ukas

UKAS, the United Kingdom Accreditation Service, is the United Kingdom’s national accreditation body. It provides accreditation to organizations that perform conformity assessment services, including testing and calibration laboratories, inspection bodies, certification bodies, and the production of reference materials. Accreditation from UKAS serves as independent evidence of competence, reliability, and impartiality, helping to build trust in products, services, and management systems.

UKAS assessments evaluate both the technical competence of the organization and the integrity of its management systems. The process typically includes document review, on-site assessments, witnessing of activities, and ongoing surveillance to ensure continued conformity with applicable standards and requirements. UKAS-accredited bodies operate within defined scopes and are subject to periodic reassessment.

The scope of UKAS accreditation spans numerous sectors, including healthcare and medical laboratories, food and environmental testing, construction, information security, energy, and regulatory compliance. UKAS principles align with international standards, most notably ISO/IEC 17025 for laboratories, ISO/IEC 17020 for inspection bodies, ISO/IEC 17065 for certification bodies, and related standards for reference materials and management systems.

International recognition is a core aspect of UKAS activity. It is a signatory to the International Laboratory Accreditation Cooperation (ILAC) Multilateral Recognition Arrangement and to the International Accreditation Forum (IAF) MLA, enabling mutual acceptance of accreditation results across borders and facilitating international trade and regulatory alignment.

UKAS works with government, regulators, and industry to support public protection, fair trade, and reliability in conformity assessments, reinforcing confidence in UK markets and international commerce.