Locks and Security News: your weekly locks and security industry newsletter
17th April 2024 Issue no. 701
Your industry news - first
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Locksmiths qualification claim: The MLA comments
Some of our readers may have become aware in recent weeks of claims made in social media that new locksmiths qualifications are about to be launched in the UK, without which, they may not trade.
With arguments being made both for and against, LASN sought the advice of industry body the MLA. This is what they had to say:
'We at the MLA have had questions asked over the past couple of weeks from both existing locksmiths and those looking to become locksmiths, about claims being made on the Internet about a new qualification that locksmiths will allegedly have to take in the near future in order to trade.
Having contacted numerous government departments who knew nothing about this, we have now had the following confirmation in writing from the Media and Public Enquiries Department of Ofqual:-
"Ofqual is not aware of any plans for locksmiths to take any compulsory qualifications, or plans to meet any specific regulatory criteria in order to trade."
This has been added to by the Compliance Manager at Highfield Qualifications who has confirmed in writing that there is "no legal requirement for anyone working as a locksmith to have one of these qualifications".
So, whilst we are aware that new qualifications are indeed being launched (although again contrary to some of the marketing, they are being launched by an awarding body, not the Government), and these qualification will apparently be Ofqual regulated, both Ofqual and Highfield (whom if anyone would know you'd expect it to be them!) are not aware of any need to actually take the qualifications, or aware of any other regulatory criteria required, in order to trade as a locksmith.
We hope that this clarifies things.'
4th September 2019