A CQC rating is important public information, but it is not a complete marketing strategy. A provider must display the current rating correctly where the law applies. It can then help families understand the inspection evidence, connect it to the service they are considering and offer a clear next step. The rating should never be used to imply guaranteed outcomes, universal superiority or an automatic right to charge more.
The short answer
First comply: show the latest applicable rating, date and correct CQC profile conspicuously. Then explain what the published report says, pair it with current service evidence and keep the information under review. A Good or Outstanding rating can support trust; Requires Improvement or Inadequate must still be displayed and should be accompanied by clear, truthful improvement information.
The display requirement comes before promotion
CQC states that providers with an overall quality rating after inspection must display it at the location and on websites where the service is described. The rating must be shown no later than 21 calendar days after publication. Regulation 20A requires the display to be conspicuous and legible and to identify the latest rating, its date and the relevant service or premises.
Website
Show the latest applicable rating, date and a direct route to the correct CQC assessment.
Location
Display the required poster or information at the premises to which the rating applies.
Current status
Update the display after a new rating and keep time-sensitive marketing claims aligned.
Regulatory history
If a rating belongs to a previous provider, identify that clearly and do not present it as the successor's own.
Read CQC's current provider guidance on displaying ratings and the underlying Regulation 20A guidance before changing a website or poster.
Audit the exact rating before using it in campaigns
Care groups may have a provider profile and several location profiles. The marketing team must confirm which rating applies to the page, home or campaign. A national headline must not borrow the strongest location's rating, and a location page must not use an inherited or outdated rating without the required context.
Pre-publication rating record
- • provider and location name exactly as shown by CQC;
- • location or provider profile URL and identifier;
- • current overall rating and publication date;
- • whether the rating is current, inherited or under review;
- • the website pages, ads and assets that repeat the information;
- • the person responsible for checking future changes.
Use the official widget or an accurate alternative
CQC provides a widget that shows the latest information and links to the full profile. If the provider does not use the widget, its alternative display must still contain the information required by Regulation 20A. Put the information where people can see it without searching through a footer, and check that the widget uses the location page that actually carries the rating.
Useful implementation checks
- • The rating is readable on mobile and not hidden behind a slider or consent tool.
- • The link opens the correct CQC profile rather than a generic search page.
- • Multi-location sites distinguish each home's rating clearly.
- • “Not yet inspected” services do not imply that registration is equivalent to a positive rating.
- • Structured data and page copy repeat only visible, current information.
CQC's widget guidance and troubleshooting explains that each regulated place has its own widget and that a location ID should be used for the location page carrying the rating.
Explain the inspection evidence, not just the badge
A rating becomes more useful when the provider helps a family reach the report and understand what was assessed. CQC rates adult social care services across five key questions and publishes service-level information. Marketing can identify relevant findings, but every quotation or summary should be traceable to the current report and dated.
| Weak treatment | More useful treatment |
|---|---|
| A large rating badge with no link | Badge or widget, publication date and direct link to the relevant report. |
| “CQC-approved care” | The exact rating and a clear statement that CQC regulates and assesses the service. |
| “Outstanding care guaranteed” | A dated rating plus current evidence of the service and enquiry assessment. |
| Selective praise without context | A fair, sourced report summary that identifies the period and service assessed. |
CQC explains the levels at which services are rated. Use the published profile as the source of truth rather than a screenshot saved in an old marketing folder.
Treat every rating status truthfully
Good or Outstanding
CQC permits providers to celebrate these ratings with optional promotional graphics. Keep the rating, date, location and source clear; do not turn it into an unsupported price, outcome or superiority claim.
Requires Improvement or Inadequate
The rating must still be displayed. CQC encourages providers to explain what they are doing to improve, provided the additional information does not obscure or detract from the rating.
Not yet inspected
Say exactly that where relevant. Registration, regulation and inspection status are different facts; none should be written as though a positive rating already exists.
Inherited history
If the rating was awarded to a previous provider, identify that clearly. Do not use it as the successor provider's own rating.
Connect regulatory trust to the wider decision journey
A family may also examine services, location, fees, photographs, reviews, staff interaction, availability and how quickly the provider answers. The rating should support that journey rather than replace it. Pair the regulator link with current service pages, genuine feedback, original imagery, a clear visit or callback route and helpful follow-up.
Website
Place the rating beside current service information and one clear enquiry action.
Local search
Keep names, addresses, telephone numbers and location-specific rating facts consistent.
Advertising
Use only the exact current rating and service; substantiate every additional objective claim.
Follow-up
Preserve the landing page and campaign source through calls, forms, visits and final outcomes.
The CAP Code requires objective claims to be supported and marketing not to mislead by action or omission. Check the official rules on misleading advertising before using ratings in ads, landing pages or brochures.
Measure whether rating-led content helps the right people act
Do not claim that the rating caused an enquiry simply because it appeared on the page. Compare visits to the CQC-linked page, report-link clicks, calls, forms, suitable enquiries, visits or assessments and final outcomes. Ask prospects what helped them decide, then record the answer consistently.
Useful measurement sequence
Landing page → CQC report interaction → call or form → genuine care enquiry → contacted → visit or assessment → outcome. For paid campaigns, retain the ad and campaign source and compare suitable outcomes—not simply clicks or total forms.
A 30-day CQC-rating marketing plan
Week 1
Inventory every provider and location profile, rating, date, inherited status, website display and campaign reference.
Week 2
Correct widgets, links, dates, location context and inaccurate wording on the highest-traffic pages.
Week 3
Add sourced inspection context, current service evidence, genuine reviews and a clear visit or callback journey.
Week 4
Align local listings and approved campaigns, then verify tracking from page interaction to suitable enquiry and outcome.
Turn verified trust into a measurable enquiry journey
Care Clients can audit rating display, strengthen the website and local-search journey, build genuine reputation content, run compliant Meta and Google campaigns and connect calls, forms and Luwados follow-up to the original source. The aim is not to decorate a page with a badge; it is to help a suitable family verify the service and take a properly tracked next step.