An SIA Licence is a legal requirement for anyone working as a security professional in the UK. This isn’t exactly news. But one thing that keeps making headlines are the risks of unlicensed security work.
A lot of this illegal security work isn’t happening with any bad intentions. People are simply trying to put food on the table. Companies are trying to keep up with incredible security industry demand. Nightlife venues are trying to keep people safe in the face of constant rule changes.
Yet illegal security work and the rise of black market bouncers are symptoms of a sector with massive shortages. Yet solving these shortages means doing the right thing, rather than short-term illegal actions that only harm the industry.
Why the risks of unlicensed security work never make rulebreaking worth it
It’s true that security training can take time. People who’ve worked as a door supervisor or security guard before might not want to spend time and money on Top-Up Training either.
However, the law is the law, and the SIA is a government entity. In other words, the SIA has the power to bring legal action against anyone working in security illegally.
In fact, the SIA recently published a case of just that happening. A security company in Liverpool was identified as having broken the Private Security Act 2001. Worse still, the brothers running the business tried to cover it up, which only caused even deeper trouble for them both.
A heavy £50,000 fine has now been issued to Nationwide Management Services of Liverpool. That alone is a nasty black mark against hardworking, honest professionals in our industry.
Yet keep in mind the frontline security professional caught doing unlicensed security work. He had to pay £300, as well as a £95 victim surcharge. Ironically, that comes to almost twice the cost of a Door Supervisor Licence.
Worse still, the unlicensed security professional in question has been sentenced to a community order, as well as a 4-week curfew between 8 PM and 7 AM every day. Was the money he made on shift worth the risks of unlicensed security work and getting caught? Definitely not.
Don’t let a fast buck stop you from doing the right thing
We’re not here to take the moral high ground over people and security companies who’ve been caught breaking the law. Rather, it’s worth you remembering how the risks of unlicensed security work can so quickly go wrong.
Security training takes a commitment of time, energy and money. Yet the alternative means looking over your shoulder every shift and potentially facing horrible consequences that stop you from earning a living.
Don’t take the risk. Remember, Get Licensed offers financial support and cost-spreading options if funding your security training course is a concern. Likewise, our GuardPass app and skilled network of security training instructors give you the confidence to power through your courses and get your SIA Licence.
It’s an incredibly appealing time to get to work and earn a living in the UK private security industry. Yet as the recent clampdowns by the SIA show, doing it by the book is the best way forward. Get rich quick schemes and cash in hand unlicensed security work is never worth the risk.
