Moving and handling of people training online in the UK: where to train and what employers look for

What employers look for in an online moving and handling of people certificate

Your employer decides what moving and handling training you need, based on its risk assessments and the moving and handling plans of the people you support. The Manual Handling Operations Regulations expect employers to avoid hazardous handling where they can, assess what cannot be avoided and reduce the risk, and that includes training. When a care employer or an inspector checks a certificate, they usually look for:

• Content that follows the current regulations. The Manual Handling Operations Regulations 1992 in England, Wales and Scotland, the 1992 Regulations in Northern Ireland, and in England the staffing and training expectations of regulation 18 of the 2014 Regulations that the Care Quality Commission inspects against.
• A clear, verifiable record. The course name, hours of learning and completion date, with a way to confirm the certificate.
• The essentials every care worker needs. How the spine is injured, assessing the person and the task, consent and communication, the principles of safe movement, everyday assisted moves, slide sheets, hoists and slings, and the moves you must never use.
• A refresh date. Most care employers refresh moving and handling every year, so a refresh date matters.

Lift College's certificate does each of these. It records Moving and Handling of People Training, 2 hours of learning, your completion date and a recommended refresh date 12 months on, with a unique certificate number and a verification link. Moving and handling of people also needs a practical element in which a trained person watches you use the techniques and equipment in your own setting; most employers run that in house and accept online training for the theory.

What the Lift College course covers

There are 6 short modules, each with a knowledge check, then a multiple choice final test with an 80% pass mark and unlimited free retakes.

1. Your back and how it gets hurt. How the spine works, the discs and muscles that take the strain, cumulative injury, and the postures and loads that cause most harm.
2. The law and your responsibilities. The Manual Handling Operations Regulations, the Health and Safety at Work Act, CQC regulation 18 and your duty to follow training, use equipment and report problems.
3. Assessing the person and the task. Moving and handling plans, the TILE approach (task, individual, load, environment), the person's abilities, medical conditions, consent and capacity, and when to stop.
4. Principles of safe movement. Stable base, keeping the load close, avoiding twisting, using leg power, working as a team and communicating every move.
5. Assisting everyday moves. Helping someone to sit up in bed, move in bed, sit to stand, stand to sit, walk, and transfer to a chair or commode. Promoting independence.
6. Equipment and banned techniques. Slide sheets, handling belts, transfer boards, stand aids, hoists and slings: checks before use and safe use. The drag lift and other controversial moves and why they are banned.

By the end you can read and follow a moving and handling plan, assess a move before you start, assist everyday moves safely and with the person's consent, use slide sheets and hoists correctly, and recognise the techniques that must never be used.

The law and guidance it is written around

• Manual Handling Operations Regulations 1992, regulation 4 (England, Wales and Scotland). Employers must avoid hazardous manual handling so far as is reasonably practicable, assess what cannot be avoided and reduce the risk to the lowest level reasonably practicable, which includes information and training.
• Manual Handling Operations Regulations (Northern Ireland) 1992 (Northern Ireland). The equivalent regulations for Northern Ireland, with the same duties to avoid, assess and reduce.
• Health and Safety at Work etc. Act 1974, section 2 (England, Wales and Scotland). The general duty on employers to ensure the health, safety and welfare of employees, including information, instruction, training and supervision.
• Health and Social Care Act 2008 (Regulated Activities) Regulations 2014, regulation 18 (England). Registered care providers must have enough suitably qualified, competent, skilled and experienced staff, who receive the training and appraisal they need to carry out their role. The Care Quality Commission inspects against it.

Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland have their own care regulators and standards; the handling principles and the equipment rules in the course are the same across the UK.

How Lift College compares with other UK providers

Details below are as each provider shows them on its own course page, checked 16 October 2026. "Check provider" means the page did not state it.

With Lift College the £19.99 is the full price for one learner, with nothing added at checkout, and the refresher is free when your recommended refresh date arrives. None of the online courses in the table replaces the practical session your employer arranges.

Who it suits

Moving and Handling of People Training is for care and health workers in England, Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland. It is for you if:

• you work in a care home, home care, supported living or a hospital
• you are a healthcare assistant, support worker or personal assistant
• you are new to care and the Care Certificate standards apply to you
• your annual moving and handling refresher is due
• you want to understand the theory before your practical assessment

Online training covers the theory. Moving and handling of people also needs a practical session in which a trained person watches you use the techniques and equipment in your own setting; your employer arranges that, and this course prepares you for it.

If you lift loads rather than people, see our manual handling guide. New to care? Read free versus paid Care Certificate courses. See every course on the safeguarding and care courses page or browse all Lift College CPD courses. Buying for a team? Ask about team enrolment.

Enrol on Moving and Handling of People Training for £19.99 and start module 1 the minute you pay. Ask within 14 days of paying and we refund you in full.