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AnyRisks Alternatives: UK Risk Assessment Software Comparison
Comparing Anyrisks against free HSE templates, DIY spreadsheets, consultants and other software? Here is a straight comparison of cost, speed and compliance so you can pick the right option for your situation.
Used by sole traders, landlords, contractors and small business owners comparing their options across the UK.
⚠️ Whichever tool or method you use, the legal bar is the same. Regulation 3(1) of the Management of Health and Safety at Work Regulations 1999 requires every employer and self-employed person to make a suitable and sufficient assessment of risks. The format does not matter — the completeness and accuracy of the content does.
How Anyrisks Works
1. Describe your activity
Tell us about your business, site or job. It takes under 2 minutes — no account setup, no forms to learn.
2. Let the app take the strain
Our engine identifies hazards, control measures and risk ratings specific to what you described — not a generic template you have to fill in yourself.
3. Instant download and use
Get a professionally formatted PDF and fully editable Word document immediately. £29, no subscription, no consultant callback needed.
What You Get With Anyrisks
- ✓Instant PDF download — ready to send to a client, letting agent or insurer
- ✓Fully editable Word document — no software lock-in, edit it however you like
- ✓Specific to your described activity — not a blank template you fill in yourself
- ✓Structured to satisfy Regulation 3(1) of the MHSWR 1999
- ✓Covers hazard identification, control measures, responsible persons and review dates
- ✓No subscription, no per-seat licence — £29 per assessment
- ✓Delivered in minutes, not days or weeks
- ✓24-hour money-back guarantee if it is not right for you
The regulatory backdrop behind every option
Every risk assessment tool, template or consultant is ultimately answering to the same legal framework. Understanding what actually has to be in the document — regardless of who produces it — helps you judge whether the alternative you are considering is genuinely compliant or just looks like it is.
Management of Health and Safety at Work Regulations 1999
Regulation 3(1) requires a "suitable and sufficient" assessment of risks to employees and anyone else affected by the work. Regulation 3(6) separately requires the assessment to be reviewed if it is no longer valid or circumstances change significantly — a step every alternative, paid or free, still requires you to do manually afterwards.
Health and Safety at Work etc. Act 1974, Section 2
The parent legislation places a general duty on every employer to ensure, so far as is reasonably practicable, the health, safety and welfare of employees. Risk assessments are the primary evidence used to demonstrate this duty has been discharged, whichever format they take.
Regulatory Reform (Fire Safety) Order 2005
A separate, mandatory fire risk assessment obligation sits alongside the general MHSWR duty for anyone responsible for non-domestic premises. This is often missed by generic templates focused only on workplace hazards, and is a common gap in DIY assessments.
HSE record-keeping threshold
Businesses with five or more employees are legally required to record their risk assessment findings in writing under the MHSWR 1999. Below that threshold it is not a strict legal requirement, but HSE and insurers both still expect a written record in practice — which is why most sole traders and small landlords keep one regardless.
Which risk assessment guide do you need?
Not every question about risk assessments is best answered by a comparison of software. Use this table to jump straight to the guide that matches your situation.
| If you are asking | Go to |
|---|---|
| "What actually goes into a risk assessment, step by step?" | The Ultimate Guide to Risk Assessment |
| "Do I even legally need one for my business or property?" | Do I Need a Risk Assessment? |
| "What exactly does the law require, and what are the penalties for getting it wrong?" | Risk Assessment Legal Requirements |
| "How does an AI-generated risk assessment differ from a manual or templated one?" | AI Risk Assessment Generator |
| "I've compared my options — I just want one done now." | Generate my risk assessment |
Stop comparing tabs and get a compliant risk assessment in the time it took you to read this page.
You'll be delighted with your Risk Assessment, or your money back.
Perfect For
Example content
A short illustrative extract from a typical risk assessment generated by Anyrisks.
| Hazard | Who is at risk | Control measures | Risk level |
|---|---|---|---|
| Slips on wet floor surfaces | Staff, customers, visitors | Non-slip signage displayed during cleaning. Spills addressed immediately. Regular floor inspection. | Low |
| Manual handling of stock deliveries | Staff involved in deliveries | Manual handling training provided. Trolleys used for heavy loads. Two-person lift for items over 25kg. | Medium |
| Electrical equipment fault | Staff, customers | PAT testing carried out annually. Visual pre-use checks. Faulty equipment removed from use immediately. | Low |
| Fire in kitchen or plant area | All occupants of premises | Fire risk assessment in place under the Regulatory Reform (Fire Safety) Order 2005. Extinguishers serviced annually. Evacuation drills held twice yearly. | Medium |
Illustrative only. Your assessment will be tailored to your specific activity and setting.
What people switching from other options say
"I'd been using a Word template I found years ago and just editing the date. Anyrisks actually flagged hazards specific to the job I described that I'd never had in there before."
David Ellis
Self-employed electrician, Leeds
"I compared the cost of a consultant visit against Anyrisks and it wasn't close. £29 and I had a document for my letting agent within minutes."
Priya Nair
Landlord, Birmingham
"The free HSE template was fine but blank — I still had to write everything myself. This one actually did the writing for me and I just checked it over."
Tom Baxter
Cafe owner, Bristol
Anyrisks vs the alternatives
| Factor | Anyrisks | Free HSE / DIY template | Health & safety consultant |
|---|---|---|---|
| Cost | £29 per assessment | Free, but your time to write it | Typically £200-£800+ per visit |
| Turnaround | Minutes | Depends how long it takes you | Days to weeks, needs booking |
| Content tailored to your activity | Yes, generated from your description | No, blank template | Yes, but at higher cost |
| Editable afterwards | Yes, Word document included | Yes | Depends on the consultant |
| Ongoing subscription | None — pay per assessment | None | Some charge retainer fees |
| Best suited to | Most trades, small businesses, landlords | Very simple, low-risk situations | High-risk or complex multi-site premises |
Frequently asked questions
What are the main alternatives to Anyrisks?
The main alternatives are: free HSE template risk assessments, DIY Word or Excel templates, hiring a health and safety consultant, other paid risk assessment software tools, and Anyrisks itself. Each has different trade-offs in cost, speed, and how tailored the output is to your specific activity.
Is a free HSE template as good as paid software?
HSE's own templates (such as the Health and Safety Made Simple examples) are a legally acceptable starting point, but they are generic and require you to fill in every hazard, control measure and risk rating yourself with no guidance specific to your trade. Anyrisks generates a document already tailored to your described activity, which is faster and reduces the chance of missing a hazard category an inspector or client would expect to see.
Is it cheaper to hire a health and safety consultant instead?
A consultant visit typically costs several hundred pounds and can take days or weeks to schedule, though it may be worthwhile for complex, high-risk sites. Anyrisks costs £29 per assessment and is delivered in minutes, making it a practical choice for straightforward premises, trades and one-off jobs where a full consultancy engagement is not proportionate.
Will a risk assessment generated by software satisfy the Management of Health and Safety at Work Regulations 1999?
Regulation 3(1) of the Management of Health and Safety at Work Regulations 1999 requires a suitable and sufficient assessment of the risks to health and safety. There is no legal requirement to use a specific format or provider — what matters is that the assessment identifies real hazards, who is affected, and adequate control measures. Anyrisks assessments are structured to meet this standard and are reviewed for completeness against the hazard categories relevant to your description.
Do I still need to review a risk assessment after generating it?
Yes. Regulation 3(6) of the Management of Health and Safety at Work Regulations 1999 requires you to review your risk assessment whenever there is reason to suspect it is no longer valid, or when there has been a significant change. This applies regardless of which tool or provider you used to create it in the first place.
Can I edit the document after I generate it?
Yes. Every Anyrisks assessment is delivered as both a PDF and a fully editable Word document, so you can amend control measures, add site-specific detail or update it after a review without paying again for a completely new assessment.
How is Anyrisks different from a generic spreadsheet template?
A blank spreadsheet or Word template gives you a structure but no content — you have to know which hazards apply to your industry and write the control measures yourself. Anyrisks generates the hazard identification, risk ratings and control measures specific to the activity or premises you describe, so you are checking and adjusting rather than starting from a blank page.
Which page should I read if I am not sure I even need a risk assessment?
Start with our guide on whether a risk assessment is a legal requirement for your situation, which explains who is legally obliged to carry one out and when.
Also see: The Ultimate Guide to Risk Assessment · Do I Need a Risk Assessment? · Risk Assessment Legal Requirements · AI Risk Assessment Generator