This Part applies to service providers who are registered to provide an accommodation-based service and the premises used for the provision of the service fall within one of the categories in paragraph (2). But this Part does not apply if the service involves the provision of accommodation to four or fewer individuals.

The categories are—

• Category A: The premises used for the provision of the service consist of a new building or an existing building which has been converted for the purpose of providing the service, and, in either case, the building has not previously been used for the purpose of providing an accommodation-based service.

• Category B: The premises consist of F1a building or buildings to which an extension is added and the extension is used for the purpose of providing the service at a place specified as a condition to the service provider's registration.

• F6Category C: The premises consist of a building which was unoccupied immediately prior to the service provider’s registration but was previously used for any of the following purposes—

  1. a

     for the purpose of providing an accommodation-based service at a place specified as a condition to the registration of another service-provider;

  2. b

     as an establishment in respect of which a person was registered under Part 2 of the Care Standards Act 2000 to provide accommodation in a children’s home, a care home, or a residential family centre;

  3. c

     as an establishment in respect of which a person was registered under Part 1 or 2 of the Registered Homes Act 1984 to provide residential accommodation for persons in need of personal care (by reason of old age, disablement, drug or alcohol dependence or mental disorder);

  4. d

     as an establishment in respect of which a person was registered in a register kept for the purposes of section 60 of the Children Act 1989, or under Part 8 of that Act, to provide residential accommodation for children.

If this Part applies, the service provider must ensure that the requirements of regulations 50 to 54 are complied with F2but in the case of Category B premises, the requirements only apply to the part of the premises comprising the extension (or in the case of regulation 53, to any parts of the external grounds developed in conjunction with the extension).

All bedrooms used for the provision of the service must have a minimum of 12 square metres of useable floor space unless paragraph (2) or (3) applies.

This paragraph applies where the person living in the room has to use a wheelchair on a permanent and constant basis because of the nature of their disability.

This paragraph applies where a bedroom is shared.

If paragraph (2) applies, the bedroom must have a minimum of 13.5 square metres of useable floor space.

If paragraph (3) applies, the bedroom must have a minimum of 16 square metres of useable floor space.

For Category B premises, this regulation applies so that the space requirement must be met in relation to any additional rooms for individuals.