LoginChartered Trading Standards Practitioner
Accreditation as a Chartered Trading Standards Practitioner (CTSP) is the highest accolade the Chartered Trading Standards Institute can bestow - it signifies years of hard work, dedication and a steadfast commitment to protecting consumers and upholding the highest values of the profession and ongoing competency.
As you might expect, becoming a CTSP has its own set of requirements and a rigorous application process - with a strong commitment to career development and learning. Indeed, today, fewer than 300 people in the United Kingdom hold this status.
Did you know? The CTSP is an internationally recognised professional status, providing individuals with the opportunity to promote not only themselves but the trading standards profession as a whole. CTSP status is an acknowledgement of exceptional standing from the holder’s professional institute.
PLEASE NOTE: If you are looking to train and qualify in Trading Standards enforcement, please visit our main Qualifications Page.
CTSI : Ten Years of Chartership, 2015-2025
On April 1, 2015, after more than 134 years in existence (and a variety of guises), the Privy Council granted the Trading Standards Institute its Royal Charter - officially recognising the Institute as the professional body "representing Trading Standards professionals in the United Kingdom".
The charter granted the renamed Chartered Trading Standards Institute a legal entity, reinforcing its role in protecting consumers and promoting fair trading by empowering consumers, encouraging honest businesses, and targeting rogue traders.
In addition to significantly boosting both the status and the standing of the Institute - and recognising the vital part its members play in protecting consumers and promoting better business practices - the charter also allowed Trading Standards Practitioners to become Chartered members of the Institute.
What does the Royal Charter signify?
- Official Recognition: The Royal Charter - signed by the late Queen Elizabeth II - officially recognised CTSI as a professional organisation and a legal entity.
- Professional status: The charter was granted after CTSI demonstrated its pre-eminence, stability, and permanence in its field.
- Expanded Role: In addition to its traditional role, the charter supports CTSI's expanded remit, which includes providing business advice and education on consumer protection legislation.
Why become a CTSP?
Today, CTSP status is widely recognised as the pinnacle of achievement in the field of Trading Standards - currently, fewer than 300 Trading Standards professionals have achieved this level. It provides:
- Recognition of Trading Standards as a Profession: CTSP status provides a prestigious level of recognition within the professional body for Trading Standards - while also bringing it in line with other professional bodies (e.g. Accountants, Public Relations consultants, Engineers, and Surveyors).
- Transparency for Business: It clarifies the competencies and qualifications of Trading Standards practitioners who inspect businesses - providing reassurance and authority.
- Recognition in Legislation: The CTSP ensures a consistent and clear understanding for recognition of professional status in Statutes.
- Local Authorities and Recruitment: CTSP status gives clarity to Local Authorities, as well as individuals, reinforcing the need for continual development both personally and professionally
- International Recognition: CTSP status provides official recognition for members' professional status and qualification and is renowned and respected around the world, including across the EU.
What do CTSPs say about the accreditation?
To mark CTSI's Ten Years of Chartership, we surveyed our current Chartered Trading Standards Practitioners, asking them to tell us what CTSP status means to them. We were overwhelmed - and very grateful - to receive so many wonderful responses. Here's a small sample of what they said:
I'm proud to have CTSP status, it adds a level of professionalism which outside stakeholders admire and appreciate [...] Holding CTSP status has helped me in my career over the last few years, boosting my credibility and confidence [...], how you are viewed by other stakeholders certainly changes. [...] CTSP drives me to keep learning, to keep improving and 20 hours is not burdensome. I would advocate for everyone to give it a go - once you get CTSP you will want to keep it.
Being a Chartered TSP means professional recognition and credibility. Its a nationally and internationally recognised designation of expertise, ethics and competence. It requires ongoing CPD to ensure we stay up up to date and it gives a sense of personal pride and achievement.
Being able to show how proud I am of belonging to one of the oldest and most important professions in the UK. It is the only way of demonstrating a higher level of continued and sustained professional development beyond the statutory qualification.
It creates an equivalence with other chartered professions; it reflects my commitment to professionalism; it recognises my ongoing development.
Being chartered is a status that projects me as qualified, recognised and trusted professional in the trading standards field, giving members professional recognition, personal achievement and career advancement.
The term "Chartered" in front of a job title is widely known and recognised as meaning someone who holds a high level of knowledge and expertise. Having this title, therefore, puts us on a level playing field with other professions. Within my local authority the senior management team do not understand the TS qualifications, they do, however, understand the term "Chartered" and they hold that in high esteem. Within my LA it is a pre-requisite to hold either a degree or Chartered status to enable progress to the post of Senior TSO. As the current TS practitioner diploma is set at HND level, obtaining Chartered status is now a route to career progression.
Being a Chartered Trading Standards Practitioner to me represents a professional milestone and provides a way to demonstrate my ongoing commitment to protecting consumers, supporting legitimate businesses and upholding the integrity of the Trading Standards profession. I am very proud to be a Trading Standards professional and achieving my CTSP designation is a credible way to demonstrate my competence, knowledge and commitment to continuous learning, ethical practice and protecting the public.
Being a CTSP forces me to keep track of CPPD and consider personal development when it might not otherwise happen in the course of normal line management.
The Chartered status brings us to the same professional standing as other industries and is a recognised "brand" where the TS qualification does not.
Being a CTSP is essential to me. I work as a consultant advising businesses to I need to ensure that I am always up to date with my knowledge and training in relation to consumer protection matter and that I am able to demonstrate this if required.
Recognises the complexity and depth of the qualification and gives it parity with other respected and recognised professions. Places individuals where the deserve to be.
For me the value is being able to demonstrate my competence, and have this confirmed and verified by a third party. In my opinion this is the most important aspect of the scheme as it allows TS practitioners to prove their competence during their work, for example if this was questioned during a criminal investigation or court hearing. I also value it as a tool to plan and record my training needs. I know that I will have the opportunity to sit down and assess my needs/create a plan on an annual basis, which I might not find the time to do if left to my own devices.
It gives trust and credibility to the Trading Standards Profession and shows that standards are met alongside the knowledge and experience I have. It also means I maintain my integrity and the reputation of the profession.
It's formal recognition of the commitment to the profession and to lifelong learning. I'm very proud to show I am committed to upholding the values of the profession.
What does it take to become a CTSP?
Candidates for CTSP status must fulfil ALL the following criteria:
- Full CTSI Member
- Provide a completed CTSP Application form
- Provide evidence of up-to-date CPPD or evidence of employer CPPD. Copy certificates only. 20hrs total required (for the calendar year)
- Registration into the CTSI CPPD Scheme
- Provide evidence of Degree or NQF Level 6 form of study (Level 9 SCQF); OR a reflective statement in lieu of a Level 6 Qualification (Level 9 SCQF)
- Provide a copy of appropriate TS Qualification (DTS/DCA 1&2/DCATS/Trading Standards Practitioner Diploma or antecedent); OR a reflective statement demonstrating TS knowledge
- Provided evidence of a Personal Development Plan (for the calendar year), using the Mandatory Form 2
- Completed Evidence Schedule using the Mandatory Form 4.
Applicants should note that we require ALL applicable documents listed above, as these will be reviewed by an external verifier. Examples can be found in the CPPD Handbook. Guidance on these points can be found under the CTSP Requirements tab.
PLEASE NOTE: A Personal Development Plan, Evidence Schedule and CPPD evidence must be submitted each year.
Application Timescale and Fees
All CTSP Applications are reviewed by the appointed verifiers in batches. In general, the application process takes between one month and six weeks, from receipt to completion. Please contact us if you have any queries.
Annual Registration Fee
The standard CTSP Annual Registration fee is £50. Applications received after 1st July will receive a 50% discount (i.e. the fee will be reduced to £25). The Annual Registration fee is in addition to your normal yearly CTSI Member fee and it can be added to your tax relief claim. If you are already registered into the CTSI Professional Competency Framework (CPCF) and have paid the CPCF Annual Registration fee, the CTSP Annual Registration fee is NOT applicable.
Reflective Statement Fees
If your application for Chartered Trading Standards Practitioner status includes Reflective Statement(s), a one-off fee is applicable. This fee is £242 plus VAT per Reflective Statement. If you are submitting two reflective statements, one for your trading standards knowledge and one to demonstrate your level 6 capability, then a 50% discount is applicable against the second reflective statement. Reflective Statement fees are in addition to the CTSP Annual Registration fee.
Retaining your CTSP status
In order to retain your Chartered Trading Standards Practitioner (CTSP) status, you must submit the following each year, to prove ongoing competency is being maintained.
- PERSONAL DEVELOPMENT PLAN: A personal development plan for the forthcoming year (using the mandatory form 2 PDP). This needs to be signed off by you and your internal line manager
- CPPD CERTIFICATES: A minimum of 20 hrs CPPD certificates (copies only) with a minimum of 10 hrs core Trading Standards activities to be demonstrated. Events where no certificate was issued should be listed on the evidence schedule and signed by you and your internal line manager. Should you not receive a certificate, or if this has been lost, the submission should be accompanied by an agenda and learning outcomes from the event in question. If neither are available, a CPPD claim form should be completed and signed by the candidate and line manager.
- EVIDENCE SCHEDULE: An evidence schedule document (using the form 4 Evidence Schedule), listing training courses attended and relating to the above certificates. To be signed by you and your internal line manager
- QUALIFICATIONS CERTIFICATES: Certificates demonstrating trading standards qualifications are only required with the first submission, to obtain CTSP Status, Copies of these certificates are not required to be seen again, nor are they required if CTSP Status is lapsed and then reinstated.
PLEASE NOTE: Although you may submit your annual CTSI CPPD Confirmation Certificate, this is not in itself an acceptable level of evidence to retain CTSP status. Both your initial application and subsequent retention submissions are verified independently by external verifiers. CPPD Certificates obtained throughout the year must be included in the submission.
The CPPD year runs on a calendar basis, and submissions should be tailored accordingly.
Additional Information
Feedback from CTSI verifiers on Previous Cycles
The verifiers would like to provide all candidates with the following feedback with regards to future submissions. As this feedback/guidance is intended to help you with your application, please read it before submitting your application.
- Personal development plan, evidence schedule, CPPD Claim forms: Many candidates did not include the required signatures on their documents. CTSI have informed candidates previously that where applicable the form 2 4 and CPPD claim forms need to be signed by the candidate and line manager
- Personal development plans: Many using the form 2 were short on information and/or relevant dates. CTSI understand that when preparing a PDP some information will not be available, (such as the specific date of a course) however should the candidate be required to attend a refresher or has been delegated a new task an approximate date of when this should be achieved is required. If in doubt refer to the CTSI form 2
- Additional guidance for the measure of success column includes: Attendance/completion at a course in itself does not demonstrate what you have learned from attending the course/meeting. The candidate needs to expand on these points giving examples of how it was beneficial and how this will be applied to work situations. Use of terms such as 'specialist knowledge' should be supplemented with comments on how this will be achieved
- Evidence: Some candidates are including all CPPD obtained in the calendar year, this is unnecessary. Please note only 20 hrs evidence needs to be supplied. If further evidence is required, CTSI will return to the candidate accordingly
- Evidence schedules: candidates are asked to note the CPPD year runs on a calendar basis, any other dates will not be accepted and therefore the submission returned to the candidate
- Evidence schedules: Items listed on the form 4 should be accompanied by the appropriate evidence, do not list on your form 4 if no evidence can be provided
- Examples: we have attached a sanitised CTSP submission sample of an actual submission which met the current CTSP and CPPD 10% review criteria. We would advise candidates follow these as examples of best practice
- CPPD Claim Form: Candidates are asked to complete and sign the form as near as possible to the event, ideally within a calendar month, as advised in the CPPD handbook. Some candidates completed the forms 12 months after the event. This is unacceptable
- Form 4: Candidates are advised to list if an item is core or non-core hours on form 4. Full definitions of core CPPD activities can be found in the CPPD handbook.
CTSP Application
If you would like to find out more about becoming a CTSP, please email our Membership team, who will be more than happy to answer any questions or provide further advice: [email protected]. Alternatively, please download and complete the CTSP Application form (below).
