In recent years, the UK private security industry has approached a crossroads. We are operating in an environment shaped by shifting threat dynamics, significant legislative changes and an increasingly vocal call for professionalisation across every level of our sector. In this article, I want to explore whether the reforms we are witnessing represent an evolution, steady progress built on decades of collective effort, or a revolution, a disruptive shift in how security is regulated, delivered and perceived in the UK.
From my vantage point as a security industry professional deeply invested in raising standards and supporting colleagues across the discipline, I firmly believe we are witnessing both evolutionary foundations accelerated by revolutionary momentum. Let’s unpack what that means in practice, starting with the pivotal players in this story.
The Security Industry Authority: The Regulatory Bedrock
At the heart of UK security regulation sits the Security Industry Authority (SIA), the statutory body established under the Private Security Industry Act 2001 to regulate key areas of our profession. The SIA’s role in licensing individuals, setting minimum standards and administering the Approved Contractor Scheme (ACS) has, over the last two decades, provided a critical structure on which legitimacy and public trust have been built, after several decades of decaying professional and behavioural standards, in some sectors of the industry.
While many of us may sometimes feel constrained by regulatory burdens, it’s important to recognise that a well-regulated sector protects everyone, clients, officers and the general public alike. The licensing regime ensures that those entering our field are properly vetted, trained and held to standards that the public can depend on. And the ACS, despite its voluntary nature, was established with the intention of being a benchmark of quality and professionalism, something that clients, particularly in the private and public procurement space, increasingly ask for when sourcing security services.
That said, there is always room for evolution. Critics sometimes argue, and with some justification, that the ACS doesn’t represent value for money, with many poorly run companies managing to attain approved status. The cost and compliance complexity also tends to put off emerging small businesses or specialist niche providers. So, continuing to refine the ACS and making it relevant to the realities of the 2020s and beyond is, thankfully, already a priority.
Recommended Reading: Insights Into the Approved Contractor Scheme
S12 Leadership Group: A New Collective Voice
Enter the Security Guarding Leadership Group, S12. Officially launched in 2025, the S12 was formed to act as a collective leadership forum that brings together senior figures from across guarding and security services to work in concert with government, the SIA, and other stakeholders. Its goal: to “raise industry standards, help shape policy, accelerate the implementation of critical legislation and ensure that a diverse range of voices are heard to inform future decisions.”
In many ways, S12 reflects an important shift, an industry recognising the value of aligning its thought leadership and decision-making capability in a way that government can engage with clearly and constructively. The fact that it has already met with Security Minister Dan Jarvis at the International Security Expo and has established regular engagement with both the Home Office and the SIA is testament to its early impact.
However, whilst the intentions of the S12 are commendable, and I genuinely believe the initiative has the potential to shape meaningful reform, I have to voice a genuine concern that has been echoed across boardrooms and breakrooms alike. Despite recent new additions to the S12 central leadership board, there remains an absence of representation from non-SIA Approved Contractor Scheme companies.
This omission, even if unintentional, risks narrowing the range of operational perspectives and lived experiences feeding into discussions that are meant to represent the whole industry. It also means that the S12 does not appear to achieve the stated desire of the Government, in becoming the all “inclusive” industry representational body that was requested. True leadership must not only bring together senior stakeholders from large firms and associations, but actively include those voices, from over 10,000 companies that operate outside the traditional ACS paradigm and who are often closest to frontline delivery challenges.
To truly be a representative leadership forum, S12 must continue to open its doors, not just to more organisations, but to the diversity of business models and operational contexts that reflect today’s multifaceted market. Looking inwards, to the usual traditional stakeholders, is something that the SIA has done for the last two decades, and sadly, it has achieved very little in the way of industry improvement. We all still hope that the S12 will do something different, not simply dress big businesses, with the biggest reasons to maintain the status quo, in a new suit of clothes.
Recommended Reading: Mandatory Security Business Licensing: A Step Towards Reform
Membership Organisations: Building Professional Foundation
Alongside regulatory and leadership developments, the growth of membership organisations has played a transformational role in shaping the professional landscape of UK security.
Take, for example, the International Professional Security Association (IPSA), the UK’s longest-established trade association, championing career pathways, professional recognition and support across the broad spectrum of security disciplines. IPSA’s mission to ensure professionalism, advocate for fair pay and working conditions, and provide a community for frontline professionals has been a cornerstone for raising industry standards.
IPSA’s commitment to providing training, mentoring and welfare support reflects the genuine professional heart of our sector. It’s not just about badges or uniforms, it’s about career development, skills and respect. Its success in bringing thousands of security officers, technicians and companies under a unified association umbrella underscores the growing appetite for professional identity and community.
On the education and credentialing front, organisations like the International Foundation for Protection Officers (IFPO) are expanding opportunities for quality education and certification in specialist security disciplines. IFPO’s focus on competence and continuous learning is exactly the kind of thing that elevates performance and credibility in the field.
There are other bodies too, including the Guild of Security Industry Professionals, the British Security Industry Association (BSIA), and more niche collectives, all contributing to a richer ecosystem of professional support, advocacy and standards.
These membership organisations collectively represent the evolutionary muscle of our industry. Institutions that have grown organically over decades, responding to real needs from the ground up.
The Role Of Government Leadership: Dan Jarvis And Positive Momentum
After year after demoralising year of Home Office failure to implement the recommendations of the security industry, and even its own regulator, the SIA, we’ve now seen notable positive action from the UK government, particularly through the office of the Security Minister, Dan Jarvis MBE. In recent months, Minister Jarvis has demonstrated a clear commitment to engaging with industry leaders, supporting regulatory refinement and promoting collaboration between government, the SIA and private security stakeholders.
This is not mere symbolism. By bringing the SIA under the Department of Homeland Security (or is that the yank’s term? I digress.) portfolio, the government has signalled that the private security industry matters, not just to economic output, but to national safety, public confidence and resilience in the face of evolving threats.
We have also seen a firm focus on the implementation of Martyn’s Law, stronger screening requirements and enhanced public protection measures. All areas where government leadership has been essential. Although not without its implementation challenges, this approach demonstrates a willingness to act, engage and support, qualities that we have seen precious little evidence of over the years, but when sustained, can truly elevate our industry’s contribution to UK society.
Evolution AND Revolution: Where We Go Next
So, are we seeing an evolution or a revolution?
It’s both.
Evolution, because decades of professional association growth, regulatory foundations, and years of incremental improvement have brought us to this point. Organisations like the SIA, IPSA, IFPO and others have quietly and persistently nudged this industry toward higher standards.
Revolution, because new leadership paradigms like S12, combined with active government engagement, have the potential to accelerate change in ways that were unimaginable just a few years ago, provided that broad representation, transparency and genuine inclusion remain at their core.
For meaningful reform to continue, we must champion professionalism over politics, inclusion over exclusion, and collaboration over competition. Our industry is too important, too integral to public safety and national security, to be anything less than effective, credible, and respected.
It’s time we asked not just “are we progressing?” but “are we progressing together?” And in that collective spirit lies the path to positive UK security industry reform.
Building For The Industry We Want
Reform at the policy level only succeeds when it’s matched by operational excellence on the ground. Whether you’re an ACS-approved contractor or an emerging operator building your reputation, the fundamentals remain the same: recruit the right people, vet them properly, and invest in their development.
GuardPass supports security companies of all sizes with access to the UK’s largest pool of SIA-licensed candidates, BS7858-compliant vetting through GuardCheck, and CPD training via GuardSkills. The tools exist to raise your standards today, regardless of where the policy debate lands tomorrow.
Book a demo and see how GuardPass can support your contribution to a more professional industry.