Security guard management software for London security companies

London has more SIA licence holders than any other area of the UK. Plan rotas, prove officers were on site, record patrols and incidents, and give clients the evidence they ask for, in one platform.

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What software do London security companies use to manage officers?

London manned guarding and mobile patrol companies use security workforce software to plan rotas, check officers are on site, record patrols and incidents, and report to clients. ForceVera does this in one platform: rotas on officers' phones, a geofenced clock-in, QR patrol checkpoints, incident and daily reports, a client portal and timesheets.

London in numbers

Security work in London

The SIA's September 2025 FOI release counts 127,568 licence holders in the London travel to work area, 28% of the UK's 457,736. In the year to March 2026 the Metropolitan Police area recorded 101.0 crimes per 1,000 people, against 84.7 for England and Wales, and 90,071 shoplifting offences. The police figures leave out the City of London, which has its own force.

127,568SIA licence holders in the London travel to work area (2025)

916,963crimes recorded by the Metropolitan Police, excluding fraud (year to March 2026)

101.0crimes per 1,000 people (England and Wales: 84.7)

9.9shoplifting offences per 1,000 people (England and Wales: 8.2)

69,000employees in private security activities in London (2024, provisional)

Licensing

SIA licensing in London

The Security Industry Authority (SIA) licenses security staff across the UK under the Private Security Industry Act 2001. London follows the same rules as the rest of England.

Who needs an SIA licenceYou need a front line SIA licence for licensable work done under a contract for services: security guarding, door supervision, close protection, public space surveillance (CCTV), cash and valuables in transit, and key holding. In-house staff employed directly by the company that uses their services usually do not, except for door supervision at licensed premises.

Qualification and training timeA security guard licence needs the Level 2 Award for Working as a Security Officer in the Private Security Industry. A door supervisor licence needs the door supervisor award and also covers security guarding. The SIA puts security guarding training at 30 hours over 4 days with self-study, or 38 hours over 5 days without; door supervision takes 44 hours over 6 days, or 52 hours over 7.

Fee, length and renewalSince 1 April 2026 the application fee is £204, and most extra licences on the same application cost £102. SIA licences last 3 years and do not renew themselves: you can apply 4 months before yours expires. To renew a security guard or door supervisor licence you also need a refresher qualification.

Checking a licenceBefore you hire someone for licensable work, check their licence on the SIA register on GOV.UK, with their 16-digit licence number or their surname and other details such as their date of birth.

The 48-hour week for security officers

The Working Time Regulations 1998 cover Great Britain. An officer's working time, overtime included, must not go over an average of 48 hours for each 7 days unless they agree in writing to work more. The average is normally taken over 17 weeks; for security guards whose work needs a permanent presence to protect property and people (a special case under regulation 21), it is taken over 26 weeks. An opt-out must be voluntary and in writing, and the officer can end it with at least 7 days' notice, or up to 3 months if the agreement says so.

Work out shifts and headcount with the free 24/7 coverage calculator or the overtime calculator.

ForceVera

Run your London security operation in one platform

Sites across the boroughsRun static sites and mobile patrols from one account, each site with its own geofence, checkpoints and instructions in the officer app.

SIA licences on fileOfficers upload a photo of their SIA licence in the app and it is kept on their profile. ForceVera does not check licences with the SIA or track expiry dates; use the SIA register on GOV.UK for that.

Hours for the 48-hour averageTimesheets show each officer's hours shift by shift and export to CSV or Excel, so you can check them against the working time limits before you publish the next rota.

Proof of service for clientsPatrol scans, incident reports and attendance roll into a daily client report with your logo, and on Pro and Enterprise clients have their own portal.

FAQ

Security companies in London: questions, answered

How many SIA licence holders are there in London?

The SIA's FOI release of 19 September 2025 lists 127,568 licence holders in the London travel to work area: 14,440 women and 113,128 men. Travel to work areas do not follow borough boundaries, and a licence holder may not be working in security at the moment.

What was the recorded crime rate in the Metropolitan Police area?

In the year ending March 2026 the Metropolitan Police recorded 916,963 crimes, excluding fraud: 101.0 per 1,000 people, against 84.7 for England and Wales. There were 90,071 shoplifting offences, or 9.9 per 1,000 people.

How many people work in private security in London?

The ONS Business Register and Employment Survey estimates 69,000 employees in private security activities (SIC 80100) in London in 2024. The figure is provisional and rounded, and counts jobs where people work, not where they live.

Does ForceVera check SIA licences?

No. Officers upload a photo of their SIA licence in the app and it is kept on their profile, but ForceVera does not check licences with the SIA or track expiry dates. Check a licence on the SIA register through GOV.UK.

Official sources

Checked October 2026. Licensing and employment rules change, so confirm them with the regulator before you rely on them. This page is general information, not legal advice.

Other UK areas: Birmingham and the West Midlands · Greater Manchester · Leeds, Bradford and West Yorkshire · Scotland · Wales · Northern Ireland · ForceVera in the UK.

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