What is TrustMark

Full definition

TrustMark is the sole Government-Endorsed Quality Scheme in the UK for work carried out in and around the home. It was established in 2005 following a government initiative to raise standards in the domestic-work sector and protect homeowners from poor-quality or dishonest contractors.

Unlike direct accreditation bodies, TrustMark operates as a meta-scheme: it licences and audits Scheme Providers — trade associations, certification bodies, and industry regulators — that in turn register and supervise individual businesses. Scheme Providers include bodies such as NICEIC, Gas Safe Register, the Federation of Master Builders (FMB), the Microgeneration Certification Scheme (MCS), the National House Building Council (NHBC), and several dozen others covering 156 service types.

TrustMark is a not-for-profit organisation governed under a Master Licence Agreement with the Department for Business and Trade.

Why it matters for trades / trust signal

TrustMark registration has become a commercial prerequisite for trades seeking to work on government-funded retrofit and energy-efficiency programmes. The Great British Insulation Scheme, the Energy Company Obligation (ECO4), and earlier iterations of the Green Homes Grant all mandated that installing contractors hold TrustMark registration. A trade without TrustMark registration is structurally excluded from these publicly funded revenue streams.

For homeowners, the government endorsement provides a level of institutional assurance that commercial review platforms and independent trade bodies cannot match. The scheme requires Scheme Providers to mandate Insurance-Backed Guarantees (IBGs) on deposit-protected work, meaning warranties survive even if the contractor ceases trading — a significant consumer protection for large-value projects such as roofing, extensions, or heat pump installation.

How to get listed / registered

Businesses do not apply directly to TrustMark. The registration route goes through an approved Scheme Provider relevant to the trade:

1. Identify the relevant Scheme Provider: A builder may join via the FMB; an electrician via NICEIC or ELECSA; a heating engineer via OFTEC or Heating and Hot Water Industry Council (HHIC).
2. Meet the Scheme Provider's technical standards: Each body has its own competency assessment, inspection, and insurance requirements.
3. Agree to the TrustMark Code of Conduct and Customer Charter: These are baseline requirements set by TrustMark and enforced by all Scheme Providers.
4. Appear in the TrustMark public register: Once registered through a Scheme Provider, the business is listed on the TrustMark public directory at trustmark.org.uk.

Businesses can check the full list of Scheme Providers on the TrustMark website to find the appropriate route for their trade.

Difference from other endorsement schemes

Dimension	TrustMark	Which? Trusted Traders
Government endorsement	Yes — sole endorsed scheme (Dept for Business and Trade)	No — independent charity scheme
Registration route	Via approved Scheme Provider (indirect)	Direct application to Which?
Government retrofit schemes	Mandatory for ECO4, GBIS, and most government grant work	Not required
Scope	156 service types, 15,000+ businesses	Broad trades, consumer-focused directory
Consumer protection	Insurance-Backed Guarantees on deposit work	Independent ombudsman dispute resolution
Governance	Not-for-profit, Master Licence Agreement	Not-for-profit, Which? charity

Related terms

Which? Trusted Traders, FMB (Federation of Master Builders), Lead aggregator.