The worry, and what takes it away
- A policy written for registration, with no review date, and nobody sure when it was last checked.
- CQC changes its guidance, and you only find out when something goes wrong.
- An evening spent re-reading CQC pages to work out whether anything affects you.
- The inspector asks to see your policies, and you are hunting through folders.
- Every policy dated, with the regulation and the CQC page it comes from.
- A short note each month: what changed, and which policy to update.
- "Nothing to change" when nothing has, so you can stop checking.
- One place to point to when someone asks how your policies are kept current.
CQC's own guidance says every policy needs a named owner, a review date and working links to the legislation it cites. We build and watch to that. CQC does not approve policy packs, and neither do we.
What CQC expects, in order
CQC's own registration guidance, laid out as the five stages a new agency goes through. Each step links to the detail.
- Before you applyEnhanced DBS checks for the registered manager and any individual applicant. CQC says allow up to 60 days. Decide who the registered manager is.Guide: DBS timing →
- Write the documents8 core documents, 4 extra for home care and supported living, and the personal care form. Each must carry a review date and working links.Tool: which documents? →
- Send one emailForms, manager forms and all supporting documents together, to CQC, in one email (25 MB limit). Incomplete applications are rejected and lose their place.Guide: how to apply →
- AssessmentFit person interview, possibly a site visit and a nominated individual discussion. Agree dates within 28 days or the application may be returned.Guide: registered manager →
- After registrationKeep the statement of purpose current, notify CQC of changes and incidents, keep every policy reviewed and referenced.What changed this month →
Why this exists
A pack bought at registration carries the review date and links it had on the day. CQC says every document must have "up to date references to legislation or guidance, with working links". Several sellers we looked at show no update date at all.
CQC's own words: "a template for residential care will not work for home care applicants". Ours are written for domiciliary care and supported living, nothing else.
We fetch 27 pages, compare the text, and write one short entry per real change: what moved, which policy it touches, what to do. If nothing changed, we say so.
Free tools, no sign-up
Five questions. A tick list of every form, check and document, with the CQC source for each, a readiness ring, and a clean print or PDF.
Is my policy out of date?Enter the date you last reviewed each policy. See where CQC has updated its guidance page since, and where it has only moved the date.
The document checklistCQC's own list for home care and supported living, with the regulation each document answers and a link to the source page.
What you get
13 policies, 8 templates, 2 specialist policies
- 8 core policies CQC asks every provider for: complaints, consent, equality and human rights, governance, infection control, medicines, recruitment, safeguarding
- 5 policies CQC may ask for during assessment: duty of candour, whistleblowing, person-centred care planning, reportable incidents, risk management
- 8 templates: statement of purpose, service user guide, staff training plan, business plan outline, risk assessment list, sample care plan, sample care contract, staffing and rota
- Positive behaviour support and restraint policies, if you support autistic people or people with a learning disability
- Editable Word files. Each shows the regulation, the CQC source link, the date we last checked it, and a review date field
Everything in the pack, kept current
- A dated change log: what CQC or the law changed, the exact lines, and which policy it touches. See the public sample
- Policies refreshed every 4 months, and straight away for a critical change
- Inspection-readiness checklists
- Read-and-understood sheets for staff
- Cancel any time from your Stripe customer portal
Documents marked "you supply" in the checklist (insurance, proof of your office) cannot be written for you. The pack list follows CQC's published supporting documents for home care and supported living; see the checklist for every source.
Prices
Starter pack
one-off. No VAT is charged.
13 policies and 8 templates, emailed within 14 days of payment.
Buy the starter packUpkeep plan
or £590 a year (two months free). Includes the starter pack. No VAT is charged.
Change log, refreshed policies, checklists. Cancel any time.
This is a pre-order. We are finishing the pack for the first buyers and will email the files within 14 days of payment. 30-day refund, no questions asked. Terms and refunds.
These policies are drafted with AI tools and checked against CQC's published guidance by the person running this service. They have not yet been reviewed by a qualified care professional. If enough agencies sign up, a named registered manager or former inspector will review every policy before delivery. If you would rather wait for that, tell us and we will refund you in full.
CQC does not approve or certify policy packs, and neither do we. This is not legal advice. Adapt every policy to your own service. Every policy shows its sources and the date we last checked them.
What the CQC data says about home care
Aggregates from CQC's open data, 1 October 2026. No individual provider is named anywhere on this site.
Questions
Do you guarantee CQC registration or a good rating?
No, nobody can. Policies are one part of what inspectors look at.
How are policies kept up to date?
We fetch 27 CQC and legislation pages every month and compare the text, not the page date. Each real change is logged with its source and date, and the affected policy is refreshed every 4 months, or straight away for a critical change.
Is AI used?
Yes, for drafting and for summarising changes. A person checks sources. See the status box for review status.
Residential care homes, nurses agencies, dental?
Not yet. This is for home care and supported living in England only.
Can I speak to someone?
Email hello@careupkeep.co.uk. If you need a call, say so and we will arrange one.
Where does the data come from?
CQC and government guidance and CQC open data, reused under the Open Government Licence v3.0. Contains information from the Care Quality Commission. This service is not run by or endorsed by CQC.