CISRS card renewal after June 2027: what the CSCS exit means for scaffolders and their employers

The Construction Industry Scaffolders Record Scheme has announced plans to end its agreement with the Construction Skills Certification Scheme on 1 June 2027, triggering an immediate dispute between the two bodies and prompting the Scaffolding Association to demand independent oversight. ^[1][2] From that date, new and renewed CISRS cards would carry a different design and no longer display the CSCS logo, unless the two organisations reach agreement on the rule at the centre of the row. ^[3][4] With the next CISRS card renewal cycle already under way for thousands of supervisors and advanced scaffolders, the question of what that card will look like, and whether clients will accept it on site, has become the most pressing regulatory question in the industry.

What CISRS has decided, and why

CISRS announced on 8 September 2026 that it would become the Competence in Scaffolding Record Scheme from 1 January 2027, retaining the same initials, and leave the CSCS Alliance on 1 June 2027. ^[5] The scheme says it currently has around 120,000 cardholders worldwide and that a consultation of NASC members found that an average of roughly 35 per cent of their work took place in non-construction settings, rising to as much as 80 per cent for some firms. ^[6]

The core argument is a legal one. CISRS chief executive Clive Dickin said the board received legal advice that the scheme was in breach of Construction Leadership Council rules, which state that cards carrying the CSCS logo will not be issued for non-construction-related occupations or those visiting sites. ^[7] Dickin said that delaying would have exposed CISRS to the risk of its licence being revoked, potentially leaving cardholders, training centres and employers with only a few months to respond. ^[8] By setting June 2027 as the departure date, he said, the board created nine months and space to work with the wider industry on an agreed solution. ^[9]

On 22 September, CISRS used an industry webinar to clarify that it could withdraw its notice entirely if the CLC amends the relevant clause so the scheme can continue covering scaffolders working across construction and other industries. ^[10] If agreement cannot be reached, CISRS says a fully independent scheme will be ready by June 2027. ^[11] The scheme also reiterated its intention to pursue Ofqual recognition and to continue developing its ScafPal digital platform. ^[12]

Two readings: the case for and the case against

CISRS presents the departure as a protective measure taken on proper legal advice and in the long-term interest of scaffolders who work across multiple sectors. ^[7] It points to the nine-month notice period as evidence of responsible planning, and says existing cards will remain valid for their full five-year term under its contract with CSCS, with qualifications, training standards and assessment routes unchanged throughout the transition. ^[13]

The Scaffolding Association and CSCS group chief executive Sean Kearns take a sharply different view. Kearns described the move as 'unexpected' and said CSCS was disappointed that CISRS communicated its withdrawal publicly before a transition plan had been discussed or approved. ^[14] He rejected the interpretation of the CLC requirements and said scaffolding is an occupation undertaken within construction, so the fact that scaffolding skills may also be required in other sectors does not mean scaffolders working in construction should lose access to a CSCS-logoed card. ^[15] The Scaffolding Association went further, saying its member survey found no evidence of meaningful consultation before the decision was made, including among respondents who are also NASC members. ^[16] It has called for independent oversight of CISRS during the notice period and published a letter questioning what specific issue still requires the departure if cross-sector working does not prevent scaffolders holding a CSCS-logo card. ^[17]

The dispute remains unresolved. The interpretation of the CLC requirements, the future governance of the scheme and the route to a CSCS-recognised scaffolding card after June 2027 are all open questions. ^[18]

Why this is a contractual question, not just a training one

Build UK's current Training Standard supports the CLC position that the industry should specify recognised card schemes carrying the CSCS logo, with no equivalents accepted. ^[19] The Scaffolding Association has noted that employers urgently need to know whether clients will accept the revised CISRS card and whether contractual requirements on card specification will change when a post-2027 card arrives without the CSCS logo. ^[20]

For commercial managers, quantity surveyors and project managers, the practical risk sits in the pre-qualification and tender stage. Most public and private sector frameworks specify CSCS-logo cards in their supply-chain requirements. The EEM £207 million scaffolding framework, awarded in September 2026, explicitly requires suppliers to employ scaffolders with all relevant CISRS qualifications, while the tender also states that NASC membership is recommended. ^[21] If client contracts specify CSCS-logo cards and the revised CISRS card no longer carries one, subcontract compliance clauses could become a source of dispute from June 2027 unless the industry agrees amended wording before then.

Understanding how your CISRS card status interacts with your CPD and renewal obligations is a good starting point. The ScaffSkills guide to CPD for scaffolders covers the renewal cycle and what counts as qualifying CPD toward your next card. ^[22]

Three checks for scaffolding managers and employers

The situation is live and moving quickly. CISRS has committed to publishing a full recording of the September webinar and plans a further industry session. Whether the outcome is a revised CLC clause that keeps CISRS inside CSCS, or a new independent scheme, the practical steps for employers are the same.

A competence card is, in the end, a contractual document: its value is precisely what the client on the other side of the gate is willing to accept.