Health & Social Care FAQ

An RQF (Regulated Qualifications Framework) diploma in health and social care is an Ofqual-regulated, work-based qualification assessed through your real care setting. The RQF replaced the legacy NVQ and QCF frameworks; qualifications awarded today by bodies such as NCFE CACHE, Highfield, and City & Guilds are all RQF-regulated diplomas. They are fully recognised by the CQC, Skills for Care, and employers across the sector.

Yes, the theory and knowledge units can be completed online through a digital learning platform. However, the competency units at level 3 and above require workplace observations by a qualified assessor, so you need to be working (or on placement) in a regulated adult care setting. Purely online study without a workplace component does not meet the qualification standards.

Most learners working full time in care complete the level 3 diploma in 12 to 18 months. Part-time or slower study can extend this to two years. Pace depends on how quickly your assessor can schedule workplace observations and how fast you work through the knowledge units in the online portal.

Yes, provided the qualification is quality-assured by Ofqual and awarded by an approved body such as NCFE CACHE, Highfield, or City & Guilds. The Care Quality Commission (CQC) inspects whether staff hold appropriate qualifications, an Ofqual-regulated RQF diploma achieved online is treated identically to one completed in a classroom setting.

The Level 3 Diploma in Adult Care is designed for experienced frontline care workers moving into senior care worker or lead practitioner roles. The Level 5 Diploma in Leadership and Management for Adult Care is the qualification required for registered managers of CQC-regulated care services. Level 3 covers care planning, risk assessment, and person-centred practice; level 5 covers governance, workforce management, quality assurance, and leadership. Lift College’s entry point is Level 3.

The Level 5 Diploma in Leadership and Management for Adult Care is the RQF-regulated qualification required to become a registered manager of a CQC-regulated care service. It covers resource management, quality assurance, safeguarding leadership, and governance. Skills for Care includes it on the approved qualifications register for registered managers in England.

None to start. The Care Certificate and Level 3 Diploma in Adult Care have no formal entry requirements beyond working or volunteering in an adult care setting, and Level 2 English and maths are recommended. The Level 5 Diploma expects a Level 3 (or equivalent experience) and a supervisory or management role.

Care worker and senior care worker (Care Certificate, Level 3), team leader or lead practitioner (Level 3), deputy manager and CQC registered manager (Level 5). Skills for Care's December 2025 data puts senior care workers at a median £13.33 an hour and full-time registered managers at around £42,700 a year.

Employer-funded is the usual route: adult social care employers in England can reclaim Level 3 and Level 5 diploma costs through Skills for Care's funding programme (check the current scheme). Lift College courses have no upfront fee: a monthly plan with a 7-day free trial, and many employers pay the subscription for staff being promoted.

The Care Certificate takes 6–12 weeks alongside work. The Level 3 Diploma in Adult Care typically takes 12 to 18 months and the Level 5 Diploma 18 to 24 months; both are self-paced with no fixed term, so pace depends on how quickly workplace observations can be scheduled.

Most learners do not pay themselves. Employers usually sponsor the Level 3 and Level 5 diplomas and can claim a contribution back through Skills for Care's Learning and Development Support Scheme (LDSS); both diplomas also sit inside levy-funded apprenticeships. Self-funding is £69.99 or £79.99 a month after a 7-day trial. See our funding guide for every route.