UK Security Sector year end roud-up: Urgent Reforms in Training, Protection, and Pay

Here is a year-roundup to highlight the critical issues faced by UK security operatives in 2023, based on a survey by Working the Doors (WTD). The survey identified three main areas needing urgent attention: training, pay rates, and legal protection for security officers.Training: The industry faces a significant need for improved training. Despite the UK Government introducing mandatory top-up training, which includes anti-terror and first-aid training, most costs fall on the operatives. Many operatives consider this unfair, especially in light of the UKs cost of living crisis and stagnant wages in the sector.Legal Protection: Security operatives lack legal protections against assault, unlike other emergency workers. WTD advocates for government intervention to provide legal protections, suggesting a new Security Workers Act or amending the existing Assaults on Emergency Workers Act to include security workers.Pay Rates: Although there has been a slight improvement since 2008, the average pay for security operatives is still low, ranging from £10 to £12 per hour, which does not reflect the responsibilities and risks of the job. This has resulted in a decline in licence renewals and may drive new hires looking for better pay elsewhere, particularly during the holidays when a sharp increase in warehouse and delivery jobs lures officers away for up to £17–18 per hour.The article highlights the need for solutions that benefit the security business and society. Recommendations from the Manchester Arena Inquiry, such as extending rules and SIA licencing, are considered steps towards raising standards and pay.