Business Health Check

This health check is a structured self-assessment rather than a financial calculator. It asks about the things public sector buyers routinely check before they will award a contract, scores your answers, and shows where the gaps are. Everything happens in your browser and nothing is submitted anywhere.

1. Work through the questions honestly, answering as your business is today rather than how you intend it to be.
2. Note every area that scores poorly.
3. Fix the cheap gaps first: written policies, an up to date insurance schedule and two or three usable references.
4. Re-run the check after a few weeks of work to see the score move.

• Each question covers an area buyers assess: financial standing, insurance, policies, accreditations, references and capacity.
• Your answers are scored and combined into an overall readiness figure.
• The result is grouped so you can see which areas are strong and which are holding you back.
• The score is indicative and is not a credit check or a formal assessment.

A four-person joinery firm with two years of filed accounts, employers and public liability cover, no written environmental policy and no formal references.

• Financial standing and insurance: strong.
• Policies: weak, because environmental and equality policies are missing.
• References and case studies: weak, because past work has never been written up.

A middling overall score with two clearly identified gaps, both of which can be closed in a few days of admin rather than years of trading.

A low score is not a verdict on your business, it is a list of paperwork. Most selection questionnaires fail small firms on documentation rather than capability: a missing policy, an expired certificate, no named reference. Treat the weak areas as a checklist and the score becomes an action plan.

Public sector buyers must assess suppliers on objective criteria, and a selection questionnaire is largely a documentation exercise before it is anything else. Firms that keep their policies, insurance certificates and reference case studies current can respond to a notice in days. Firms that do not tend to miss the deadline.

Is this an official assessment?

No. It is an indicative self-assessment to help you prepare. Buyers run their own checks using their own criteria.

What documents do public buyers usually ask for?

Commonly accounts or a financial statement, insurance certificates, health and safety and equality policies, relevant accreditations, and contract references.

How long does it take to improve a low score?

Policies and reference write-ups can be done in days. Accreditations, filed accounts and track record take longer.

Are my answers stored?

No. The check runs in your browser and the answers are not sent anywhere.