The DBIST Core Regulatory Skills Framework
The Department for Business and Trade Core Regulatory Skills Framework is the reference standard for regulatory capability development across the UK regulatory profession.
A national capability standard for regulatory professionals
The DBIST Core Regulatory Skills Framework was developed by the Department for Business and Trade to define the knowledge, skills and behaviours expected of regulatory professionals working across government and the wider public sector.
It provides a common language for regulatory capability, supports workforce planning and professional development, and sets clear expectations for regulatory professionals at each stage of their career.
The framework is organised into four development levels and five themes, covering 20 core regulatory skills in total.
Framework Ownership and Alignment
The DBIST Core Regulatory Skills Framework remains the intellectual property of the Department for Business and Trade.
The Regulation Practice Programme has been independently developed and delivered by the College of Lawmakers and maps learning opportunities, professional development pathways and recognition options against the capabilities described within the framework.
The programme is aligned to and informed by the framework but is not a Department for Business and Trade product.
The Four Development Levels
The framework defines four levels of regulatory capability, from foundational awareness through to expert leadership.
Awareness
The Awareness Level provides background knowledge for civil servants and professionals who require an understanding of regulation and the role of regulators. Those beginning a professional career in regulation would normally commence at Working Level. An Introduction to Regulation course is available through Civil Service Learning; regulators without access to Civil Service Learning may provide their own equivalent induction.
Working
Entry-level capabilities for roles in regulation. Regulators at this level will have a working-level of knowledge, skills and networks. Individuals will be routinely applying these independently.
Practitioner
At this level, individuals will be skilled professionals with an advanced understanding. Capabilities will be deeper and the individual will be well versed in the subject matter with effective networks in regulation.
Advanced Practitioner
At this level, individuals will be highly skilled professionals with deep expertise. They will practise their skillset within a specialist domain, manage sector risks and encourage economic growth and innovation.
Leader
At this level, individuals will be executives in leadership roles, who provide strategic leadership, manage risk to protect the public and encourage economic growth and innovation in their organisations and have sector-wide influence.
The Five Themes
The framework organises the 20 core regulatory skills across five themes. Every regulatory professional is expected to develop capability across all five themes.
Regulation theory
Regulation theory is the foundational understanding of regulation, including statutory principles, ethics, impact assessment, and regulatory models. The theme equips regulators to make proportionate, transparent, and evidence-based decisions aligned with the law and public interest.
- Regulatory principles
- Regulatory professionalism and ethics
- Costs and benefits of regulation, including growth, resilience and societal benefit
- Regulatory models and approaches
Regulatory system design and casework
This theme covers the design and operation of regulatory frameworks and systems, including legislative processes, casework management, and the creation of effective regulatory structures that achieve proportionate outcomes.
- Understanding legislative processes
- Casework systems
- Designing regulatory frameworks
Data, evidence and technology
This theme covers how regulators use data, evidence, and intelligence to make informed regulatory decisions and respond to emerging technologies, including artificial intelligence.
- Regulating emerging technologies
- Using data, evidence and intelligence
- Using artificial intelligence
Regulatory tools and interventions
This theme covers the full range of regulatory tools and interventions available to regulators, from standard-setting and authorisation through to monitoring, enforcement and evaluation.
- Setting and promoting standards
- Authorising
- Monitoring and assessing compliance
- Enforcement
- Evaluation
Regulatory communication, collaboration and engagement
This theme covers how regulators communicate and engage with a wide range of stakeholders, including regulated entities, other regulators, government, and the public.
- Communication
- Working with regulated entities
- Working with regulators
- Working with government
- Public engagement
What the framework means in practice
The framework describes the knowledge, skills and behaviours expected of regulatory professionals at each development level. It is designed to support individual professional development, team capability assessments, workforce planning and commissioning of professional development activity.
For individuals
Understand where you are in your regulatory career, identify capability gaps and plan your professional development.
For teams
Assess team capability across the framework, identify collective development needs and plan structured learning.
For organisations
Map workforce capability against the framework, inform recruitment and development, and demonstrate regulatory professionalism.
For learning design
Design professional development activity aligned to the framework to ensure relevance and quality.
The Regulation Practice Programme
The College of Lawmakers Regulation Practice Programme provides structured learning, scenarios, seminars and optional professional recognition aligned to this framework. Platform access is free.