The Security Industry Authority (SIA) is the regulator of the private security industry and continues to work with security businesses to improve standards, training, and best practice in support of public safety.

It is for individual businesses to determine their own policy on the provision of equipment to security guards in compliance with UK law. All employers and venues should conduct risk assessments to ensure that staff and personnel working for them are provided with the appropriate equipment to fulfil their role safely and securely. Any assessment and mitigation of risk should include the need for appropriate Personal Protection Equipment.

The SIA signposts to advice produced by the Health and Safety Executive on conducting risk assessments. Knowledge on the uses of PPE is included within SIA’s licensed linked training qualifications for security operatives.

The Community Safety Accreditation Scheme enables police chief officers to accredit and designate non-police personnel with limited powers to address low level crime. The Home Office does not hold information on the number of accredited individuals or organisations as the responsibility for accreditation, training and the recording of accreditations under the Scheme, rests with the chief officer of the relevant police force.

The private security industry plays a crucial role in keeping the public safe and it is critical that there is a high standard of regulatory oversight of the industry. The Security Industry Authority (SIA) provides such oversight by operating the regulatory regime set up by the Private Security Industry Act 2001 (PSIA).

This oversight includes setting minimum standards for mandatory training for roles within scope of the regime, and ensuring individuals seeking to work in designated roles have completed the training required, as well as running criminal record and other checks to ensure that SIA licence holders are ‘fit and proper’ individuals who have the relevant skills and knowledge needed to perform their role.

Businesses seeking to supply private security operatives under a contract for services must ensure all their partners, directors, managers and supervisors are licensed by the SIA, as well as any frontline staff who perform certain security roles specified in the PSIA Act 2001 (for example door supervisors and security guards).

The SIA is currently conducting a 5-year review of training standards to ensure skills keep pace with emerging threats and will be working closely with experts and the industry on this. The SIA maintains regular engagement with the Home Office throughout this review.

Furthermore, the Government remains committed to delivering the intended outcomes of the Manchester Arena Inquiry, including Monitored Recommendations 7 and 8 which relate to licensing of in-house operatives and security businesses. The Home Office launched a 12-week public consultation on 18 December 2025 to help better understand the impact of the proposals for change.

The consultation aims to inform proposals that will ensure high quality oversight of the private security industry, while ensuring any new costs and regulatory burdens are proportionate and consider impact on business.

The private security industry plays a crucial role in keeping the public safe and it is critical that there is a high standard of regulatory oversight of the industry. The Security Industry Authority (SIA) provides such oversight by operating the regulatory regime set up by the Private Security Industry Act 2001 (PSIA).

This includes setting minimum standards for, and ensuring individuals seeking to work in designated roles have completed, mandatory training, as well as running criminal record and other checks. This aims to ensure that SIA licence holders are ‘fit and proper’ individuals who have the relevant skills and knowledge needed to perform their role. The SIA is currently conducting a 5 year review of training standards to ensure skills keep pace with emerging threats, and will be working closely with experts and the industry on this.

Training providers and qualification awarding bodies are regulated by the Office of Qualifications and Examinations Regulation (Ofqual) and its partner organisations in Scotland and Northern Ireland. The SIA is working closely with these partners to share intelligence, conduct more inspections and improve systems in order to uphold the integrity of qualifications.

The Government is keen to work with the industry on reforming the private security industry.

The Home Office continues to engage with the range of different organisations representing sectoral interest on an ongoing basis both directly and through the Security Industry Authority, including public consultations on major policy changes.

The Private Security Industry Act (PSIA) 2001 created the Security Industry Authority (SIA) as the regulator of the private security industry.

The SIA sets minimum training standards and issues licenses to applicants who have acquired the correct licence-linked qualifications. Before a learner can take a licence-linked qualification, they must prove they have English language skills to B2 standard on the Home Office list of recommended qualifications. This standard means that the learner has a degree of fluency in English. The SIA reviews training standards every five years to ensure that individuals seeking to work in regulated roles meet refreshed minimum standards, and that skills keep pace with emerging threats to public safety.

Where overseas nationals fill enforcement roles contracted by the Home Office, they require an immigration permission to do so, and they may be subject to English language requirements mandated by the Immigration Rules. For the Skilled Worker immigration route, the required level of English is being increased from B1 to B2 level (effective from 8 January 2026).

Security in our courts and judicial security is paramount. Over £20 million in additional funding in 2025/26 has been allocated to a programme of works to further strengthen the existing arrangements. Local court security risk assessments are carried out to determine the appropriate number of Court Security Officers deployed at Magistrates Courts. These are reviewed when there are any significant changes to work activities or threats. There are ongoing risk monitoring arrangements in place to ensure the adequacy of these arrangements.

The Security Industry Authority (SIA) is a Home Office arm’s length body established by the Private Security Industry Act 2001 (PSIA) as the regulator of the private security industry.

The SIA publishes guidance for buyers of private security which is available at: Do you buy security?.

Complaints or concerns about the SIA, or about private security companies, or people working in the private security industry, can be raised at: Complaints procedure - Security Industry Authority - GOV.UK, Report a Crime or Concern.

The Government is committed to reviewing the recommendations of the Manchester Arena Inquiry with a view to delivering better uniformity of standards in the private security industry, enhanced provision of security services, and effective counter-terrorism measures. Home Office officials are working with the SIA to ensure criminality continues to be driven out of the industry, and this includes a review of the SIA’s investigation and enforcement remit, powers and tools.

The Security Industry Authority (SIA) has been brought under the Security Minister’s portfolio in a move that will ensure that the SIA is provided clear, strategic direction from the Home Office on both regulation of the Terrorism (Protection of Premises) Bill and also the Private Security Industry Act moving forward. The Home Office and the SIA are overseeing a substantial programme of work to ensure that the SIA can deliver for the public. This will include:

• tightening existing safeguards, to ensure that those who present a risk to the public cannot access an SIA licence.
• work to ensure criminality is driven out of the industry, including a review of the SIA’s investigation and enforcement remit, powers and tools for its current role.

As the regulator of the private security industry, the Security Industry Authority (SIA) is responsible for specifying the standard of skills and knowledge that a licensed security operative must have. The SIA does not deliver training itself. Applicants must complete all the mandatory learning modules, and have successfully achieved the role-specific qualification, prior to submitting their licence application to the SIA.

If the SIA subsequently finds that a licence holder has not completed all the required training and there is doubt over the validity of the qualification, the SIA will suspend or revoke their licence.

In response to recent media reports of training malpractice, the SIA is working with qualification regulators and awarding organisations to ensure that allegations are investigated effectively. The public must have confidence that licensed operatives have undertaken mandatory training. The Home Office is in discussion with the SIA on this issue and receiving regular reports.

As the regulator of the private security industry, the Security Industry Authority (SIA) is responsible for specifying the standard of skills and knowledge that a licensed security operative must have. The SIA does not deliver training itself. Applicants must complete all the mandatory learning modules, and have successfully achieved the role-specific qualification, prior to submitting their licence application to the SIA.

If the SIA subsequently finds that a licence holder has not completed all the required training and there is doubt over the validity of the qualification, the SIA will suspend or revoke their licence.

In response to recent media reports of training malpractice, the SIA is working with qualification regulators and awarding organisations to ensure that allegations are investigated effectively. The public must have confidence that licensed operatives have undertaken mandatory training. The Home Office is in discussion with the SIA on this issue and receiving regular reports.

As the regulator of the private security industry, the Security Industry Authority (SIA) is responsible for the licensing of individuals wishing to work in roles which fall under the scope of the Private Security Industry Act 2001. Before issuing a licence, the SIA conducts an assessment of suitability in line with the published licensing criteria (Get Licensed). The SIA can update the licensing criteria, subject to approval by the Secretary of State.

To ensure that applicants are fit and proper to obtain an SIA licence, the regulator undertakes both a right to work and criminal record checks. In addition to these checks, the SIA requires prescribed qualifications for certain front-line roles (for example, a Level 2 Award for Working as a Door Supervisor). This assessment, prior to granting an individual licence, together with the SIA’s ability to suspend or revoke active licences when operatives fall below the fit and proper threshold, forms the current model of regulation.

The public must have confidence that licensed operatives have undertaken mandatory training. If the SIA finds that a licence holder has not completed all the required training and there is doubt over the validity of the qualification, the SIA will suspend or revoke their licence. The SIA is working with qualification regulators and awarding organisations to respond to instances of training malpractice, and to prevent learners from acquiring unsound qualifications. The Home Office continues to engage with the SIA on this issue and will support measures to end training malpractice.

As the regulator of the private security industry, the Security Industry Authority (SIA) is responsible for the licensing of individuals wishing to work in roles which fall under the scope of the Private Security Industry Act 2001. Before issuing a licence, the SIA conducts an assessment of suitability in line with the published licensing criteria (Get Licensed). The SIA can update the licensing criteria, subject to approval by the Secretary of State.

To ensure that applicants are fit and proper to obtain an SIA licence, the regulator undertakes both a right to work and criminal record checks. In addition to these checks, the SIA requires prescribed qualifications for certain front-line roles (for example, a Level 2 Award for Working as a Door Supervisor). This assessment, prior to granting an individual licence, together with the SIA’s ability to suspend or revoke active licences when operatives fall below the fit and proper threshold, forms the current model of regulation.

The public must have confidence that licensed operatives have undertaken mandatory training. If the SIA finds that a licence holder has not completed all the required training and there is doubt over the validity of the qualification, the SIA will suspend or revoke their licence. The SIA is working with qualification regulators and awarding organisations to respond to instances of training malpractice, and to prevent learners from acquiring unsound qualifications. The Home Office continues to engage with the SIA on this issue and will support measures to end training malpractice.