Use today
Current quality statements
Browse all 34 statements in current CQC assessment guidance, with links to each source page.
Browse the current statements →Independent HLTH reference
The CQC assessment framework, without the fog.
Understand the 34 quality statements CQC uses today. Explore the proposed 24 adult social care KLOEs. Prepare sensibly without treating a pilot draft as settled regulation.
Proposed framework map
Five key questions. 24 draft KLOEs.
Open a group or choose a KLOE to move straight to its wording and rating characteristics.
Draft, not the current assessment framework
This is CQC's adult social care draft v9, dated 19 March 2026. The current quality statements remain in use while CQC pilots and evaluates the proposed framework.
Start with the distinction
Quality statements are current. The 24 KLOEs are proposed.
CQC's five key questions still organise both models. Draft v9 replaces the current statement structure for adult social care with structured lines of enquiry and rating characteristics. CQC is piloting that approach before making final decisions.
Read the video as text
CQC · Adult social care. CQC is changing how it assesses care. What’s in the draft framework, and what it means for you.
Today: the Single Assessment Framework. 34 quality statements across the five key questions: Safe, Effective, Caring, Responsive and Well-led. Each statement assessed is scored 1 to 4, and the scores build up to ratings.
The draft (adult social care v9, 19 March 2026): the five key questions stay. Key lines of enquiry replace the quality statements: 24 of them, Safe 7, Effective 4, Caring 3, Responsive 4 and Well-led 6.
How ratings change: scores are going. Today, a score of 1 to 4 for each quality statement assessed. Ratings will be judged directly at each key question, using structured professional judgement, guided by sector-specific rating characteristics for each level: Outstanding, Good, Requires improvement and Inadequate.
Where it stands: draft frameworks published March 2026. Feedback on the drafts closed 12 June 2026. Pilots with providers, June to October 2026. Evaluation planned for November 2026. Still a draft: pilots run alongside today’s inspections. Source: CQC updates of 24 March, 4 June and 27 August 2026.
What we’d do now (HLTH’s view): get ready without guessing. Today’s framework still applies. Learn the 24 draft KLOEs for adult social care. Evidence each key question, not a score.
What does it mean for your service? Ask an HLTH expert. Contains public sector information from the Care Quality Commission, licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0. HLTH Compliance is not affiliated with or endorsed by CQC.
Prepare for change
Draft adult social care KLOEs
Read all 24 proposed KLOEs and their rating characteristics.
Explore the draft →Compare concepts
Editorial crosswalk
See where current statements overlap with the draft, including gaps and divided concepts.
Open the crosswalk →Act now
Evidence reflection
Spot unclear or incomplete evidence without a fake score or predicted rating.
Start privately →Want to know how your service would fare?
Book a mock inspection run against the draft KLOEs, or call 020 8090 5346 to speak to one of our experts.