UK accreditation body suspends BBA status following corporate changes

The United Kingdom Accreditation Service (UKAS) has temporarily suspended the accreditation of the British Board of Agrément (BBA) after changes to the organisation’s corporate structure last year.

The suspension, effective from 26 February 2026, means the BBA is currently unable to carry out accredited testing, inspection, and certification services. The decision applies across multiple international standards, including BS EN ISO/IEC 17020, 17021, 17025 and 17065, covering inspection, management systems certification, laboratory testing, and product certification activities.

In a statement, the BBA clarified that the move does not reflect concerns about its technical competence or operational capability as a certification body. However, UKAS has requested that the organisation formally recognise that the suspension affects all activities under the relevant standards since it came into force.

As a result, any ongoing or new work undertaken by the BBA will proceed outside of UKAS accreditation until the issue is resolved.

Both organisations say they are working collaboratively to address the non-conformity that led to the suspension. Efforts are underway to ensure all accreditation requirements are met, with the aim of restoring full accredited status as quickly as possible.

No timeline has yet been confirmed for when the accreditation may be reinstated.