Why accreditations matter more online than in person
When a customer meets you on the doorstep, they read your van, your manner and your confidence. Online they have none of that. All they have is your website, so the badges and numbers you show are doing the job your handshake usually does. For gas and electrical work especially, where a bad job is dangerous, a genuine accreditation is often the deciding factor between you and the next name on the list.
Accreditations answer the quiet question every homeowner is asking: "Is this person safe and legal to let into my home?" Show a Gas Safe or NICEIC badge with a checkable number and you have answered it before they even pick up the phone.
Gas Safe: the rules on showing it
If you carry out gas work in the UK, you must be on the Gas Safe Register by law, and if you are, you are actively encouraged to display the logo. There are a few simple rules to stay on the right side of:
- Show your number. Always print your Gas Safe registration or licence number next to the logo. The badge without a number means little.
- Use the official artwork. Download the current logo from the Gas Safe website rather than pulling a blurry copy off Google, which may be an old design.
- Only claim what you hold. Your ID card lists the specific gas appliances you are qualified to work on. Do not imply you cover work you are not signed off for.
- Never borrow a number. Every number is tied to a person or business. Using someone else's, or showing the badge when you are not registered, is illegal and easy to disprove.
Customers can type any number into the free Gas Safe Register check, so honesty is not just the right thing, it is the only thing that survives contact with a careful customer.
NICEIC, NAPIT and Part P for electricians
Electrical work causes the most confusion, so it is worth being precise. Part P is the section of the building regulations covering electrical safety in homes in England and Wales. NICEIC and NAPIT are competent person schemes an electrician can join, which let you self-certify that your work meets those regulations without calling building control out to every job.
So on your website, it is clearer to say "Registered with NICEIC" or "NAPIT approved" and let that imply Part P compliance, rather than listing "Part P" on its own as if it were a qualification. If you hold a specific scheme membership, name it and show your enrolment number. If you are unsure exactly what you are entitled to display, check your certificate or your scheme's member portal before you put anything live.
Other badges worth showing (if you genuinely hold them)
Accreditations are not just for gas and electrical trades. Depending on your work, these carry real weight with customers:
- TrustMark, the government-endorsed quality scheme that works across many trades.
- FMB (Federation of Master Builders), well recognised by homeowners planning bigger building work.
- OFTEC, for oil heating engineers.
- NFRC (National Federation of Roofing Contractors) and CompetentRoofer, for roofers. CompetentRoofer is a government listed competent person scheme for replacing roof coverings, so it matters on re-roofs. I explain both on my web design for roofers page.
- Checkatrade or Which? Trusted Traders. If you are an active member, the badge and rating can reassure.
- Manufacturer approvals, for example a "Worcester Bosch Accredited Installer" badge, which lets you offer longer warranties.
- Public liability insurance. Not a badge, but say clearly that you are insured, and for larger jobs mention any guarantees you offer.
The rule is the same for all of them: only show what you actually hold, and be ready to prove it.
Where to put accreditations on a one page website
Placement matters as much as the badge itself. On a clean one page trade website, a small row of logos near the top, just under your headline or main contact button, catches the eye in the first few seconds. Repeat the same row near your contact section or footer, so the reassurance is there again at the exact moment someone decides to get in touch.
Keep them small, tidy and evenly sized so they read as a trust strip rather than clutter. This is one of the core sections I cover in what to put on a one page trade website, and it is a big part of what makes a good trade website in the first place.
Always pair a badge with a number and a name
A logo on its own is just a picture. A logo with a registration number a customer can check is proof. Wherever you can, put the number right next to the badge, for example "Gas Safe registered, no. 123456" or "NICEIC registered, enrolment no. ABC123". It takes two seconds, and it quietly tells the honest majority of customers that you are the real thing and have nothing to hide.
Pair that with a genuine, human about section that wins trust and a few recent 5-star reviews, and your credibility online is doing more selling than any sales pitch could.
How does a customer check your registration?
A careful customer checks your number on the scheme's own register before ringing. Knowing where they look tells you exactly what to print: the same business name and number the register shows. These are the official search pages (checked October 2026):
| Scheme | Where customers check | What they can search by |
|---|---|---|
| Gas Safe Register | gassaferegister.co.uk | Postcode, to find registered engineers nearby. nidirect also tells customers to ask for the ID card and check the photo, start and expiry dates, licence number and hologram, and that the back covers the gas work they asked for (nidirect, Gas Safe Register). |
| Electricians on any competent person scheme | Registered Competent Person Electrical | Postcode, or business name to check a particular electrician is listed. It covers electricians registered for work in homes in England and Wales. |
| NICEIC | NICEIC find a tradesperson | Postcode. |
| TrustMark | TrustMark find a tradesperson | The work needed and location, plus an advanced search for someone specific. TrustMark calls itself the Government Endorsed Quality Scheme. |
| FMB | FMB find a builder | Builder name, or trade such as roofer or loft conversions. FMB says members pass a vetting and inspection process before joining. |
So the test for your website is simple: type your own business name or postcode into the register you belong to, and make sure the name customers see there is the name on your site. If you trade under a different name from the one you registered, say both ("Smith Heating, registered as J Smith") so the check lines up.
Keep it honest, keep it current
Accreditations expire and memberships lapse. If you drop a scheme, take its badge down. If you renew, make sure the number on your site still matches your certificate. An out-of-date claim is the kind of small thing that can turn a good customer cautious, and in gas and electrical work it can create real liability. A quick check twice a year keeps everything clean.
The short version
Your accreditations are some of the most persuasive things you can put online, so use them, but use them straight. Show the official badge, always print the checkable number beside it, place it near the top and again near your contact button, and only ever claim what you genuinely hold. Do that and every cautious homeowner searching for a safe electrician or plumber has a reason to choose you. If you need somewhere to show them, you can build a one page site free at Tradewebsite.uk in about 2 minutes, use it free for 1 month, then keep it for £299 once.
Frequently asked questions
Can I put the Gas Safe logo on my website?
Yes, if you are a Gas Safe registered engineer or business, you are allowed to use the Gas Safe Register logo, and Gas Safe actively encourages it. You must show your registration or licence number alongside it and only use the current official artwork from the Gas Safe website. Never display the logo if you are not on the register, and never borrow another engineer's number. Customers can check any number for free on the Gas Safe Register, so a false claim is easy to catch and illegal.
Where should accreditation badges go on a trade website?
Put a small row of accreditation badges near the top of the page, just under your headline or main contact button, and repeat them near the footer or contact section. That way a customer sees them within the first few seconds and again at the moment they decide to get in touch. On a one page trade website, once at the top and once near the bottom is plenty. Keep them small and tidy so they build trust without cluttering the page.
What is the difference between Part P and NICEIC?
Part P is the part of the building regulations that covers electrical safety in homes in England and Wales. NICEIC is one of the schemes an electrician can join to be able to self-certify that their work meets those regulations, without calling in building control for every job. Being registered with a competent person scheme like NICEIC or NAPIT is how most electricians comply with Part P, so on your website it is clearer to say you are registered with your scheme rather than only mentioning Part P on its own.
How can a customer check my Gas Safe or NICEIC registration?
On the scheme's own register. Gas Safe Register lets customers search registered engineers by postcode at gassaferegister.co.uk, and customers should also check the engineer's ID card. Electricians on any competent person scheme can be checked by postcode or business name on the Registered Competent Person Electrical register, and NICEIC has its own find a tradesperson search by postcode. Make sure the business name on your website matches the name on the register.
Do I have to prove my accreditations to customers?
You do not have to, but showing the proof wins you more work. Always display your registration or membership number next to each badge, because a number a customer can check is far more convincing than a logo on its own. Good customers increasingly look these up, and being open about your numbers signals that you have nothing to hide. It costs you nothing and separates you from anyone using a badge they are not entitled to.
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