ISO 9001:2026 and ACS to BAS: October 2026 update

Checked 1 October 2026. Clause Ten Consulting’s practical update for businesses across England, Scotland, Wales, Northern Ireland and the Republic of Ireland.

ISO published ISO 9001:2026 on 16 September 2026. This is a useful point to review your quality management system, plan a gap assessment and discuss transition arrangements with your certification body. Avoid assuming that publication makes an existing certificate invalid immediately, or inventing a transition deadline.

Practical next steps: obtain the authorised standard, compare your existing system with its requirements, identify actions and responsibilities, brief relevant staff, and build changes into internal audits and management review. Clause Ten can support this work; independent certification bodies make certification decisions.

ISO source, published 16 September 2026: https://www.iso.org/news/2026/09/ISO9001-2026

ISO standard and transition guidance: https://www.iso.org/standard/9001

The Security Industry Authority is developing the Business Approval Scheme (BAS) as the successor to the Approved Contractor Scheme (ACS). The 2026–27 business plan targets a digital application service ready for pilots in spring 2027. This is a pilot-readiness milestone, not a confirmed date on which every ACS approval ends.

Security businesses should maintain current ACS obligations, keep evidence organised and follow official transition instructions. Practical readiness work includes reviewing policies, staff competence, supplier oversight, internal reviews and corrective actions. Final BAS criteria and transition arrangements should determine the detailed implementation plan.

BAS is a UK business approval scheme, distinct from an individual operative’s SIA licence. Our Ireland consultancy coverage does not imply that ACS or BAS provides Republic of Ireland regulatory approval.

SIA primary source: https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/media/6a22a2f156960b0542c0b099/sia-business-plan-2026-2027.pdf

For practical support: https://www.clausetenconsulting.com/iso-9001-quality-management and https://www.clausetenconsulting.com/sia-acs-preparation. Contact contact@clausetenconsulting.com to discuss your system.