FOI release

Overseas close protection officers visiting the UK

Published 29 August 2023

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This publication is available at https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/overseas-close-protection-officers-visiting-the-uk/overseas-close-protection-officers-visiting-the-uk

1. Request

If a visiting close protection officer or team from another country accompanies a client on a trip to the United Kingdom for a short period of time, less than two weeks for example, what is the legal status and situation with licensing? Can they work in a close protection capacity in the UK during this trip even though they do not have a UK-issued SIA close protection licence?

Let’s say for example, the CPO(s) are certified and licensed with a provider or country outside of the UK, and that they travel internationally in support of their client frequently with whom they are contracted to supply close protection services internationally. Also to add that the client is a UHNW company or individual and uses the same team members whenever and wherever they travel globally.

2. Response

The regulation of the private security industry in the UK is provided for in the Private Security Industry Act 2001 (“the Act”).

Section 3(1) of the Act creates an offence for any person to engage in any licensable conduct except under and in accordance with a licence.

Section 3(2) states that for the purposes of this Act a person engages in licensable conduct if:

He carries out any designated activities for the purposes of, or in connection with, any contract for the supply of services under which:-

  1. he,
  2. a body corporate of which he is a director, or
  3. a form of which he is partner,

is or may be required to secure that any such activities are carried out.

Schedule 2, Part 1 of the Act defines the activities liable to control under the Act and specifically the activities of security operatives covered by the legislation.

These are:

  • Guarding premises against unauthorised access or occupation, against outbreaks of disorder or against damage;
  • Guarding property against destruction or damage, against being stolen or against being otherwise dishonestly taken or obtained;
  • Guarding one or more individuals against assault or against injuries that might be suffered in consequence of the unlawful conduct of others.

Any security operative engaging in licensable conduct within the UK for the purposes of, or in connection with, any contract for the supply of the security services is required to hold a valid SIA licence. The length of time that an individual is in the UK or are engaged in the licensable conduct is not relevant other than in consideration of the duration of a licence. Accreditation or qualifications obtained outside the UK do not permit an individual to engage in licensable conduct in the UK without an SIA licence.

[Reference: FOI 0433]

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