SSSTS Course Price Explained: What You Pay For and What You Don't

Search for SSSTS pricing and the classroom quotes come back anywhere between £249 and £446 for what is, on paper, an identical two-day course. That spread makes people assume something is being left out of the cheaper option or added to the more expensive one.

Usually neither is true. The syllabus is set by CITB, so the course content doesn’t vary between providers. What varies is everything around it, and whether the registration and certificate fees are quoted inside the price or added at checkout.

This guide breaks down what the SSSTS course fee actually covers, what sits outside it and what to check before comparing two quotes.

What the Course Fee Normally Covers

For most accredited providers, the advertised price includes everything needed to complete the qualification and be certificated:

• Two days of tuition with a CITB approved trainer

• Course materials and the CITB delegate workbook

• The end of course exam

• Registration with CITB

• The certificate itself, valid for five years

That last pair is worth verifying rather than assuming. Registration and certification are the elements most commonly quoted separately. They are the usual explanation when one provider looks noticeably cheaper than another.

What Usually Sits Outside the Price

Several costs tend not to appear in the headline figure:

• Resits, if a delegate does not pass first time. Charged separately by most providers.

• Replacement certificates, where CITB charges for a reprint.

• Lunch and refreshments, included by some venues and not others.

• Travel and parking, which on a two-day course can add up if the nearest venue isn’t close.

The CITB health, safety and environment test is also separate, and not part of the course at all. If the delegate is working towards a CSCS card they will need that test as well, taken at an approved test centre.

Why Quotes Vary So Much

Three factors account for most of the difference.

Location. Courses in London and the South East sit at the upper end of the range, reflecting venue costs. The same course in the North or Midlands often sits closer to £249.

Delivery format. Online instructor-led delivery removes the venue overhead and generally prices lower than classroom.

Group size. Open courses are priced per delegate. On-site delivery is quoted per group, which changes the economics entirely once you are booking for several people at once.

Classroom, Online or On-Site

Online instructor-led is a live tutor-led course over video with the same syllabus, the same exam and the same certificate. It is not self-paced e-learning, and the attendance requirement is identical to the classroom version.

The Refresher, and Why Timing Matters

An SSSTS certificate lasts five years. Before it expires, the SSSTS refresher resets it for another five over a single day, at a lower cost than the full course.

Miss the expiry date and the refresher is no longer available. You go back to the full two-day course at the full price. Over a five-year cycle, the difference between renewing on time and letting it lapse is a day out of the business and a meaningful share of the fee.

A fuller explanation of the format is set out in how the refresher works.

Comparing Two Quotes Properly

Four questions settle most price comparisons:

• Does the price include CITB registration and the certificate, or are they added at checkout?

• What does a resit cost?

• Is the venue realistically reachable, and is parking included?

• For a group, what does on-site delivery cost against the same number of open course places?

It is also worth confirming the course is the right level before comparing price at all. What SSSTS involves sets out who the course is written for, and booking the wrong level is a more expensive mistake than paying £50 more than necessary.

Key Takeaways

• The £249 to £446 spread reflects location, format and group size rather than course content.

• CITB sets the syllabus, so what you learn does not vary between providers.

• Check whether registration and the certificate are included before comparing quotes.

• Resits are almost always charged separately. Ask at the point of booking.

• Renewing before the five years are up costs one day instead of two.

Browse accredited CITB site safety training at Easybook Training.