On the Ofqual register · 610/6988/7Level 3From £79.99/moLevel 3 Diploma in Adult Care (RQF)
The TQUK Level 3 Diploma in Adult Care (RQF), 610/6988/7, is the current version of the old NVQ Level 3 in Health and Social Care, for senior care workers in England. You study online with a named UK tutor while you work in adult care, build a portfolio with no exams, and typically finish in 12 to 18 months.
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Start your free trial Or pay today: £69.99 a month, save up to 17% for lifeIs this course for you?
- You are in paid or voluntary work in adult care for the whole course
- Your manager agrees to your assessor observing you on shift
- 8 to 12 hours a week, portfolio of evidence, no exams
New to care? Start with the Care Certificate online course, £19.99
Updated
| Qualification | TQUK Level 3 Diploma in Adult Care (RQF) |
|---|---|
| Level | Level 3 |
| Awarding body | TQUK (Training Qualifications UK) |
| Qualification number | 610/6988/7 |
| Exams | Portfolio of evidence, no exams |
| Price | £629.99 a year or £69.99 a month when you pay today: pay for 9 months, get 3 free, price fixed for life. Prefer to try it first? Free for 7 days, then £79.99 a month or £815.99 a year. |
| Typical duration | 12 to 18 months |
| Age | 16 or over |
| Who it suits | Work in adult social care and want the Level 3 employers ask for at senior care worker level |
qualification
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What senior care workers are paid
Skills for Care publishes the pay recorded by care employers in England; the Office for National Statistics publishes what care workers earn across the UK. Both are shown.
Independent sector. National Living Wage rose to £12.71 in April 2026, so the floor has moved since.
6% above care worker median. The role the Level 3 diploma is for.
SOC 1232 covers managers and proprietors of residential, day and domiciliary services. Skills for Care's pay report does not publish a registered manager figure.
Try it free. Stay while it works for you. Leave whenever you like.
There is no course fee to find, no finance agreement to sign and no debt to worry about. Your first 7 days are free, then you pay for the month you are in, and every payment is covered by the 14-day money back guarantee. Prefer to pay today? Skip the trial and save up to 17%, with your price fixed for life, with the same 14-day guarantee.
You never sign a credit agreement with us, so there is no debt and nothing for anyone to chase. If you stop paying, you simply stop studying. No finance company, no loan and no letters.
This course is for you if
- Work in adult social care and want the Level 3 employers ask for at senior care worker level
- Are a care worker ready to lead shifts, supervise others and hold care plans
- Are in paid or voluntary care work for the whole course so your practice can be observed in person
- Prefer portfolio assessment to exams
- Are 16 or over; Level 2 English and maths recommended
Think again if
- You are not working or volunteering in an adult care setting; competence has to be observed in real practice
- You want the managerial qualification straight away; that is the Level 5 diploma and needs a leadership role
- You need the induction standards for a new starter; that is the Care Certificate, not a diploma
This is a work based qualification. Learners must be in paid or voluntary employment within an adult care setting for the duration of the qualification in order to demonstrate competence in both knowledge and practical care skills. Assessment of competence must take place in real work environments.
- Residential, domiciliary, supported living or day services, part time or full time
- Your employer's agreement to in person observations on shift
- An enhanced DBS check, arranged by your employer
- Not in care yet? Ask an adviser about the Care Certificate and volunteering routes first
- Your setting may require you to be 18 for an enhanced DBS check or lone working.
Is NVQ Level 3 the Same as the Level 3 Diploma in Adult Care?
The short answer is yes. The Level 3 Diploma in Adult Care is the modern replacement for the NVQ Level 3 in Health and Social Care. NVQs moved to the RQF framework in 2015, and employers treat the two as the same qualification. Watch the short explainer, then read on for the details.
Still searching for "NVQ Level 3 Health and Social Care"? Read what the NVQ Level 3 is called now, our NVQ vs RQF vs QCF explainer, or the full NVQ to RQF equivalence table.
Prefer to read? See how you are assessed
From care worker to registered manager
Each step is a separate qualification and, in adult care, a separate role.
Level 3 is the diploma the Care Workforce Pathway expects at Supervisor or leader, alongside leadership learning; see our Care Workforce Pathway qualifications map.
The 16 standards every new care worker completes. A CPD short course, not a regulated qualification.
Level 3Level 3 Diploma in Adult Care (RQF)Senior care worker. 59 credits, in a care setting.
From £79.99/moLevel 5Level 5 Diploma in Leadership and Management for Adult Care (RQF)Leading an adult care service. 95 credits, in a leadership role.
From £89.99/moFifteen mandatory units, then your optional units
59 credits: 40 from the fifteen mandatory units, plus at least 19 credits from the optional units, chosen with your tutor.
1Agreed ways of working in care settings (K/650/2298)3 credits
3 credits, 25 guided learning hours.
2Safeguarding in care settings (L/650/2299)3 credits
3 credits, 26 guided learning hours.
3Mental capacity and restrictive practice in care settings (A/650/2300)3 credits
3 credits, 20 guided learning hours.
4Duty of care in care settings (D/650/2301)2 credits
2 credits, 24 guided learning hours.
5Effective communication in care settings (F/650/2302)3 credits
3 credits, 22 guided learning hours.
6Handling information in care settings (H/650/2303)2 credits
2 credits, 20 guided learning hours.
7Person-centred practice in care settings (J/650/2304)3 credits
3 credits, 24 guided learning hours.
8Importance of choice and independence in care settings (K/650/2305)2 credits
2 credits, 21 guided learning hours.
9Health and wellbeing (D/651/9115)3 credits
3 credits, 23 guided learning hours.
10Equality, diversity, inclusion and human rights in care settings (M/650/2307)3 credits
3 credits, 27 guided learning hours.
11Health and safety in care settings (F/651/9116)2 credits
2 credits, 15 guided learning hours.
12Infection prevention and control in care settings (T/650/2309)3 credits
3 credits, 27 guided learning hours.
13Health and safety (topics) (H/651/9117)2 credits
Moving and handling equipment and other objects safely, handling hazardous substances and materials, promoting fire safety in the work setting, and implementing security measures in the work setting.
14Continuous development (J/651/9118)3 credits
3 credits, 24 guided learning hours.
15Personal wellbeing (K/651/9119)3 credits
3 credits, 25 guided learning hours.
16Introduction to personalisation in social care (T/616/4133)Optional · 3 credits
3 credits, 22 guided learning hours.
17Understand mental health (R/650/2317)Optional · 3 credits
3 credits, 16 guided learning hours.
18Principles of advocacy in adult care (T/651/9121)Optional · 3 credits
3 credits, 25 guided learning hours.
19Understand physical disability (L/616/4137)Optional · 3 credits
3 credits, 22 guided learning hours.
20Understand management and leadership in adult social care (Y/651/9131)Optional · 3 credits
3 credits, 23 guided learning hours.
21Understand the effects of ageing in activity provision (H/616/4144)Optional · 2 credits
2 credits, 17 guided learning hours.
22Supporting innovation and transformation in adult care (A/651/9132)Optional · 2 credits
2 credits, 15 guided learning hours.
How is the Level 3 Diploma in Adult Care assessed?
There are no exams. This Ofqual regulated TQUK diploma is a portfolio for knowledge and in person observation of practice on shift for skills, plus professional discussion. Observation of several units must not be remote. It is quality assured by TQUK. Grading is pass only.
Portfolio for knowledge; in person observation of practice on shift for skills (several units say the observation must not be remote); professional discussion. Assessor must hold an assessing qualification. Internally marked, externally quality assured by TQUK.
Work through the unit online with your named UK tutor.
Observation, witness statements, work products and reflective accounts from your real workplace.
Marked in 5 to 7 working days. Pass or refer. Resubmit until every criterion is met. Your certificate comes from TQUK.
Your certificate comes from TQUK
Training Qualifications UK issues the certificate. Lift College teaches the course and TQUK awards it.
TQUK approves the centre, the tutors who assess you and the way the course is delivered before a single learner is registered.
An external quality assurer from TQUK samples assessed work from Lift College learners. Your result stands because TQUK has agreed it, not just your tutor.
Your certificate is printed by TQUK with a unique number. Any employer or university can confirm it is real on TQUK's certificate verification service. TQUK certificate verification
A named UK tutor from enrolment to your certificate
The same UK tutor supports you from enrolment through to your certificate.
Marked in 5 to 7 working days.
Your dashboard shows what you have completed and what comes next.
If a unit is referred, you resubmit at no extra cost until every criterion is met.
What Level 3 Diploma in Adult Care costs online
Pay today, pay for 9 months and get 3 free, with your price fixed for life. Pay monthly and start today for £10 a month less than after a trial. Prefer to try it first? Start for £0 today on the 7-day free trial.
| Full course with all fees included | |
|---|---|
| Pay today, yearlyBest value3 months free, fixed for life | £629.99 a yearthat is £52.50 a month |
| Pay today, monthly£10 a month less than after a trial | £69.99 a month |
| 7-day free trial first£0 today, first payment on day 8 | £79.99 a monthor £815.99 a year |
- 14-day money back
- No contract
- No credit check
- No finance agreement
- Cancel any time
How the cost compares
Oxbridge Home Learning, UK Open College and NCC Home Learning charge £529 to £795 for the course, paid in full or in instalments. With Lift College you can start for £0 today, and a full year is £629.99 when you pay today.
| Provider | Course fee | How you pay |
|---|---|---|
| Lift College Lowest cost to start | £629.99for 12 months, paid today, every fee and your TQUK certificate included | £0 today on the 7-day free trial. Monthly or yearly, no contract, no credit check, cancel any time |
| Oxbridge Home Learning | £795 | Course fee |
| UK Open College | £699 | Course fee |
| NCC Home Learning | £529 | Pay in full, online study |
Lift College's price includes every fee and your TQUK certificate.
Reviews from Lift College learners
“I had been a deputy manager for two years waiting to take the level 5. Lift College's support team sorted my enrolment quickly and my assessor was genuinely expert in care home management. Achieved the RQF diploma in 14…”
DamianStudied Level 5 Diploma in Leadership and Management for Adult Care (RQF)“I changed careers from retail to care at 42 and was anxious about returning to study. My Lift College advisor was honest about the workplace observation requirements and helped me find a part-time care role alongside my…”
TrevorStudied Level 3 Diploma in Adult Care (RQF)“I had been a care assistant for four years without a formal qualification. Lift College made the whole process straightforward, my assessor visited regularly and I completed my Level 3 Diploma in Adult Care in just over…”
SharonStudied Level 3 Diploma in Adult Care (RQF)Frequently asked questions
Is this the level 3 diploma in health and social care?
Yes, in the sense employers use the name. The Level 3 Diploma in Adult Care (RQF) replaced the NVQ Level 3 in Health and Social Care when NVQs moved to the RQF framework in 2015, and it is the Level 3 qualification care employers in England now ask for. Lift College teaches the TQUK Level 3 Diploma in Adult Care, 610/6988/7, online.
Where can I do NVQ level 3 health and social care?
You can do it online with Lift College while you work or volunteer in adult care. You study its replacement, the TQUK Level 3 Diploma in Adult Care (RQF), with a named UK tutor and assessor, and your assessor observes your practice in person on shift in the care setting where you work.
What is a lead adult care worker level 3?
Lead Adult Care Worker is the name of the Level 3 adult care apprenticeship, which the National Careers Service lists as one route into senior care work. This diploma is the route without an apprenticeship: you study the Level 3 Diploma in Adult Care online in your current care job, and it is the qualification employers ask for at senior care worker level.
Can I do the level 3 health and social care diploma without working in care?
No. You must be in paid or voluntary work in an adult care setting for the whole course, because your assessor observes your skills in person on shift. If you are new to care, start with the Care Certificate and move on to the Level 3 diploma once you are in post.
Is level 3 adult social care on the Skills for Care list?
Yes. The TQUK Level 3 Diploma in Adult Care (RQF), 610/6988/7, is on Skills for Care's approved qualifications list for adult social care in England. It became operational on 1 April 2026 and follows the Skills for Care qualification criteria.
Is BTEC level 3 health and social care the same?
No. A BTEC in health and social care is a classroom qualification you can take without a care job, while the Level 3 Diploma in Adult Care is assessed on shift in the care setting where you work. Our guide to BTEC health and social care vs the adult care diploma sets out the differences.
How long does NVQ level 3 health and social care online take?
Most learners take 12 to 18 months, studying 8 to 12 hours a week. The Level 3 Diploma in Adult Care that replaced the NVQ is 496 guided learning hours, with a total qualification time of 590 hours, and you stay in an adult care setting for the whole course.
Is the Level 3 Diploma in Adult Care worth it?
For care workers planning to stay in the sector, the Level 3 Diploma in Adult Care is the qualification employers most commonly ask for when promoting into senior care worker roles. Lift College's online diploma is studied alongside your job; our full guide to whether the diploma is worth it weighs the costs against typical pay steps.
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