding Site.
Recognised sites may receive:
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NSS Site Recognition Certificate;
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NSS Site Recognition Signage;
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Digital Recognition Assets;
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Inclusion within NSS promotional activity.
Site recognition remains valid for twelve (12) months from the assessment date.
To maintain recognition status, sites must be reassessed annually.
4.2 IMPORTANT DISTINCTION
Organisational accreditation and site recognition are separate components of the NSS framework.
An accredited contractor may operate sites that have not been assessed by NSS.
Only sites independently assessed by NSS may claim NSS Site Recognition status or display NSS Site Recognition materials.
5. Education & Skills Membership
Education & Skills Membership is for colleges, universities and independent training providers committed to delivering excellence in workforce development.
Membership provides independent assurance that workforce culture, leadership and learner environments meet nationally recognised standards whilst strengthening confidence amongst employers, learners, funding bodies and industry partners.
Education & Skills Membership is suitable for organisations delivering construction-related education, practical learning, skills training, workforce development, industry placement preparation or employer-linked learning environments.
All prices below are subject to VAT.
Membership Type | Monthly Subscription Amount |
|---|---|
Education & Skills Membership | £125 per month |
6. Education & Skills Membership includes:
Every Education & Skills Membership includes:
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Independent Workforce Governance Assessment
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Organisation Benchmark Report
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Leadership Improvement Recommendations
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Executive Summary
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Annual Governance Review
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Public Register Listing
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Accreditation
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Use of the NSS Accreditation Mark
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Ongoing Support
Where additional independent verification of practical, simulated, employer-linked or construction-related learning environments is required, this may be quoted separately according to scope, scale and complexity.
8. Independent Assessment & Site Verification
The National Site Standard uses a combination of organisational assessment and independent site verification to provide assurance that workforce governance is being effectively embedded across an organisation.
Assessment activities may include:
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Desktop assessment of organisational governance, policies and supporting evidence
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Leadership interviews
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Workforce interviews
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Independent Site Verification Assessments
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Observation of workforce practices
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Review of workforce data and performance indicators
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Follow-up improvement reviews where appropriate
The scope and frequency of assessment activities are determined by NSS to provide proportionate assurance and may vary between organisations.
Independent Site Verification Assessments are used to support assurance, benchmarking and continual improvement. They are not health and safety inspections, statutory inspections or standalone compliance audits.
9. Enhanced Assurance Services
Organisations and their clients may request additional project-specific assessments, framework verification programmes, supply chain assurance reviews or portfolio-wide verification at any stage during the membership period.
Enhanced Assurance Services are quoted separately according to the scope, scale and complexity of the assessment, providing organisations and their clients with additional independent confidence where required.
Examples include:
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Additional Site Assessments
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Framework Assurance Programmes
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Project-Specific Verification
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Supply Chain Assurance Reviews
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Portfolio Verification for Public Sector Clients
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Enhanced Verification Programmes for Tier 1 Contractors
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Client-Requested Independent Verification Assessments
Additional site assessments may be commissioned throughout the membership period where an organisation, client, principal contractor, framework provider or other relevant stakeholder requires further independent verification beyond the included assessment allocation.
Assessment fees are determined under the Fair Play Policy and site assessment methodology. NSS applies a proportionate, evidence-based and risk-informed approach, taking account of project value, project duration, site location, geographic spread, project complexity, specialist risks, travel requirements, accommodation requirements and assessor resource requirements.
Site assessments are undertaken to verify the practical implementation of NSS principles within live construction environments. Assessment scope may also be influenced by organisational scale, previous assessment findings, reported incidents or concerns, maturity of NSS implementation and other risk-based considerations.
Site recognition is awarded only following independent assessment of individual construction projects. NSS does not automatically recognise all sites operated by an accredited contractor. Site recognition remains valid for twelve (12) months and must be renewed through reassessment.
Included site assessments are intended for standard construction projects capable of being assessed within a single working day. NSS reserves the right to apply supplementary charges where projects involve remote locations, overnight accommodation, specialist access arrangements, complex security procedures, exceptional project scale or additional assessor resource requirements. Any such costs will be agreed in advance.
Where significant non-conformances are identified, NSS may require a follow-up corrective action verification assessment to confirm that agreed corrective actions have been satisfactorily implemented. Verification assessments are chargeable and priced according to scope and complexity.
A quotation will always be provided before any Enhanced Assurance Service is undertaken.
10. The NSS Impact Fund
Every National Site Standard membership creates wider industry impact. Five per cent of every membership fee is allocated to the NSS Impact Fund, supporting charitable and community organisations that are driving positive change across the construction sector.
Every two years, the Governance Board will select five organisations. Members will then choose which organisation receives their allocated contribution, ensuring the industry directly shapes where support is invested.
11. Payment and VAT
All prices shown are subject to VAT.
Membership fees are payable in accordance with the payment terms agreed with NSS.
Payment options may include upfront payment, annual payment or an agreed staged payment arrangement, subject to approval.
Preferred payment methods include BACS, debit card or credit card.
12. READY TO RAISE THE STANDARD?
Start your pathway to NSS Accreditation today and demonstrate your commitment to better sites, stronger teams and improved delivery.
To discuss the right membership route for your organisation, speak to the National Site Standard team.
Email: info@nationalsitestandard.org