CQC ratings explained: Outstanding to Inadequate
What each CQC rating means, how CQC scores quality statements and key questions today, the two rules that cap a rating, and what an Outstanding rating takes.
The four CQC ratings
For the regulator behind them, see what the CQC is and how it inspects.
Every service CQC rates gets one of four ratings, overall and for each of the five key questions. Each rating is public, and most providers must display theirs.
- Outstanding Care that is exceptional and a model for others.
- Good Care that meets expectations: safe, effective and well-led.
- Requires improvement Not yet good; specific shortfalls need fixing.
- Inadequate Serious concerns; performance is well below expectations and enforcement may follow.
How CQC scores a rating today
Since 2 December 2024, CQC gives a score from 1 to 4 for each quality statement it assesses. Inspectors set each score using professional judgement, from the evidence they’ve gathered in each category. CQC stopped scoring the evidence categories themselves at that point.
| Quality statement score | What it means |
|---|---|
| 4 | Evidence shows an exceptional standard |
| 3 | Evidence shows a good standard |
| 2 | Evidence shows some shortfalls |
| 1 | Evidence shows significant shortfalls |
For each key question, CQC adds up the statement scores and divides the total by the maximum possible: the number of statements multiplied by 4. The percentage then sets the key question’s rating:
| Key question score | Rating |
|---|---|
| 88% and above | Outstanding |
| 63 to 87% | Good |
| 39 to 62% | Requires improvement |
| 25 to 38% | Inadequate |
The percentage also shows where a service sits within its rating, such as a Good nearing Outstanding or a Good nearer to Requires improvement. The five key questions then carry equal weight in the overall rating:
| Overall rating | How it’s normally reached |
|---|---|
| Outstanding | At least two key questions rated Outstanding and the other three Good. |
| Good | No key question rated Inadequate, and no more than one rated Requires improvement. |
| Requires improvement | Two or more key questions rated Requires improvement. |
| Inadequate | Two or more key questions rated Inadequate. |
CQC confirmed in its March 2026 update that it is removing scoring from its assessment methodology and will instead “make rating judgements directly at key question level”, supported by new rating characteristics that describe what each rating looks like in each sector.
The four rating levels and the five key questions are staying. CQC’s latest update, on 27 August 2026, gives no start date for the new approach, so the scores above still apply. See the framework guide for the full picture. We review this guide every month against CQC’s published guidance.
Rating limiters: how one low score caps a key question
Two rules stop a weak area hiding behind strong ones:
- If a key question scores in the Good range but any quality statement under it scores 1, the rating is limited to Requires improvement.
- If a key question scores in the Outstanding range but any quality statement under it scores 1 or 2, the rating is limited to Good.
So strong scores elsewhere can’t carry a serious weakness: fix the low-scoring statement first. If you’re already rated Requires Improvement or Inadequate, read what to do next. The free care home audit tool lists every quality statement behind a rating, so you can see where you stand on each.
Three key question scores, worked through
Well-led and Safe each have 8 quality statements, so each has a maximum score of 32.
| Key question and statement scores | Score | Rating |
|---|---|---|
| Well-led: 4, 4, 4, 4, 4, 3, 3, 3 | 29 of 32, about 91% | Outstanding |
| Well-led: 4, 4, 4, 4, 4, 4, 3, 2 | 29 of 32, about 91% | Good, held there by the 2 |
| Safe: 3, 3, 3, 3, 3, 3, 3, 1 | 22 of 32, about 69% | Requires improvement, held there by the 1 |
What an Outstanding rating takes, in CQC’s words
A score of 4 means the evidence shows an exceptional standard. An Outstanding key question needs most of its statements at 4 and none below 3. For an Outstanding overall rating, a service normally needs at least two key questions rated Outstanding and the other three Good.
Under CQC’s draft frameworks, rating characteristics will describe what outstanding, good, requires improvement and inadequate care look like in each sector, in place of scores. Our guide to rating characteristics covers what the drafts say.
What each rating means in practice
Outstanding is rare and hard-won: a commercial asset that helps win tenders, reassures families and makes recruitment easier. Good is the realistic target for most providers: it signals a safe, well-run service and keeps commissioners comfortable.
Requires Improvement is a warning. You must display it, it dents confidence with local authorities and ICBs, and it puts you on a clock to show progress. Inadequate is serious: it normally triggers special measures and close monitoring, and if things don’t improve it can lead to enforcement action reaching the provider’s registration.
Because CQC publishes ratings and most providers display them on their premises and website, they shape reputation, referrals and revenue long after the assessment itself. If yours isn’t where you want it, read what to do next.
Rated on evidence, so make the evidence undeniable.
Ratings reward services that can prove good care at every level, consistently. CompliantCare keeps the evidence behind each key question current and one click away, so nothing quietly slips into the range that limits your rating.
- Policies drafted, in date, and proven read by every member of staff
- Incidents actioned, with learning documented, not just logged
- Audits, risk and training connected, findings tracked to closure
- A one-click evidence pack for every one of the five key questions
Common questions
What are the four CQC ratings?
Outstanding, Good, Requires Improvement and Inadequate. CQC rates a service overall and against each of the five key questions, then publishes the rating, which most providers must display.
How are CQC ratings decided?
Today, CQC scores each quality statement it assesses from 1 to 4, turns each key question's total into a percentage and a rating, and combines the five equally weighted key questions into an overall rating. CQC confirmed in March 2026 that it is removing scoring and will judge each key question directly against rating characteristics. Its latest update, on 27 August 2026, gives no start date for the new approach.
What score do you need for an Outstanding CQC rating?
A key question is rated Outstanding at 88% or more of its maximum score, with no quality statement scored 1 or 2. Overall, a service normally needs at least two key questions rated Outstanding and the other three rated Good.
What is a rating limiter?
A rule that caps a key question's rating when one area is weak. A key question in the Good range with any quality statement scored 1 is limited to Requires Improvement. One in the Outstanding range with any statement scored 1 or 2 is limited to Good.
Does CQC still score evidence categories?
No. CQC stopped scoring each evidence category on 2 December 2024. Inspectors now give each quality statement a score from 1 to 4, using professional judgement about the evidence they've gathered across the categories.
Are the key questions weighted equally?
Yes. Safe, Effective, Caring, Responsive and Well-led carry equal weight when CQC combines them into an overall rating.
Where can I see a provider's rating?
On the CQC website, and most providers must display their current rating on their premises and website.
References
- Care Quality Commission — Levels of ratings
- Care Quality Commission — How we reach a rating
- Care Quality Commission — Assessment framework
- CQC: Our March update (24 March 2026)
For general information only and reflects our understanding of CQC's approach as of October 2026. The framework is changing during 2026 — always check cqc.org.uk for the current framework for your sector.