Every candidate attending a NPLQ course must be 16 years old or above at the time of taking the NPLQ final assessment and be able to: 

• 16 years or older on the day of assessment 
• Jump/dive into deep water 
• Swim 50 metres in less than 60 seconds 
• Swim 100 metres continuously on front and back in deep water 
• Tread water for 30 seconds 
• Surface dive to the floor of the pool 
• Climb out unaided without a ladder/steps and where the pool design permits. 

National Pool Lifeguard Qualification (NPLQ) Gen 10 

RLSS UK’s* NPLQ is the most awarded lifeguard qualification in the UK and Ireland. More than 35,000 pool lifeguards qualify with the RLSS UK every year, and there are currently more than 74,000 NPLQ-qualified pool lifeguards – 95% of all UK pool lifeguards. The NPLQ is also internationally recognised. 

NPLQ Generation 10 is the latest edition of the NPLQ. It has endorsement against the CIMSPA Lifeguard Standard and meets the requirements within the Health and Safety Executive’s Managing Health and Safety in Swimming Pools (HSG179). The NPLQ Gen 10 can be delivered with optional additional qualifications - AED, EFAW, FAW, and Anaphylaxis Management. The NPLQ is a great addition to any CV or higher education application, and from May 2024, NPLQ Gen 10 carries 8 UCAS Tariff points. 

If you’d like to learn more about being a lifeguard, click here. 

*The Royal Life Saving Society UK (RLSS UK) is the industry leader in lifeguarding and lifesaving. RLSS UK Qualifications is at the forefront of lifeguard qualification innovation and development, keeping leisure employees at the cutting edge of lifesaving, lifeguarding, water safety and life support skills, and the RLSS UK badge gives peace of mind to the millions of customers who access leisure facilities every year. As an Awarding Body, RLSS UK Qualifications’ regulators are Ofqual, Qualifications Wales and CCEA in Northern Ireland. RLSS UK is a registered charity in England, Wales (1046060), and Scotland (SC037912).