The State of the UK Private Security Industry Going into 2027

The UK private security industry is approaching 2027 with a significant programme of regulatory change ahead. The Security Industry Authority (SIA) is preparing to expand its responsibilities, replace its existing business approval scheme and take on a new regulatory role under the Terrorism (Protection of Premises) Act 2025, commonly known as Martyn’s Law.

These developments come against the backdrop of an industry employing hundreds of thousands of licensed security professionals across a wide range of roles, from door supervision and security guarding to CCTV, keyholding and close protection.

The scale of the sector is reflected in the SIA’s latest published figures. As of February 2026, there were 517,144 active SIA licences held by more than 458,000 individuals across the UK. Door supervision accounted for the largest share, with 368,546 active licences, followed by public space surveillance with 65,644 and security guarding with 56,775.

The figures demonstrate the breadth of the regulated workforce, although licence numbers should not be confused with the number of people working full-time in the industry. Individuals may hold more than one licence, and the SIA’s own research identifies a mixture of full-time, flexible, seasonal and supplementary employment.

Regulation and business standards

One of the most significant developments going into 2027 concerns how security businesses are regulated.

The SIA’s Strategic Plan for 2026–2029 sets out its intention to replace the existing Approved Contractor Scheme (ACS), which has been in place since 2006, with a new Business Approval Scheme.

The proposed approach places greater emphasis on business integrity, financial probity, quality and competence. The SIA also intends to introduce more transparent information about approved businesses, giving organisations purchasing security services better information when choosing a provider.

The SIA has also confirmed that the Government is considering the possible introduction of mandatory business licensing for companies supplying and deploying licensed security operatives. However, this has not yet been confirmed. The decision rests with the Government, and the SIA’s replacement approval scheme is being developed to operate within its existing voluntary powers.

For security businesses, the direction of travel is clear: the regulator intends to place greater emphasis on the quality of service provision, business standards and the oversight of security operations, rather than relying solely on individual licensing compliance.

Martyn’s Law and the SIA’s expanding role

Martyn’s Law is expected to be one of the most significant changes affecting the UK’s protective security framework in 2027.

The Terrorism (Protection of Premises) Act 2025 received Royal Assent on 3 April 2025. It introduces requirements for certain premises and events to be better prepared for the possibility of terrorist attacks.

The SIA has been appointed as the regulator for the legislation. Its responsibilities will include helping organisations understand their duties, assessing compliance and taking action where requirements are not met.

The Act is expected to come into force in spring 2027, although the exact commencement date has not yet been confirmed.

The SIA estimates that approximately 179,000 premises will fall within the scope of the legislation, comprising around 155,000 standard-tier premises and 24,000 enhanced-tier premises. The legislation will also cover qualifying events.

This represents a substantial expansion of the SIA’s regulatory responsibilities. Its role will extend beyond licensing individuals and overseeing security businesses to include the regulation of qualifying premises and events.

For security providers working with venues, events and other organisations that may fall within scope, understanding the legislation and the responsibilities placed on those organisations will become increasingly important.

Check which Martyn’s Law requirements may apply

If your organisation operates premises or events that could fall within the scope of Martyn’s Law, use our Martyn’s Law Compliance Calculator for an initial indication of the requirements that may apply.

Licensing, training and the security workforce

Individual licensing remains central to the regulation of the private security industry.

The SIA’s Strategic Plan identifies continued improvements to licensing standards, training requirements and enforcement as priorities for the period from 2026 to 2029. It also highlights action to address malpractice in training and qualification provision.

Mandatory refresher training has already been introduced for individuals renewing their licences. The SIA states that this includes additional content on tackling spiking.

Workforce participation is another area highlighted in the regulator’s published research. The SIA reports that licence renewal rates have remained at around 50%. It also notes that people enter the industry for different reasons, including seasonal work, supplementary income and longer-term employment.

These figures provide useful context, but they do not establish why individuals leave the sector or indicate that half of the workforce is leaving each year. They do underline the varied nature of employment within private security.

The regulator has also identified improvements to supervision, management and leadership in the deployment of security services as areas it wants to see across the industry.

The scale of the security business sector

The number of businesses operating in private security is more difficult to establish accurately.

The SIA acknowledges that there is limited reliable data on the total number of UK businesses providing security personnel or contracted security services. It refers to a recent HMRC estimate suggesting that approximately 13,000 security businesses may exist.

By comparison, 719 companies were registered with the SIA’s Approved Contractor Scheme in its published strategic plan.

The difference reflects the voluntary nature of the existing scheme. ACS registration is not a complete count of businesses operating in the sector, and the two figures should not be treated as directly equivalent measures.

The SIA intends to increase the breadth and number of businesses subject to its oversight during the period covered by its strategic plan, whether through the new voluntary approval scheme or a future mandatory licensing framework.

Looking towards 2027

The year ahead will bring changes to the regulatory environment in which UK private security operates. The introduction of Martyn’s Law, the planned replacement of the ACS and the possibility of wider business regulation are all significant developments.

The SIA’s published strategy also signals a greater focus on the quality of security provision, including supervision, management, competence and the standards maintained by security businesses.

For individual operatives, licensing and training requirements will remain important. For security companies, business standards and the quality of service delivery are likely to receive increasing regulatory attention. For organisations responsible for qualifying premises and events, preparation for Martyn’s Law will be a major consideration ahead of its expected commencement.

The private security industry is not entering 2027 with a single issue to address. It is facing a period in which regulation, business oversight and protective security responsibilities are all developing.

How these changes are implemented, and how the industry responds to them, will help shape the direction of UK private security over the coming years.