Current practice in accreditation of prior and informal learning in the United Kingdom was examined through a review of literature on how the accreditation of prior and informal learning is being used to gain access to higher education or toward certification of a National Vocational Qualification (NVQ) or Scottish Vocational Qualification (SVQ). Special attention was paid to the following: use of assessment of prior learning (APL) in unpaid work; views of United Kingdom organizations on APL; the National Record of Achievement; access and higher education; success of APL and assessment of prior experiential learning (APEL) in higher education; and success of APL in NVQs and SVQs. It was discovered that accrediting and awarding bodies for NVQs and SVQs are increasingly encouraging assessors to acknowledge evidence of prior learning and achievement as part of the overall package of evidence that a candidate may bring to the assessment of NVQs and SVQs. With higher education, APL appears more accepted than APEL, with many institutions having a more straightforward process for awarding credit for certificated learning than for experiential learning and with many institutions having different fee structures for APL and APEL. Many institutions are taking a fresh look at both APL and APEL. (Contains 17 references.) (MN)