The cost of a security guard in the UK depends mainly on the hours you need covered, the licence the role requires, when those hours fall, and how long the contract runs. Pay rates set the floor, and supervision, vetting, control room support and insurance sit on top. You get a firm price once someone has looked at the site and agreed exactly what the officer will do.
Why security companies do not publish a price list
Most buyers start by searching for an hourly rate, and most reputable firms will not give one over the phone. That is not evasion. Two jobs that both sound like "one guard, nights" can be very different. A gatehouse on a lit industrial estate with welfare facilities is a different job from a dark, open construction site with no cabin, no power and a history of break ins.
The officer’s pay is only part of the charge. The rest covers the things that make the officer turn up, stay alert and know what to do. If you compare quotes without knowing what sits behind them, you are comparing numbers, not services.
What affects the cost of a security guard?
These are the factors that move a price up or down. Most quotes are built from a mix of all of them.
- Licence type. A door supervisor at a licensed venue, a security guard on a static site and a close protection officer all need different SIA licences and different experience.
- Total hours. Weekly hours drive most of the cost. Covering 24 hours a day, seven days a week takes several officers on a rota, not one.
- When the hours fall. Nights, weekends and bank holidays usually cost more because officers are paid more to work them.
- Notice period. Cover needed tonight costs more to arrange than cover booked a fortnight ahead.
- Contract length. A one week job carries the same setup work as a one year contract, spread over far fewer hours.
- Number of officers. Some sites need two officers for lone working, size or risk reasons.
- Static or mobile. A patrol shared across several clients costs less than a dedicated officer, but it gives you visits, not presence.
- Equipment. Body worn cameras, radios, lone worker devices, a patrol vehicle or a welfare cabin all add cost.
- Vetting, training and ACS overheads. BS 7858 screening, site training, supervision and the cost of holding SIA Approved Contractor status.
Why pay rates and the National Living Wage matter
Security is a people business, so wages are the biggest single line in any guarding price. The National Living Wage rises each April, and when it rises, the minimum lawful cost of an hour of guarding rises with it. Holiday pay, employer National Insurance and pension contributions sit on top of the hourly wage. Those are legal requirements, not extras.
This is why a contract priced a few years ago may not hold today, and why a contractor who agrees to hold an old rate for years ahead should be asked how they plan to pay their officers. Check the current rate on GOV.UK when you review any quote, and ask your provider to show how their price relates to it.
Nights, weekends and bank holidays
Unsocial hours cost more because the officers who work them expect to be paid more, and because they are harder to cover. Christmas, New Year and other bank holidays are the hardest shifts of all to fill, and most contractors charge an enhanced rate for them.
If you need cover over the festive period, book early. Short notice requests at those times are the most expensive and the hardest to fill with officers who already know your site.
Static guards, patrols or CCTV: matching cost to risk
Price and risk should be looked at together. A static guard gives you a person on site who can check vehicles, deal with visitors and challenge intruders. A mobile patrol gives you visits at random times and a report after each one. Monitored CCTV gives you eyes on the site and a response when something is seen.
Many sites get better value from a mix. For example, a patrol at lock up and a monitored camera tower overnight may cost less than a night guard and cover the main risk. A survey should tell you honestly whether you need a full time officer at all.
Why very cheap security quotes are a warning sign
When a quote is far below the others, the money has to come from somewhere. In our experience it usually comes from one of these:
- Wages paid below the legal minimum once holiday pay and unpaid hours are taken into account.
- Officers working excessive hours across several jobs, and arriving tired.
- No supervision visits and no control room checking officers through the night.
- Vetting skipped or rushed, or officers deployed before checks are complete.
- Unlicensed staff, or staff whose licence does not cover the work.
- Subcontracting to another firm you have never met.
Questions to ask before you sign
If a price looks low, ask the contractor to explain it. A good firm will be happy to answer these:
- What hourly rate is the officer actually paid?
- Are officers employed directly, or is the work subcontracted?
- Are you an SIA Approved Contractor, and for which services?
- Are officers vetted to BS 7858 before they start?
- Who checks on the officer at 3am, and how?
- How are holidays and sickness covered without leaving the site empty?
- What reports will we receive, and how often?
How a free site survey gets you a firm price
A survey is the quickest way to an honest number. Someone walks the site with you, looks at entrances, lighting, fencing, welfare facilities and previous incidents, and agrees what the officer needs to do. You then get a quote for that specific job, with the hours, rates and inclusions spelled out, so there are no surprises on the first invoice.
KBG Security Solutions has run guarding from its West Bromwich head office since 2007. We are an SIA Approved Contractor for security guarding and door supervision, our officers are vetted to BS 7858, and our 24 hour control room makes check calls through every shift. We carry out a free site survey before pricing anything. Call 0845 388 0348 to arrange one.
