Scotland has confirmed the legal housekeeping that makes the SQA‑to‑Qualifications Scotland switch real across day‑to‑day rules. A new Scottish Statutory Instrument, made on 3 December and laid on 5 December, replaces SQA references in a string of regulations so colleges, councils and employers aren’t left in limbo. It follows the Education (Scotland) Act 2025, which set up the new awarding body and is now being rolled out. Signed by Jenny Gilruth, the instrument is the formal nudge many providers were waiting for.

Qualifications Scotland now exists in law, with key parts of section 1 commenced from 1 December 2025 under the first commencement order. The fresh consequential regulations are tied to the point when section 1 is fully switched on, so the changes take effect as ministers complete that final step. For planning purposes, providers should work on the basis that the changeover is live and keep an eye on the next commencement notice.

On the statute book, the tidy‑up ranges widely. It updates the Scottish Social Services Council consultation order, council tax discount rules for apprentices and students, alcohol licensing staff training, the Equality Act qualifications regulator regulations, animal‑welfare‑at‑slaughter certificates, St Mary’s Music School aided places, road‑works qualifications, and Scottish student support. All now point to Qualifications Scotland rather than the SQA.

For northern households with ties over the border, the council tax tweak matters if an apprentice or student has followed an SQA course in recent months. Re‑pointing the law to Qualifications Scotland protects eligibility and avoids paperwork headaches for councils and families processing discounts through the winter billing cycle.

Hospitality operators with venues in the Borders and beyond should check induction packs. Staff training that had to be accredited by the SQA is now tied to Qualifications Scotland, keeping the rules for personal licence training consistent through the changeover. For chains running pubs on both sides of the border, that continuity helps with roster planning and refresher courses.

The Equality Act fix matters for learners and HR teams. By designating Qualifications Scotland as the appropriate regulator for qualifications matters previously overseen by the SQA, the law makes clear where equality duties sit and how redress works if discrimination is alleged in relation to an award or assessment decision.

Food businesses will welcome quiet continuity. Abattoir ‘qualification certificates’ that depended on SQA‑recognised bodies are now anchored to Qualifications Scotland, so training remains valid for compliance and audits. That’s practical reassurance for meat processors supplying supermarkets across the North and Central Belt.

Roadworks contractors-who keep the A1, A66 and local routes moving-should note a change to the registration body. Certificates of competence and the official register now sit with Qualifications Scotland, so HR teams should align card‑checking and renewal processes with the new database ahead of spring works.

In further education, the Student Support Regulations re‑write means Education Maintenance Allowance rules and the list of designated courses are rebadged to Qualifications Scotland. Colleges and training providers should update prospectuses, offer letters and data returns to match, to avoid tripping over outdated SQA wording in January enrolments.

This isn’t just a Scottish tidy‑up. A UK‑level Order updates references to the SQA in reserved law and across England, Wales and Northern Ireland, making clear that Qualifications Scotland steps into the same legal space. That should reassure northern employers reading CVs on both sides of the border.

What to do now? Providers and employers should update templates and contracts, double‑check awarding‑centre agreements, and make sure procurement specs, job adverts and policy documents name Qualifications Scotland. Keep watching for the follow‑on commencement that switches section 1 fully on; we’ll flag it when ministers set the date.