Free CQC readiness scorecard
Answer 20 questions across CQC’s five key questions and get an honest readiness score, with a prioritised action list you can print and work through with your team.
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- ✓ No sign-up
- ✓ Takes 5 minutes
- ✓ Nothing saved or sent
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Section 1 of 5: Safe
Safe
Helpful check: answer for what you could evidence today, to an inspector, without preparation time. “Partly” is the honest answer more often than “yes”.
Your answers stay on this page – nothing is saved or sent anywhere.
A note on this scorecard
This is a self-assessment guide built by everyLIFE Technologies. It is not produced by, endorsed by, or affiliated with the Care Quality Commission, and it does not predict your CQC rating – only CQC can assess and rate your service. Use it to spot gaps early and shape your improvement plan alongside CQC’s own guidance at cqc.org.uk.
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How to use this scorecard
- Answer honestly. Score against what you could show an inspector today. An honest amber now beats a surprise on inspection day.
- Work through all five key questions. Safe, effective, caring, responsive and well-led – the same five questions CQC asks of every service.
- Print your action list. Your gaps become a prioritised to-do list. Take it to your next team meeting and assign owners and dates.
- Check again each quarter. Readiness drifts. A five-minute re-check every three months keeps your evidence current.
What your score means
85% and above – strong readiness
Your evidence is in good shape across the board. Keep your routines running and re-check quarterly so nothing drifts.
60% to 84% – nearly there
The foundations are solid but an inspector would find gaps. Work through your action list, starting with any red sections.
Below 60% – needs focused work
Set aside dedicated time with your team. Pick the three highest-priority actions, fix them, then re-run the scorecard.
CQC readiness scorecard: your questions answered
What does the scorecard cover?
Twenty questions, four under each of CQC’s five key questions: safe, effective, caring, responsive and well-led. Each question asks about something inspectors routinely look for in home care services, from safeguarding records and medication audits to person-centred care plans and governance.
Is this up to date with the CQC framework changes?
Yes. The scorecard is built on CQC’s five key questions, which stay in place through the move to sector-specific assessment frameworks during 2026. We deliberately avoided tying questions to the current quality statement numbering, so your results stay useful as the framework changes. You can read about the changes on CQC’s assessment framework pages.
Will this predict my CQC rating?
No, and be wary of anything that claims to. Only CQC can assess and rate your service. This scorecard shows you where your evidence is strong and where an inspector would likely find gaps, so you can act before inspection day.
Is it really free and anonymous?
Yes. There is no sign-up and no email capture. Your answers stay on this page – nothing is saved or sent anywhere, so you can be completely honest.
Who should fill it in?
The registered manager is the natural owner, but it works well done together: run through it in a team meeting or with your deputy and compare answers. Disagreement about an answer is usually the most useful finding.
How often should I re-check?
Quarterly works for most services, plus after any significant change: new management, rapid growth, a serious incident, or news that inspection activity is picking up in your area.
Evidence that builds itself.
PASS records care as it happens – complete audit trails, connected records and AI that flags gaps before inspectors find them. Take a free tour and see it with your own service in mind.
👉 Get started with PASSTrusted by 1,250+ home care providers nationwide.
