What the General Conditions are
The General Conditions of Recognition are Ofqual’s rules for the awarding organisations and the qualifications it regulates. Ofqual publishes them, with guidance, in the Ofqual Handbook. The handbook page was updated on 11 September 2026. Every regulated awarding organisation has a legal duty to comply with the rules on an ongoing basis and to have regard to the guidance. Ofqual sets the conditions under section 134 of the Apprenticeships, Skills, Children and Learning Act 2009. The duty to have regard to the guidance is in section 153 of that Act.
The conditions apply to qualifications inside an organisation’s scope of recognition that are assessed wholly or mainly in England. An awarding organisation can ask Ofqual to regulate only some of its qualifications. Ofqual does not regulate schools, colleges or training providers as such. A provider applies for recognition only if it also intends to act as an awarding organisation.
This page is a map of that handbook. It is not the handbook, and it is not legal advice. The wording that binds an awarding organisation is Ofqual’s.
How the handbook is organised
Ofqual groups the conditions into sections. Section A covers governance, including conflicts of interest, risk, incidents and malpractice. Section B covers the relationship with Ofqual, including the Responsible Officer and the duty to notify. Section C covers third parties, including centres. Section D covers general requirements for regulated qualifications, including fitness for purpose and complaints. Section E covers design and development, including titles and specifications. Section G covers setting and delivering assessments, including reasonable adjustments and special consideration. Section H covers marking through to results. Section I covers appeals and certificates. Section J is interpretation and definitions. A principles section sits alongside these.
Defined terms in the handbook use capitals and have the meaning in Condition J1. A summary on this page is not a defined term and cannot be used in place of the condition. The 11 September 2026 amendments, described on Ofqual’s updates page, include changes for V Levels, Foundation Certificates and Occupational Certificates. They are a reason to re-read the relevant section, not a reason to rely on an older copy.
Conditions that sit beside the handbook
Apprenticeship assessment has its own Qualification Level Conditions and guidance, in effect from 1 April 2026, which an awarding organisation reads with the General Conditions. Ofqual’s “Understand our rules” page, updated on 10 September 2026, points readers at both. Condition AA4, for example, requires an assessment strategy that is established, maintained, reviewed and followed. That is an Ofqual condition. It is not a Meritura feature name dressed up as a regulation.
Meritura can hold operational evidence that teams use when they are preparing for those controls: assessment strategy reviews, conflict records, centre arrangements, reasonable adjustments, special considerations, appeals and an audit trail. It can also hold recognition-readiness evidence against Criteria A to D, reviewed by people, with no predictive score. It does not score compliance, submit an application, or tell an organisation that it meets a condition.
Related Meritura pages
Questions
Does following Meritura mean an awarding organisation meets the General Conditions?
No. Meritura is not endorsed by Ofqual and is not a compliance certificate. The Conditions are Ofqual’s rules. Software can organise evidence. People and the awarding organisation remain accountable for meeting them.
Which version of the handbook is this guide based on?
The GOV.UK handbook page updated on 11 September 2026, read with the Apprenticeship Assessment Qualification Level Conditions in effect from 1 April 2026. Check Ofqual’s updates page before you rely on a detail, because the handbook changes.
Where is Meritura data hosted?
Your data is hosted in the UK, with our core databases and application servers in London. We work only with trusted, GDPR-compliant providers, and any processing outside the UK is covered by UK GDPR safeguards. A list of sub-processors is available on request.