Security guard management software for Birmingham and West Midlands security companies

Birmingham has the third-largest pool of SIA licence holders in the UK. Schedule officers across the region, prove they were on site, record patrols and incidents, and report to clients from one platform.

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What software do Birmingham and West Midlands security companies use to manage officers?

Security companies in Birmingham and the West Midlands 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.

Birmingham and the West Midlands in numbers

Security work in the West Midlands

The SIA's September 2025 FOI release counts 25,829 licence holders in the Birmingham travel to work area, after London and Manchester, plus 14,641 in Wolverhampton and Walsall, Coventry and Dudley. In the year to March 2026 West Midlands Police recorded 99.1 crimes per 1,000 people and 10.5 shoplifting offences per 1,000, against 84.7 and 8.2 for England and Wales.

25,829SIA licence holders in the Birmingham travel to work area (2025)

301,020crimes recorded by West Midlands Police, excluding fraud (year to March 2026)

99.1crimes per 1,000 people (England and Wales: 84.7)

10.5shoplifting offences per 1,000 people (England and Wales: 8.2)

114.2crimes per 1,000 people in Birmingham (Community Safety Partnership)

13,000employees in private security activities in the West Midlands region (2024, provisional)

SIA licence holders by travel to work area, West Midlands
Travel to work area	SIA licence holders (2025)
Birmingham	25,829
Wolverhampton and Walsall	5,316
Coventry	5,093
Dudley	4,232

Licensing

SIA licensing in the West Midlands

The Security Industry Authority (SIA) licenses security staff across the UK under the Private Security Industry Act 2001; the same rules apply across 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.

First aidSecurity guard and door supervisor applicants need an Emergency First Aid at Work award that meets the Health and Safety Executive requirement, or an equivalent. You need it before the licence training starts, and it must be valid for at least another 12 months.

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.

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 Birmingham and the West Midlands security operation in one platform

Patrols across the regionMobile patrol officers scan QR checkpoints at each site, so clients see when every site was visited, wherever it is in the region.

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 Birmingham and the West Midlands: questions, answered

How many SIA licence holders are there in Birmingham and the West Midlands?

The SIA's FOI release of 19 September 2025 lists 25,829 licence holders in the Birmingham travel to work area, 5,316 in Wolverhampton and Walsall, 5,093 in Coventry and 4,232 in Dudley.

What was the recorded crime rate in the West Midlands Police area?

In the year ending March 2026 West Midlands Police recorded 301,020 crimes, excluding fraud: 99.1 per 1,000 people. There were 31,786 shoplifting offences, or 10.5 per 1,000 people, against 8.2 for England and Wales. Birmingham recorded 135,120 crimes, 114.2 per 1,000.

How many people work in private security in the West Midlands?

The ONS Business Register and Employment Survey estimates 13,000 employees in private security activities (SIC 80100) in the West Midlands region in 2024. The figure is provisional and rounded; the region is wider than the police force area.

What do I need for an SIA security guard licence?

The Level 2 Award for Working as a Security Officer in the Private Security Industry and an Emergency First Aid at Work award. The application fee is £204 and the licence lasts 3 years.

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: London · Greater Manchester · Leeds, Bradford and West Yorkshire · Scotland · Wales · Northern Ireland · ForceVera in the UK.

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