LONDON, June 26 -- The government of the United Kingdom issued the following news:
More than 40 officers from the SIA's Inspections and Enforcement Directorate, supported by policing partners, carried out co-ordinatedinspections across the UK on Saturday 21 June 2026. Teams visited 224 licensed premises and conducted 450 licence checks across the night-time economy.
Whilemostoperatives were found to be correctly licensed,investigatorsidentified:
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6 suspected Section 3 offences under the Private Security Industry Act2001 (PSIA). These included one individual suspected of using a counterfeit licence, one working while their licence was suspended, and another suspected of working on someone else's licence, whofledthe scene while speaking with investigators.
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Venue staffundertaking or managing licensable activity without holdingan SIAlicence, which isa criminal offence.
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Multiple suspected section 9 offences relating to breaches of licence conditions.These includedfailing to displayan SIA licence while on duty andfailing to notifythe SIA of a change of address. Licence condition breaches are serious and are also criminal offences.
Unlicensed security operatives present a clear risk to public safety. TheSIA licencing regime exists to ensure that those working in licensable roles have been subject to the required checks,vettingand training. Whereindividualsfailtofollow the rules, the public cannot have confidence that those safeguards are in place.
During the inspections, officers also spoke with security operatives about wider public safety responsibilities - including violence against women and girls, spiking, andidentifyingand safeguarding vulnerable people.
Pete Easterbrook, SIA Executive Director of Inspections and Enforcement, said:
Where we identify unlicensed activity, counterfeit licences, suspended licences or breaches of licence conditions, we will act. These are not minor technical issues. Licensing is a safeguard that helps protect the public, and where that safeguard is bypassed or ignored, there is a clear public safety risk.
Supplying unlicensed operatives is a serious matter, and businesses must ensure that the people they supply arelegally entitled to work in licensable roles.
Almost allof the issuesidentifiedcould have been prevented through stronger management oversight and a clearer understanding of legal responsibilities. Effective supervision is not optional - it is fundamental tooperatinglawfully.
Our proactive and intelligence-led activity will not stop. We will continue to rigorously inspect individuals, businesses and training providers, to keep the public safe and protect the integrity of the regulatory regime.
The SIA undertakes both intelligence-led inspections and proactive inspection activity.This proactive inspection focused primarily onpeopleworking in the night-time economy. Itforms part of the SIA's wider inspection regime, which also coverssecuritybusinessesand training providers.
Over the next week, SIA teams will contact the businesses supplying the unlicensed individuals identified during the inspections to determine their liability. Supplying an unlicensed security operative is a serious criminal offence and the SIA will take action where appropriate.
Background
The operation covered six regions:
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North: Bolton, Huddersfield, Durham
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East: Lincoln, Chesterfield, Sheffield
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West andSouth West: Gloucester, Southampton
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Wales: Wrexham
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South East: Southend-on-Sea, Milton Keynes
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London: Soho, Covent Garden, Camden
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Scotland: Glasgow, Edinburgh
By law, security operatives working under contract must hold and display a valid SIA licence. Information about SIA enforcement and penalties can be found onGOV.UK/SIA.
The offences relating to the Private Security Industry Act 2001 mentioned above are:
Section 3 - engaging in licensable conduct without a licence
Section 9 - contravening licence conditions
Licence conditions
SIA licence holdersare required todisplay the front of their licence card at all timeswhile engaged in licensable activity. The purpose of the licence card is to assure members of the public that the operative they are dealing with has been properly checked and vetted by the SIA.
Licence holdersare also required tonotify the SIA of any changes to their personal details, such as their name or address.Failing to complywith licence conditions is a criminal offence.
The SIA is the organisation responsible for regulating the private security industry in the UK, reporting to the Home Secretary under the terms of the Private Security Industry Act 2001. The SIA's main duties are the compulsory licensing of individuals undertaking designated activities and managing the voluntary Approved Contractor Scheme (ACS).
Media enquiries
For media enquiries only, please contact:
SIA press office
Email media.enquiries@sia.gov.uk
Disclaimer: Curated by HT Syndication.
