Guidance

Covid-19 and the private security industry - FAQs

Updated 15 December 2021

1. Licence applications

Questions in this section:

1.1 Do applicants still need to go to the Post Office?

Most people who are renewing their licence or applying for an additional sector do not need to go to the Post Office to have their documents checked. If you are renewing your licence, you will receive instructions on how to complete your renewal when you have made your application.

Some security companies use our Licence Management service, which enables them to complete the necessary identity checks. If your employer is one of those companies, you do not need to go to the Post Office.

If you do need to progress your application at a post office, the Post Office SIA application service is widely available. In order to find your nearest open branch and avoid unnecessary travel, please use the Post Office’s branch finder.

Information requests

We may have sent you an ‘Information Request’. These appear on the ‘My Messages’ page of your SIA online account. If we have, then you should send us the document(s) we have asked for by selecting the option that says “I will upload a scanned copy of the document using the Upload section below”.

Any other messages (for example, your ‘Next Steps’ instructions)

We may have asked for your documents as part of a longer message – for example, the ‘Next Steps’ instructions that you were given when you submitted your application. If we have, then you should:

1. Log into your SIA online account.
2. Click on the ‘Contact the SIA’ tab.
3. Select “I want to send you a document”.
4. Attach the image of your scanned or photographed document using the ‘Browse & Upload’ button.
5. Select the document type.
6. Click the ‘Submit’ button.

1.2 Should I send in my ID documents if I am applying for a licence?

Only limited staff numbers are attending our office in London due to the ongoing coronavirus pandemic. This means that we are not able to process, or return, identity documents that are sent to us as part of the licence application process.

Please DO NOT send us your identity documents, even if we have previously asked for them to support your licence application. If you have already sent us your identity documents, we will return them as soon as we can, but this may take a few weeks.

We are still processing and issuing licences, and have established effective ways of progressing the vast majority of applications despite limited staff presence in our office.

1.3 Is there any delay in processing licensing applications at the moment?

There are no delays to ‘decision-ready’ applications – that is, applications that are at ‘checks in progress’ and we have received all of the information we need in order to make a decision.

Our application process relies on us receiving information from a number of different organisations (the post office, criminality disclosure bodies and so on). It also relies on us receiving information from the applicant themselves.

If your application is at Next Steps or we require further information from anyone (including you), then there may be a delay due to a slowdown in the interfaces with other organisations.

Please do not post any documents to us. Instead, upload copies of your documents to your licensing account as that should enable us to progress your application.

We are doing everything we can to progress your applications, and remain committed to providing excellent service.

1.4 I cannot afford my licence renewal. Can you put special arrangements in place?

Last year we reduced the licence fee paid by applicants. On 1 April 2020 the individual licence fee paid for all sectors was reduced from £210 to £190. Additional licences cost 50% of this reduced fee from the same date.

The SIA operates on a cost recovery basis - neither making a profit or a loss on our operations - so offering a reduced licence fee now would mean future licence applicants would have to pay a higher fee to subsidise that cost.

2. Government help and advice

Questions in this section:

2.1 Where can I find the latest government advice about the coronavirus?

Read the latest government advice about the coronavirus

This has information on the symptoms and what to do if you have them, how to protect yourself, guidance for employees and businesses, and the number of cases in the UK.

2.2 Where can I get help if I have lost my job/am not able to work due to sickness, cancelled events, or venues closing?

Read the government’s guidance on finding work, claiming benefits and managing debts.

This guidance includes information on finding work, claiming benefits, managing debts, and pensions if you’re being made redundant.

2.3 Where can businesses get support?

Read the government’s advice for businesses

This includes financial support measures that are being made available to UK businesses and employees, wider business support, and other advice for businesses.

3. Approved Contractor Scheme (ACS)

Questions in this section:

3.1 Is there any delay in processing Approved Contractor Scheme (ACS) applications?

Applications for the ACS are being processed as normal. If local circumstances or restrictions prevent your on-site assessment from being completed, we may place your application on hold pending a successful assessment. Our approval decision may be delayed during any holding period.

3.2 What is the SIA going to be offering in terms of support for approved contractors? Will there be any allowance made for not meeting normal ACS standards in the current circumstances?

You must have a successful annual assessment to maintain your ACS approval. If you use our Licence Management service, you must be assessed against those additional requirements to continue using the service.

If you are concerned about your conformance to the ACS standard in relation to security screening, please follow the temporary guidance announced by the Disclosure and Barring Service in relation to DBS ID checking.

This temporary guidance will help you to demonstrate your conformance to our requirements and to BS7858 (Security screening of individuals employed in a security environment: Code of Practice).

You should pay particular attention to:

The applicant will be required to present the original versions of these documents when they first attend their employment.

Your ACS assessment will check that you are following this guidance.

3.3 I use the Licence Management service and can see the DBS has issued revised guidance. Can I use that guidance?

You must have a successful annual assessment to keep your ACS approval. If you are a licence management service user, you must be assessed against those additional requirements to continue using the service.

If you are concerned about your conformance to the ACS standard in relation to security screening, please follow the temporary guidance announced by the Disclosure and Barring Service in relation to DBS ID checking.

This temporary guidance will help you to demonstrate your conformance to our requirements and to BS7858 (Security screening of individuals employed in a security environment: Code of Practice).

You should pay particular attention to:

The applicant will be required to present the original versions of these documents when they first attend their employment.

Your ACS assessment will check that you are following this guidance.

3.4 I have not yet had my ACS Certificate. Will it still be posted to me?

Only limited staff numbers are attending our offices in London due to the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic. Unfortunately this means that we are unable to physically print and post ACS certificates for the foreseeable future. In the meantime, please rest assured that we are processing annual return and renewal applications in the normal way. You will therefore remain ACS approved and continue to be on the Register of Approved Contractors on our website.

3.5 If businesses go under due to the impact of Covid-19, will they be able to regain ACS approval (as this is not usually allowed)?

We may withdraw your ACS approval if you fall below the minimum requirements of the ACS.

You will need to re-apply for approval if it is withdrawn. You should only re-apply for approval when you can demonstrate you are eligible and that you meet our ‘fit and proper’ conditions and conform to the ACS Standard.

If you are concerned about the loss of your contract(s) to supply designated security services, please read our ACS Approval: Absence of designated security service contracts policy (PDF, 89.2kb, 3 pages).

Please contact us through your online business account if you have any concerns about your approval because of COVID-19.

3.6 Is there a way for approved contractors to keep in touch with the SIA and each other during this period?

To support approved contractors amid the COVID-19 pandemic, we have set up a LinkedIn group that will allow you to easily communicate with each other. This is a closed group managed and moderated by the SIA’s communication team and business relationship manager.

You will be able to comment within the group but the group will not be displayed in your LinkedIn profile.

We want to enable as many approved contractors as possible to submit, rate and comment and contribute to discussions. We also want to keep discussion as open as possible, and will not attempt to exclude or edit critical opinions. However, to protect this service from abuse, ideas and comments must satisfy some basic conditions.

Before joining the group, please note the following:

• Any information you give to us in comments or messages belongs to you. We do not own or hold any of the data that you post, and therefore we are unable to edit or delete your posts.
• To comply with the EU General Data Protection Regulations and Data Protection Act 2018 we will remove personal information so that it is not visible to the public.
• Please note we also reserve the right to hide comments so that they are not visible to the public. We look forward to the collaboration and support this group will provide.

Join the group.

3.7 What indicators will be assessed as part of my ACS assessment?

Before your assessment you should complete a self-assessment, taking account of any changes over the last 12 months.

You should also consider the assessor’s comments from your most recent assessment report. You will be assessed depending on your year of approval.

If you had a full assessment in 20-21 you will revert to your normal assessment cycle.

If you had a part 1 remote and a part 2 on-site assessment in 20-21 you will revert to your normal assessment cycle. You must undertake 1 of the following, depending on your year of approval:

• a re-registration assessment (you will be assessed against your service delivery)
• a renewal assessment (you will have a full indicator onsite assessment)

If you only had a part 1 remote assessment in 20-21 you will have a full indicator onsite assessment.

Please contact your ACS assessment body for further details.

3.8 Can I have an extension on my ACS assessment due date?

We expect businesses to go ahead with their scheduled assessment. If you require an extension to your assessment, please submit your request through your online business account explaining why you need an extension. We review extension requests on a case by case basis.

3.9 Can I still have a remote assessment for approval?

Your ACS assessment must be completed in person. Please contact your ACS assessment body for further details.

3.10 What happens if I do not get my assessment this year ending 31 March?

As detailed above, if you had a part 1 remote assessment but not your part 2 on-site assessment by 31 March 21 you will need to have a full onsite indicator assessment between 01 April 2021 and 31 March 2022. If you have not had any type of assessment within the last 12 months, please contact your ACS assessment body for further details.

3.11 If my company loses all its contracts, will I lose my ACS approval?

To be eligible for approval, you must hold at least one current contract for the supply of security industry services.

Approved contractors must follow the ‘approval conditions’ set out in Get Approved throughout their approval period. Approval condition 1 says that approved contractors must “continue to meet the ACS eligibility requirements”.

Approved contractors who have lost contracts since their last assessment or approval may be allowed to continue to be approved for a limited period while they are not delivering designated security services.

You should carefully read our ‘ACS Approval: Absence of designated security service contracts policy’.

You should inform us of any changes to your eligibility for approval as soon as possible through your online business account.

4. Licence-linked Training

Questions in this section:

4.1 Will you be making any concessions on the current rules so that training can take place while still meeting government guidelines on social distancing?

Use of virtual classrooms and proctored invigilation are permitted for some qualifications. Awarding organisations will have more information on this.

The DFE have introduced additional guidelines that support a blended approach to training and learning. Please contact your training provider and awarding body for further information.

4.2 Can we still deliver licence-linked training?

We are delivering training via a blended approach. We have allowed for parts of the training to be delivered through virtual classrooms and that training will be ongoing. See the latest government guidance here.

4.3 Is there any guidance on face-to-face training?

Please refer to the latest government guidance here.

Awarding organisations and training providers should study the latest government guidance and legislation, which refers to ‘education and training’ as being exemptions. We have worked closely with Awarding Organisations to pilot remote training and assessment as a contingency to licence linked training ceasing, as a result of the impact of the COVID-19 national lockdown.

Please see the latest Department for Education guidance dated December 2021 for further information.

5. General

Questions in this section:

5.1 Can I still get in touch with the SIA?

Yes. However, in order to ensure that we can continue to operate as normal, we would urge you to avoid all unnecessary contact with us. If you do need to contact us, please do so via your online account. We will prioritise all incoming correspondence and respond as quickly as possible, and currently within our normal timescales.

5.2 Can the SIA use its influence in government to increase protections for zero-hour security staff?

This is something that is beyond the scope of the regulator.

5.3 Can the SIA use its influence with security firms to ensure that staff are treated properly during this crisis?

The ACS standard already provides for the proper treatment and welfare of staff.

The SIA continues to work with security businesses to improve standards, training, and best practice in support of public safety and keeping people safe, which includes security officers and door supervision staff. All employers and venues should conduct risk assessments to ensure that staff and personnel working for them are provided with the appropriate equipment to fulfil their role safely and securely.

We are aware that some employers and security businesses operate schemes to either pay for the licence fee and/or support their employees to spread repayment of the cost of the fee over a longer period of time.

5.4 Has the SIA taken any view with regards to dispensations for using SIA licensed staff but who are not licensed to work in the control room?

A Public Space Surveillance (CCTV) licence is required when manned guarding activities are carried out through the use of closed circuit television equipment to:

1. monitor the activities of a member of the public in a public or private place; or
2. identify a particular person.

This includes the use of CCTV in these cases to record images that are viewed on non-CCTV equipment, but excludes the use of CCTV solely to identify a trespasser or protect property (a security guarding licence would cover this activity).

Our enforcement approach takes into account a number of factors including whether an individual already holds a licence for another licensable sector, as well as any other factor that we think is relevant in the circumstances.

5.5 In the case of shortage of security, can non-licensed be used for the urgent security tasks which cannot be left such as attending an intruder or panic alarm or removing someone from the premises?

Licensing requirements for security operatives remain unchanged.

When there is an expectation for an individual to respond to security tasks, whether urgent or not, they are likely to be a security operative and require a licence. The PSIA does exclude persons undertaking other activities (i.e. not security operatives) who respond to sudden or unexpected occurrences. However, the circumstance of such an event would be for an individual or business to justify.

Our existing enforcement approach already allows for taking into account individual circumstances including, for example, the progress made towards getting or renewing a licence; whether we are able to keep licensing functions operational and whether there is any build-up of applications; availability of training; and any other factor that we think is relevant in the circumstances. Alongside this, we will be prioritising dealing with the activities and actions of those who might use the situation to abuse their position and/or trust the public place in the private security industry and risk harm to the public.

5.6 Does an employer have a responsibility to provide PPE (personal protection equipment), such as facemasks, to their staff?

The SIA continues to work with security businesses to improve standards, training, and best practice in support of public safety and keeping people safe, which includes security operatives.

All employers should carry out risk assessments to ensure that staff are provided with the appropriate equipment to fulfil their role safely and securely. Any assessment and mitigation of risk should consider the most up-to-date government guidance on the use of PPE. The Government has published a number of guides for those working in a variety of environments. They can be found here. The current advice suggests that the added value from some measures is very limited outside of a clinical/medical setting. The guidance continues to highlight the overwhelming benefits of good hand hygiene, and the limited role of face coverings.

Stipulation of PPE is assignment-specific, and the responsibility of the employer or venue. It is outside the powers of the SIA to prescribe use of specific equipment.

5.7 Is there any guidance on detaining people safely in the current environment?

The safety of staff requires employers (the contracted security company) to carry out on-the-ground risk assessments which will take into account the challenges of the current situation. The assessments will include the need for personal protective equipment, client policies and identifying any further training required. The professional training of SIA licence holders encourages de-escalation of incidents with physical intervention only used as a last resort.

We are concerned that security officers can have to deal with violent or abusive situations and we encourage all staff to report incidents to managers. Incidents may also need to be escalated to the Health and Safety Executive. The standards of professional behaviour displayed by security officers should be the same as they are usually.

5.8 If it is a requirement for people entering a premises to be wearing a face covering, should the person who controls this access be SIA licensed?

Where the wearing of a face covering is a condition of entry, and the person who is responsible for permitting entry is determining the suitability of persons applying, then this is a security function and an SIA licence may be required. Please refer to our advice on queue management for detailed advice about the relevant circumstances.

5.9 If it is a requirement for people entering the premises to present proof of vaccination, should the person who controls this access be SIA licensed?

We are of the view that simply checking a vaccination certificate and denying entry if a valid certificate or exemption is not presented, is not an activity for which an SIA licence is required. It is comparable to denying entry to a person without a ticket for admission to, for example, a music gig.

If an individual who has been denied entry then attempts to force entry to the premises, a person who guards against such unauthorised access would require an SIA licence.

In addition, where someone checking a vaccine passport combines it with the activity of judging the suitability of people entering the premises (for example, by making a decision as to the behaviour of a person, whether a person is underage or is intoxicated, or is carrying weapons or illegal substances) they will be engaged in licensable conduct for which an SIA licence is required.

It is not licensable conduct to check vaccine certification, to deny entry if a valid certificate or exemption is not presented, and/or to guard against unauthorised access to premises, if both of the following apply:

• the person who is doing this activity is directly employed by the premises
• those premises are not licensed to sell alcohol

Check if you need an SIA licence to work at an event.

5.10 Can security staff ask members of the public to remove masks in order to confirm their identity or age?

The current government guidance for restaurants, pubs, bars, and takeaway services states: “Informing customers that they should be prepared to remove face coverings safely if asked to do so by police officers and staff for the purposes of identification”.

Further government guidance advises the public that they should remove face coverings in the following circumstances:

• if asked to do so in a bank, building society, or post office for identification
• if asked to do so by shop staff or relevant employees for identification or for age identification purposes, including when buying age-restricted products such as alcohol

‘Staff’ in these circumstances includes security staff, whether in-house or contracted.