A newly launched public campaign website, www.csir.uk, is calling for urgent reform of the UK’s private security industry, arguing that stronger regulation is essential to safeguarding the public. The Campaign for Security Industry Reform (CSIR) has been established to inform the public, promote higher professional standards, and press for regulatory change that places public safety above all else.
“Public safety is the reason the security industry is regulated at all. Security officers are now expected to deal with serious violence, terrorism risks, safeguarding, medical emergencies and complex technology. Public safety must be matched by proper regulation of businesses, specialist roles and professional standards.”
Protecting the public sits at the heart of the Security Industry Authority’s remit under the Private Security Industry Act 2001. Every day, licensed security officers play a critical role in keeping people safe across a wide range of settings, including hospitals, shopping centres, transport hubs, offices, entertainment venues and public spaces. The effectiveness of this protection is closely linked to how the industry itself is regulated.
The launch of CSIR coincides with the Security Industry Authority’s five-year review of all licence-linked qualifications. This review will assess training requirements covering core competencies, safety-critical skills, counter-terrorism awareness, search procedures, spiking awareness, first aid provision, English language standards, and the overall integrity of training and assessment processes. Consultation with the industry will continue into early 2026, with revised requirements expected to come into force in 2027.¹
While CSIR welcomes the review as a necessary step towards improving public protection, the campaign cautions that changes to training alone will not resolve long-standing regulatory shortcomings. Current SIA data shows that more than 500,000 licensed individuals are subject to rigorous personal standards, yet the companies employing them are subject to minimal regulation at organisational level.
- The absence of a business licensing regime
- The continued use of the “in-house” exemption
- The lack of a regulatory process for specialist roles such as dog handlers and security consultants
- Weak oversight of poor-quality training providers
- New public safety risks linked to technology, AI, body-worn cameras and data handling use by non-compliant firms and operatives
- A more detailed list appears on our site
CSIR also links industry reform to wider national safety concerns, including the findings of the Manchester Arena Inquiry and the forthcoming Terrorism (Protection of Premises) legislation, commonly known as Martyn’s Law. These developments reflect the growing responsibility placed on private security staff in public-facing roles.
The CSIR.uk website is designed as an open, copyright-free public resource and a platform to raise awareness of other initiatives current in progress to raise security industry standards. It provides short, accessible explainers on key reform issues, links to credible sources, and campaign material that can be freely shared. The site will also host downloadable letters for members of the public and security workers to send to their MPs.
The Campaign for Security Industry Reform will continue to publish regular updates, briefings and public information.
