Licensing – Security Industry Authority Blog

A blended approach to effective compliance and enforcement

In this blog Pete Easterbrook, Executive Director of Inspections and Enforcement explains how the SIA protects the public through a blended approach.

When people hear the word ‘enforcement’, they may immediately think of criminal investigations and prosecutions. These are important parts of our work, but they are only part of a much wider picture. Effective regulation involves a range of interventions and is not measured in single numbers.

The legislation Parliament introduced to tackle criminality and violence within the private security industry is now more than 20 years old. At its heart were a relatively limited set of regulatory tools: individual licensing, a public register and, in the most serious cases, criminal sanctions. Our direct oversight of security businesses was narrower, extending mainly to licensing requirements for non-front line roles and the voluntary Approved Contractor Scheme. Approved Contractors could also supply some individuals before their licences had been granted through Licence Dispensation Notices.

For many years, success was largely measured by the volume of licences issued, levels of licensing compliance and the number of prosecutions brought. Compliance among those inspected (over 5000 last year) is now consistently around 98% to 99%. However, those intent on avoiding the rules or profiting from non-compliance have adapted. Some structure their activities to sit outside direct regulatory oversight, while businesses that do not join the Approved Contractor Scheme are not routinely assessed against its quality standards. There are also a range of harms which take place in the industry which fall outside the scope of the Private Security Industry Act, which nonetheless undermine the integrity of the regime and place the public at risk.

Our role must therefore go beyond checking whether an individual holds a licence. We must understand the risk, identify the potential harm and select the intervention most likely to protect the public. Depending on the circumstances, that may mean giving a person or business an opportunity to put matters right through regulatory advice. It may mean issuing a formal warning or improvement notice, suspending or revoking a licence, attaching special conditions to a licence, removing a business from the Approved Contractor Scheme, disrupting harmful activity—often alongside a partner agency—or prosecuting those responsible.

This reflects the approach taken by regulators more widely. The Regulators’ Code requires regulatory activity to be proportionate and targeted, and like the SIA, organisations such as the Financial Conduct Authority, Information Commissioner’s Office and Environment Agency also use combinations of supervisory, civil and criminal interventions to secure compliance and address harm. The important question is not simply how often a particular power has been used, but whether the regulator has selected the right tool at the right time in order to achieve the best available outcome.

Our new Strategic Plan 2026-29 captures that balance clearly: we will be confident in setting standards, supportive in seeking compliance and uncompromising in our enforcement.

Preventing entry and removing unsuitable people from the industry

One of the most immediate ways we protect the public is through our licensing decisions. We have recently strengthened our licensing criteria to raise standards and make the requirements clearer and more transparent – Get Licensed

During 2025–26, we refused 1,710 licence applications because we were not satisfied that the applicant met the criteria for entry into the private security industry. We also suspended 2,164 licences and permanently revoked a further 8,286.

Many of the decisions to revoke a licence relate to licence holders who no longer hold the right to work in the UK. Others involved individuals who had committed serious offences or displayed behaviour fundamentally incompatible with working in a position of trust. This included cases involving sexual offending, drug supply, and violent or abusive behaviour.

A suspension or revocation is not simply an administrative action. It removes an individual’s ability to lawfully work in a licensable role. Where someone poses a risk, licensing action prevents them from continuing to work at venues, events, businesses and other locations where the public should reasonably expect to be protected.

This work is often fast-paced and often depends on information from the police and other partners. It may never result in a court case or a public announcement, but its effect on public safety is direct and significant.

Acting at the entry point to the industry

Our approach also takes us further upstream where the integrity of the licence is affected by the actions of third parties. It is not enough to check whether someone holds a licence after they have entered the industry. We must also have confidence in the training and qualifications on which that licence is based.

Operation RESOLUTE is our response to serious malpractice and qualification fraud in the SIA licence-linked qualification. Many training providers operate professionally and share a commitment to high standards. However, where training or the assessment is compromised, there is a risk that an individual may obtain a qualification without demonstrating the knowledge and competence required to work safely in the security industry.

Between April and June 2026—the first quarter of 2026-27—we conducted 64 unannounced checks on training providers. These resulted in:

80 actions for improvement issued to training centres
11 instances of blocks being placed on centres to cease registering or certifying new learners while concerns were investigated
2 centres being closed following an SIA referral

Where concerns extend beyond malpractice and indicate possible criminality, we will investigate to determine whether there is sufficient evidence for the SIA or another agency to pursue a criminal investigation.

These outcomes demonstrate why effective enforcement is not synonymous with prosecution alone. Where we identify an immediate risk at a training centre, the relevant awarding organisation—regulated by Ofqual—has a responsibility to act and may block registrations or certification, suspend the centre or withdraw its approval altogether. This can prevent questionable training and qualifications from entering the licensing system immediately, without waiting for the outcome of a potentially lengthy fraud investigation that depends on witnesses and other evidence and is required to meet the criminal standard of proof.

Improvement action makes a meaningful difference in standards cases. It sets clear expectations, corrects poor practice and helps prevent problems escalating and becoming more serious. Where the evidence indicates cheating, deliberate fraud or organised criminality, we have the capability and determination to investigate and prosecute. We have a number of active criminal investigations which have included arrests and property searches to secure and preserve evidence of qualification fraud.

This is a consciously blended model: improve where improvement is possible and appropriate, disrupt where risk is immediate, and pursue criminality where the seriousness of the conduct demands it, the evidence can be sought, and it is clearly in the public interest to do so.

Assessing business compliance

Public protection and the delivery of competent and quality security services also heavily depend on the standards of the businesses recruiting, supplying and supervising security operatives.

Our Approved Contractor Scheme is voluntary, but membership is not automatic. Businesses must demonstrate that they are fit and proper and sign up to required quality standards.

We have taken a more robust approach to regulation of this area over the last few years. During 2025-26, 27% of new ACS applicants were refused. That means more than one in four applicant businesses did not satisfy us that they worked to quality standards and should enter the scheme.

Our scrutiny does not end when a business is approved. During the same year:

27 non-compliant businesses had their ACS accreditation removed
384 improvement needs were issued to approved contractors

Refusing an application or removing an approval protects the integrity of the scheme for the public and helps buyers of security distinguish between businesses that meet quality standards and those that do not. Improvement activity is equally important. It enables us to identify weaknesses, require corrective action and drive better standards before failings become more serious.

Intervening before criminal investigation is necessary

Not every regulatory concern reaches the threshold for a criminal investigation but that does not mean we ignore it.

During 2025-26, we opened and completed 1,030 intervention cases concerning individuals or businesses. These cases allow us to examine potential non-compliance, assess the regulatory risk and decide what action is appropriate and necessary.

The majority of interventions are resolved through non-criminal justice measures. These can include regulatory advice, formal warnings, improvement notices, licensing action, referrals to other bodies or closer regulatory monitoring.

Our involvement does not necessarily end when a sanction is issued. We may continue to monitor the individual or business to ensure compliance is maintained and to assess whether the intervention has worked. If the behaviour continues, or the risk increases, we can escalate the response.

Disruptions and partnerships

Some of the most impactful work we do is conducted jointly with other partners and may not always be visible publicly.

As of 1 July 2026, we had over 10 live intelligence development operations taking place with a wide range of enforcement partners.

These allow each partner to bring its own intelligence, expertise and legal powers to a shared problem. A concern that begins with suspected SIA licensing non-compliance, for example, may also involve organised crime, fraud, immigration offending, tax evasion, labour exploitation or money laundering.

In some cases, the strongest public-safety outcome may be achieved through another agency’s legislation and powers rather than our own. To support this, we may share intelligence and provide operational assistance, enabling partners to recover criminal assets, address immigration offences, investigate tax irregularities or disrupt wider organised crime networks.

These outcomes are not currently reflected in our enforcement statistics, but we are exploring ways to capture them without prejudicing the work of our partners. Nevertheless, our involvement may be central to identifying the links and risks, developing the intelligence and enabling action that more effectively addresses threats to public safety.

Prosecuting where it will make a difference

Criminal investigation and prosecution sit at the most serious end of our enforcement capability. Before bringing a prosecution, there must be sufficient admissible and reliable evidence to provide a realistic prospect of conviction, with the offence capable of being proved beyond reasonable doubt. Prosecution must also be proportionate and in the public interest.

A range of factors informs that decision, including the seriousness of the circumstances, the level of actual or potential harm, any evidence of deliberate or persistent non-compliance, and the strength and reliability of the available evidence. This includes whether witnesses are willing and able to give evidence, and whether other attempts to secure compliance have failed or would clearly be inappropriate.

One recent case demonstrates why it is important that we have both the will and the capability to undertake criminal investigations and prosecute in the right circumstances. We identified intelligence that an individual whose licence had been suspended following arrest for serious sexual offences was continuing to work in the private security industry. We investigated at pace, secured evidence from a range of sources and successfully prosecuted both the individual and others involved in the case.

Criminal investigations and prosecutions must, rightly, be undertaken with care. They require sufficient, reliable and admissible evidence, full compliance with disclosure obligations, and an assessment under the Code for Crown Prosecutors of whether prosecution is in the public interest. As a UK-wide regulator, we must also take account the difference between the legal and judicial systems within which we operate.

Cases involving the supply of unlicensed operatives can be particularly complex, especially where there are lengthy supply chains. Fraud-related offences, and investigations involving multiple suspects or witnesses, can also be resource-intensive and may take considerable time to conclude. Penalties and cost awards available for some offending can be modest.

That does not prevent us from pursuing criminal action where it is appropriate. It means making informed—and sometimes finely balanced—decisions about whether prosecution is both achievable and justified in the public interest. We consider whether it is likely to deliver the strongest public-protection and deterrent effect, or whether another intervention could stop the harm more quickly and effectively.

We have also made the case for stronger and more modern powers and are working with the Home Office to improve our investigative capabilities and ability to respond to emerging harms and the increasingly sophisticated ways in which some individuals and businesses engage in criminal behaviour.

Following the money

Where offending is financially motivated, a fine for the original offence does not usually address the profit made from the criminality. This is why financial investigation is an increasingly important part of our approach, and we have recently strengthened our capacity and capability in this area. Our powers under the Proceeds of Crime Act allow us to identify and recover the proceeds of offending.

As an example, following the conviction of a repeat offender for multiple Private Security Industry Act offences, a subsequent financial investigation earlier this year resulted in confiscation orders totalling £44,518. This year we also worked closely with partners to secure our first confiscation orders in Scotland of over £40,000 of criminal proceeds, and in a separate matter we secured over £53,000 in victim compensation.

Since gaining confiscation and restraint powers, we have recovered more than £1 million, making it harder for offenders to reinvest criminal funds and return to the private security industry.

In 2024, we asked for and were granted powers to strengthen our financial investigation capability, and as a result we can now conduct our own money-laundering investigations. This work is complex and necessarily takes time, but this, combined with our other powers under the Proceeds of Crime Act enables us to address the economic drivers behind offending rather than limiting our response to the initial regulatory breach.

Measuring what matters

Inspections, licensing decisions, warnings, improvement action, removal of approved contractor status, partner referrals, disruption, financial investigation and prosecution are not competing measures of success. Together they make up a range of tools we use in our compliance and enforcement work and should be seen as different but complementary parts of the same regulatory system.

Our investigators work hard to identify and secure evidence of non-compliance or criminality, understand the circumstances and use the most appropriate intervention—or combination of interventions—to secure the right impact and address the non-compliance and harm.

Sometimes that will mean helping a generally compliant business correct a one-off error or area of weakness. Sometimes it will mean acting immediately to stop or prevent harm by suspending or revoking a licence. Sometimes it will involve asking a partner organisation to act using powers we do not have or where they are better placed to address offending and secure the optimum impact. And sometimes it will mean building a criminal case and placing an offender before the courts.

We plan to share more about the breadth of our compliance and enforcement work, and the results it achieves. No single statistic can capture the complexity or impact of effective regulation. Our success is better understood through the risks reduced, harm prevented, criminality disrupted, compliance secured and public confidence strengthened in the services provided by private security operatives and businesses.

Our approach will remain robust but supportive in seeking compliance, and uncompromising where enforcement is necessary. We will be fair and proportionate in our decisions, clear in our expectations and focused throughout on protecting the public.

Ensuring the integrity of the SIA licence

Iestyn David is our Head of Licensing and Service Delivery. Here, he writes about our work to make sure that licences end up in responsible hands.

The SIA doesn’t just grant licences – although last year we granted 160,000. We make sure that only the right people hold an SIA licence. That means we refuse licence applications and revoke licences from those who are not fit to carry out the important role of protecting the public. It’s a key responsibility that we have as the regulator of the private security industry.

Our work to safeguard the integrity of the SIA licence begins with the application process. Our checks are thorough; last year we refused 1,362 licence applications for reasons such as criminality, or not having the right to work in the UK.

We won’t hesitate to remove licences from licence-holders who fail to live up to the standards required of them. Last year we suspended 917 licences and revoked 1,049 licences. Maintaining trust in the SIA licence is a top priority that involves teams across the SIA, from our Legal and Criminal Investigations teams to our Decisions officers and Intelligence staff.

We have close ties with police forces throughout the UK. They provide us with valuable intelligence relating to licence-holders or applicants involved in criminality. Our Intelligence team gathers relevant information and passes it to our Integrity team for detailed assessment, which may lead to us deciding to suspend or revoke a licence. This information can also come in from employers or members of the public via the ‘Report a Crime or Concern’ page on our website.

Our Inspections and Enforcement teams conduct enforcement operations across the UK with the police, local authorities and other government agencies. These operations may be conducted because of something we have been told (intelligence-led), or they may be random inspections to check compliance in a particular area.

We regularly prosecute those who commit offences under the Private Security Industry Act 2001. This is the Act of Parliament that established the SIA. It created several new offences, which include contravening licence conditions (you can see a full list of offences under the Act here). Last year we brought 39 prosecutions against individuals and businesses who chose to operate illegally.

We also prosecute for offences that could have a detrimental impact on the private security industry. These include fraud, forgery and counterfeiting in cases where people use forged or cloned licences. At the end of November 2022 our Criminal Investigations team had 119 open investigations, as you can see in our monthly SIA Enforcement Report.

We take our licensing responsibilities very seriously. The safety and security of the public depends on a professional and well-regulated private security industry that everyone can trust.

Christmas for the SIA Compliance & Investigation teams

John Sandlin leads the Security Industry Authority’s Compliance & Inspections teams. Here he talks about the additional work that Christmas brings as the night time economy gears up for the busiest time for bars, restaurants and entertainment venues.

When does planning for Christmas start?
Pretty much as soon as we’ve drawn a breath from the summer events season which finishes around the end of September. Then we start thinking about Christmas. We look at what inspection activity we might want to do and consider requests from partners (such as police, local authorities, and the HMRC) to undertake operations to support their own objectives too. We draw on the huge amount of expertise across the team from colleagues who know the environment well and can help identify issues we need to consider.

London, UK – November 3 2022: Christmas lights in Oxford Street, view at night

So what issues do we need to consider?
In the run up to Christmas there’s more footfall in venues. This creates an increased risk of harm to the public which in turn requires a bigger police presence supported by a larger private security resource. It’s the increased private security deployment that requires our involvement to make sure those working in licensable roles are complying with the necessary regulation.

Although there are variations across the UK, the police tend to focus on ensuring venues are licensed and adhere to the terms and conditions of that licence. This might cover maximum occupancy, fire controls, health and safety considerations and security provision. The police and local authorities are increasingly engaging with venues about protecting the vulnerable alongside checking venue licences. Actually, whenever they are out and about, most agencies talk about protecting the vulnerable as part of protecting the public.

Watch our ‘Helping people in vulnerable situations’ video here

How many of your team are involved in Christmas specific activity?
It’s fair to say all teams are doing some form of activity that directly supports or is impacted by Christmas, so most team members will be involved in that.

As we speak there’s a multi agency operation in Belfast around the ‘ask Angela’ campaign. We’ll be undertaking licence checks, whilst supporting the initiative with messages about the campaign.

Manchester, United Kingdom – November 25, 2011 – Big wheel in the City center of Manchester with beautiful lights during christmas preparation

What additional activities do we deploy for Christmas, is it more of the same or different actions?
We may undertake specific activities, especially if we have solid intelligence that provides a clear aim or benefit. However, Christmas is generally doing more of the same, but with a stronger focus on the night time economy. There’s a huge upshift in volumes and that’s the biggest difference. There’s still a need to continue with other work, for example we’re working in Oxford Street in London during the day, although, to be fair, that’s also connected to the increase in footfall in the run up to Christmas.

What do we do on the front line?
It will depend on the site and any objectives for an operation. However, primarily we’re interested in compliance with the Private Security Industry Act. So, we’re mainly checking individuals are correctly licensed and ascertaining the businesses that operatives work for to build our understanding of the makeup of the local economy. This is especially useful when newly formed companies emerge. We’re also interested in in how labour is deployed and what the labour chain looks like; the more links in a labour chain, the higher the risk of noncompliance. We also check individuals’ employment status which helps identify possible exploitation. Where possible we push other messages and support campaigns to promote awareness and conversations across the industry.

How do security operatives and venues react to your teams’ presence?
Mostly, we get a positive response. Generally, licence holders like to see us out checking licences as they don’t want rogue people in the industry. We occasionally meet one or two unlicensed operatives that may be a little reticent for want of a better word but using our skills we overcome those hurdles.

Do other agencies do similar tasks around Christmas?
The Police and local authorities will be undertaking checks based around venue licensing and will want to assure themselves that venues are complying. Sometimes they may support us on our operations, it depends on specific operations, or sometimes the location. For example, I’d be fairly happy undertaking checks in Westminster without police support but wouldn’t want to do so in other areas without them. That goes not just for London, but anywhere else, you get a good feel for what risks maybe posed in undertaking checks without partners.

How much does the night time economy grow over the festive period?
We always hear that businesses are at their busiest and it’s very true, there are more people in more venues over more nights of the week. There are additional Christmas get togethers with friends, socialising after work, organised office parties – it’s difficult to put a figure on, and it will vary from location to location, but it’s noticeably much busier. Let’s not forget this is the first Christmas without any COVID restrictions.

On top of venues being busier, there are additional entertainment venues and events to consider; pop up fairs, Christmas markets, ice rinks, entertainment offerings, temporary licensed premises.

How stable is resource in the night time economy?
If more door supervisors are needed because a company has a shortfall, then most companies will contract in staff from another to match the demand. However, what sometimes happens is the supplying company will in turn go to another to fulfil the request. This is not a problem as such, but it is a concern. With each company’s loan of resource comes a charge. This can lead to a squeeze on profit margins which is where corners can be cut. When that happens to the risk of improper employment and unlicensed personnel can start to emerge.

How effective are the operations we undertake?
Of course, we have limited resource and we can’t visit every venue. However, what we do has a definite ripple effect. When we’re in a large town or city, just by visiting a few premises, word gets around very quickly that we’re out and about undertaking checks and looking at licences. That has a great deterrent effect within the security community. So, we enlarge the size of our footprint. In addition, we work with colleagues in the Communications team to get the message out and again, this spreads across the community well.

What does it take to deploy an operation?
That’s a good question; lots of work.

Before we set foot on the ground, we undertake pre-inspection activity. This could be meetings with partners, considering intelligence we or our partners have received and undertaking a recce in the locality. We then need to work up aims and objectives before putting an operational order together. Information needs to be created within our database (CRM). Risks also need to be considered and risk assessments completed. We also need to secure resource from across the team and make sure everyone is available for the operation. In addition to staff on the ground, we always have an operational control to assist with licence checks on the STeP database, as well as then inputting the checks onto CRM. This can be quite a laborious task, especially if there are a voluminous amount.

Any last words?
The team are very committed. We have had a fair few new staff so as well as preparing and undertaking activities, experienced team members are also helping to train and guide their new colleagues in this crucial area of work. Everyone in the Compliance & Inspections team plays a part in what we do from the MST to the investigators themselves, supported by colleagues from other teams. The inspection activity being centred on the night time economy requires staff to work evenings and weekends to attend operations, which at this time of year means being out in the cold. I want to thank the teams, I appreciate everyone’s effort and support in keeping the public safe.

About the author

John Sandlin served for 30 years with the Metropolitan Police. He worked as an Investigating and Senior Investigating Officer for over 11 years investigating homicides and other serious crimes. He’s worked at the SIA since early 2015.

New Close Protection Training Requirements

By Rick Mounfield, Chief Executive of the Security Institute

The role of the Close Protection Officer has grown in the past decade. It’s no longer acceptable to be the protection on the shoulder, the Close Protection Officer needs to be the security and safety advisor to the principal. Their knowledge of threats goes beyond the physical and includes vulnerabilities that come via the internet of things and new and emerging security risks are realised that will determine who is the best at their craft. A modern and capable Close Protection Officer needs to remain current in multiple vectors of threat and the mitigations (risk managers) that will secure the principal, their family and business. Can Close Protection Officers afford to be ignorant to these new and emerging threats? I would suggest not.

Contracts are often lost on a whim and the protection officers must be trusted to advise on a range of threats to build trust so that the family can live their lives as freely as possible. Wealth and profile can often lead to living a privileged life in a golden cage.

The new enhancements in the licensed linked skills and qualifications required by the Security Industry Authority (SIA) go a long way to addressing the shortfalls of the past. They did not decide upon these new skills lightly. The consultation with industry’s best operators and the companies who employ them, has been instrumental in improving the quality of Close Protection Officers and should be applauded. Many will think that the upskilling has not gone far enough but it is not for the regulator to set the bar so high that it precludes the masses, it is a baseline that sets a standard that all can meet and then allows the best to go further through individual professional development that allows them to stand out from the crowd and secure clients through fair competition. It is the Close Protection Officers determination and personal endeavours to be the best version of themself that will secure the best clients.

Increasing the requirements to offer better medical capabilities is the most important upgrade in my opinion. However, in today’s society, even low risk locations, there is an ever present need to be aware of the threat of terrorism and counter terrorism awareness through the ACT training is also important.

The industry overwhelmingly decided not to separate the door supervisor role from the Close Protection licensed operators. Many Close Protection Officers will supplement their income by working in a Door Supervisor role. This is applicable but the Door Supervisor role requires different soft and hard skills that are out with ordinary Close Protection doctrine. It is important the Close Protection Officer working in the night-time economy is well prepared to provide the appropriate service and protection to partygoers. A failure to understand physical intervention in this role can have life changing impacts for many if they are not trained properly.

Training and delivery of the necessary skills are moving into a hybrid format and that is also a positive move forward. All areas of the business world have embraced digital methods of training and if the industry is to embrace the fast- moving changes to the operational environment, it must stay at the cutting edge of technology and training delivery methods. Obviously, some aspects must be practised in a physical environment, but many skills and practices can, and should be, delivered in easily accessible methods. Webinars and online courses are better than they have ever been, and platforms have improved to deliver quality training remotely.

Overall, I am encouraged by the new regime, and I hope to support the ongoing development of the sector that I grew up in. It is a vital service and I hope that the majority of Close Protection Officers will embrace the enhancements as we drive the professional standards ever higher.

Play a proactive part in regulation through our Licence Management service

Approved contractors currently using our Licence Assist service for more than six months now have the chance to move on to our Licence Management service.

This month Tony Holyland our Head of Quality & Standards talks about the ins and outs of our refreshed Licence Management service.

Our blog aims to discuss developments in the private security industry and to provide further insight and opinion on our work. We look forward to having an on-going discussion with you; please share your comments and opinions.

__________

I am pleased to share that our Licence Management service is now available to approved contractors who have been using the Licence Assist service for six months. Licence Management allows a business to manage the licence application process for its staff – just as people have been asking for.

In 2013, I joined the team that manages our Approved Contractor Scheme. Since then I’ve met a large number of people running businesses that are part of the scheme.

Many of you have told me that you would like to help your staff when they are applying for a licence, by being more involved in the licence application process. After all, it seems inefficient for a business to carry out the same checks that we do.

This new service gives security businesses the chance to be proactive and share responsibility in the licensing process. In essence, Licence Management allows us to work closely with approved contractors and make the process of getting a licence easier.

We have listened to the valuable feedback from our pilot exercise with nine approved contractors to inform and improve our service. For us, Licence Management has a strategic value that fits with how we drive business improvement via the ACS and how we seek to engage businesses using our licensing system.

We hope that the service will give us closer relationships with businesses and that this will help raise industry involvement in regulation.

What are the benefits of the Licence Management service?

If you don’t already know about our Licence Management service, it gives an approved contractor greater control over the licensing of its staff.

Similar to the Licence Assist service, Licence Management provides an approved contractor with the tools to enable them to manage employees’ licence applications online. To do this you will have had to have met certain criteria that are beyond the scope of the usual ACS requirements.

A significant benefit is that it enables an approved contractor to check and verify the identity documents of an applicant. This removes the need for a licence applicant to visit a post office and reduces the duplication of checks.

Other benefits include:

Online access to submit and manage licence applications for your workforce.
The ability for your business to update information e.g. Individual’s details directly onto the system.
The ability to assist licence applicants through the licensing process making your business more attractive to applicants.
Saving time, cost and reducing the risk of document loss as the need to send valuable documents to us is removed in most cases.
Receiving real-time alerts of revoked or suspended licences, when a licence is due for renewal and other relevant updates.
The ability to pay for a single – and multiple applications – online and by direct debit.

It is important to mention that all approved contractors using the Licence Management service are required to have Cyber Essentials Plus certification (or equivalent standard). This is a government scheme designed to verify implementation of a set of basic technical controls to help organisations protect themselves against common, online security threats and is in line with data protection legislation.

We have also developed a comprehensive library of resources available on our website here. This will provide additional information and guidance which includes:

The approved contractor scheme application form
Licence Management service customer journey
Code of Connection
Code of Connection guidance
Licence Management Partnership Agreement
Licence Management Operating Manual

The entire process from application to decision should take between three and six months.

I think that Licence Management is a significant step forward for both the industry and the SIA.

This initiative will strengthen our overall approach to driving up the quality and operational efficiency of businesses.

If you would like to know more, please send us a message through your SIA online business account using the phrase: “Tell me about Licence Management” and include a contact number.

SIA Open Day in Manchester

This month Peter Selwyn Smith our stakeholder manager talks about our recent Manchester open day on 4 July.

__________

The opportunity to meet with people in the industry and learn more about their experiences and priorities, is something we value enormously.

The Manchester open day, at the Crowne Plaza, on 4 July was designed to create a space for people to meet and have a conversation with us and where possible for us to resolve any issues and concerns. The format of the day was similar to the London event we held last year with the London Night Czar Amy Lame.

At the Manchester event, our licensing experts were on-hand to provide one-to-one help and support to people renewing or applying for a licence. We also had experts from across the rest of the organisation; from our Training, Quality and Standards team, Partnerships & Interventions North team and our Stakeholder Engagement team.

The day started with a session run by our Director of Partnerships & Interventions, Dave Humphries. He first gave an overview of our key priorities for the next twelve months which included:

How our licensing system is working well
The completion of the review of the Approved Contractor Scheme
An upcoming review of the licence-linked qualifications
Enforcement activity we undertake to prevent continued lawbreaking.

After a few hours, the event came to life. Some of those attending took the chance to talk with our SIA staff including our Chair, Liz France.

Our partnerships and interventions team, based in the North, also spoke to businesses about initiatives in the region. They discussed how they are dealing with those businesses who don’t comply with regulation. The importance of telling us about any non-compliant businesses in the region, also came up in conversations with delegates.

Our customer support and decisions teams held one-to-one sessions with individuals and businesses, and anyone who needed help with their applications was able to speak to a specialist immediately.

It was clear that people had given up their time and, in some cases, travelled a long distance to talk to us about their needs. For our staff, who were able to help most of the people who came, it was satisfying to see people go home happy.

We met an applicant who did not understand why his application was being held up. Our decisions manager explained the situation was due to a more complex than usual set of circumstances. Before he left, he said he felt reassured that we had not forgotten about his application, understood the situation and was now confident it would be dealt with soon.

Another applicant whom we met had mistyped their name when applying. This meant our system couldn’t find and match his online account to his existing licence, holding up his application. Our customer support experts were able to deal with this quickly as he had ID to show that his licence was linked to him. As a result, his application was able to progress there and then.

We also met with an existing licence holder about our decision to suspend his licence. He brought his employer and a friend along and we spoke with them all to explain the reasons for our decision.

On the day, the training, quality and standards team spoke to a number of businesses. They came to the event to find out more about the Approved Contractor Scheme, whether it would be right for their company and what the application process involves.

All in all, it was a valuable, lively day. The feedback we received from the event was very positive. Some of the comments include:

‘Very pleased with the service and the staff were very friendly’

‘I commend the SIA for taking the initiative to do these workshops well done’

‘Useful information gleaned from each session’

It was good to see the clear difference the day made to the individuals and businesses who came along. On the day, 13 licences were granted and several more licence applications progressed to the next stage.

We would like to thank all those who came along as we know how precious your time is. We have already begun planning the next open day and will be canvassing views on what people would find most useful. We hope to be in Birmingham in the autumn. Do look out for more details on our website, in our newsletters and on our social media channels.z