Asking how much security guards cost in the UK is a bit like asking how much a car costs. The honest answer is: it depends what you need. For a quick benchmark, manned security guards usually cost around £14 to £30 per hour in the UK, while services such as mobile patrols, keyholding and alarm response, event security, close protection, and CCTV installation or monitoring are priced separately based on the job.
Most people asking the question just want a sense check before they get a quote, so this is a realistic guide for UK businesses and organisations comparing professional security services in 2026. It shows what affects the price for each option — including region, shift patterns, risk level, licensing requirements, and contract structure — so you can budget properly, avoid quotes that are unrealistically cheap, and choose a provider that protects your people, premises, and compliance position.
Manned security guard costs and rates
Typical security guard costs for static, SIA-licensed manned guarding reflect standard UK security guard services rates of around £14 to £30 per hour, depending on region, shift and risk level.
| Region | Typical hourly rate |
|---|---|
| London and the South East | £18 to £35 in London, with the wider South East also typically above regional averages |
| Manchester and Birmingham | £13 to £20 |
| Scotland and Wales | £12 to £18 |
| Northern England | £11 to £16 |
• Day shifts: roughly £14 to £22 per hour for standard cover.
• Night shifts: roughly £16 to £25 per hour, with night work often raising rates by around 25 to 50 percent.
• Weekend and bank holiday cover: typically attracts a further uplift on top of the night rate.
You can also expect experienced SIA-licensed officers with stronger training to command higher hourly rates.
For a full breakdown of what’s included in a manned guarding contract, see our Manned Guarding & Static Security page.
Mobile patrols and their costs
Mobile patrols contracts are usually priced monthly rather than hourly, and typically range from around £80 to £200 per month depending on how many visits you need and how large the site is, making them a cost effective option when continuous on-site guarding is unnecessary. A one-off or ad hoc patrol visit is commonly charged at around £35. See our Mobile Patrol / Key Holding page for what’s included.
Keyholding and alarm response costs
Keyholding contracts often start from around £30 per month for the core service, with a separate callout fee of roughly £25 to £60 each time an alarm requires an officer to attend. If you’re weighing up keyholding against sending your own staff, it’s worth costing in the time, insurance exposure and lost sleep of doing it yourself. Our Keyholding & Alarm Response page covers exactly what’s included.
Event security and stewarding costs
Event and festival security doesn’t have a simple headline rate, because cost depends heavily on the ratio of SIA-licensed staff to stewards, the size and risk profile of the crowd, crowd flow, and whether a Safety Advisory Group has set specific requirements for the event. As a low-risk rule of thumb, 1 guard is often recommended per 100 attendees, with the right staffing level helping reduce risk. Most reputable providers, Anubis included, will only give a firm price after a site visit and a proper risk assessment, because site type, layout, and event profile mean pricing is not one size fits all. See our Event Security page for how this process works.
Close protection and ex military bodyguards costs
Close protection is priced individually because personal security needs, the risk, team size and duration vary so much between clients. The cost to hire close protection depends on many variables, including threats, duration, and team size. A single operative for a short-notice evening event costs considerably less than a full residential team with a driver operating around the clock, and daily rates may be used for single event days or travel days. Pricing is agreed after a confidential risk assessment rather than quoted from a rate card, and ex military bodyguards, especially for high profile clients or higher-risk work, generally cost more than standard ex-military options within wider private security services. See our Close Protection Services page for how a typical engagement is structured.
CCTV installation and monitoring costs
CCTV costs depend on the number of cameras, whether monitoring is live or reviewed after the fact, the complexity of the site, and whether it is paired with access control as part of a broader site solution. This is usually quoted after a survey rather than as a flat rate. See our CCTV Installation & Services page for more detail.
What actually moves the price
• Region and location: London and the South East cost noticeably more than the rest of the UK, which pushes up the overall security cost.
• Shift pattern: nights, weekends and bank holidays attract a premium almost everywhere.
• Risk level: a construction site with a history of theft or other high risk sites cost more to protect than a quiet office car park.
• Licence type required: door supervisor, security guard, close protection and CCTV licences all sit at different price points.
• Contract length: longer-term contracts are usually cheaper per hour than short-notice or one-off cover.
• For 24/7 security coverage in London, costs commonly work out at about £5,500 to £8,500 per month.
• Vetting and insurance overhead: proper BS7858 screening and adequate liability cover both cost money to maintain, and that cost is reflected in the rate.
• Accreditation: ACS-approved and NSI-certified providers tend to sit above the bottom of the market, because that accreditation reflects genuine vetting, training and management overhead rather than simply a lower payroll cost.
How contracts are typically structured
Most manned guarding and keyholding contracts are invoiced monthly, based on agreed hours or a fixed monthly fee for a defined scope, and there is no one size fits all contract model for every site or service type. Event security is usually quoted and invoiced per event, following a site visit and risk assessment. Longer contracts, generally six months or more, tend to secure a better rate than short-notice or one-off cover, since providers can schedule staff more efficiently, including how start times on the first shift affect rota planning, and don’t need to price in the uncertainty of a short engagement.
Minimum call-out periods are common for manned guarding, typically four hours, to reflect the practical reality of getting a licensed officer to site and back. This is worth checking against your actual need before signing, particularly for occasional or seasonal cover, as what clients pay can also reflect compliance costs such as employer National Insurance, holiday pay, and training requirements.
SIA licensing costs and why they matter
Every officer working under an Anubis Group contract holds a valid SIA licence, as required in the private security industry, which costs the individual money to obtain and renew, on top of the training required to pass. This is one of the fixed costs baked into any legitimate hourly rate, and it’s part of why a provider quoting well under the ranges above should raise questions, since a trained security officer with a valid licence is part of legitimate, professional security provision. Our Training Academy runs the courses that get officers licensed in the first place, and a future guide on this site will cover SIA licence costs in detail.
A word of caution on very cheap quotes
If a quote comes in well below the ranges above, that’s a red flag and it’s worth asking why. Always request complete security quotes with a full rate breakdown before comparing providers. Missing detail can point to compliance issues, so check for SIA Approved Contractor Scheme accreditation in the quote as well. Request references or testimonials when comparing providers or companies. In an industry with statutory minimum wage rules and mandatory SIA licensing costs, a price that looks too good to be true usually means corners are being cut somewhere, whether that’s training, vetting, insurance, or simply not paying staff properly. A provider quoting significantly under market rate is either losing money on the contract, which rarely ends well for service quality, or cutting something you can’t see until it matters.
How to get an accurate quote
These figures are UK market indicators, not a quote. If you plan to hire cover for your site, the only way to get an accurate price is a short conversation and, usually, a site visit. Anubis Group, a professional security firm, offers a free security risk assessment before any contract is agreed, so you know exactly what you’re paying for and why through a professional assessment process.
Frequently asked questions
Do these rates include VAT?
Most quoted hourly rates are shown excluding VAT. Always confirm this when comparing quotes between providers.
Is there a minimum contract length?
It varies by provider and service. Keyholding and mobile patrol contracts are often rolling monthly agreements, while manned guarding for a specific project may be quoted for the length of that project.
Why do accredited providers cost more?
ACS approval and NSI certification require ongoing audits, proper vetting under the British Standard BS7858, and structured training, all of which cost money to maintain. The quality, experience, and training of staff also affect pricing. That cost is reflected in the rate, and it’s the reason accredited providers tend to have lower staff turnover and fewer incidents.
Does the cost change if I need cover at very short notice?
Usually, yes. Short-notice or one-off cover typically costs more than a planned, longer-term contract, since providers have less time to schedule staff efficiently.
Are quotes free?
Yes, a proper quote should always follow a free consultation or site visit, not a cold rate-card number given without understanding your site. You should also expect enough detail to compare providers properly.
Do prices differ between a security company and an independent contractor?
Often, yes. A properly insured, ACS-accredited company carries overheads an unregistered individual doesn’t, including liability insurance, management cover, and audited vetting. That overhead is part of what you’re actually paying for, alongside the guard’s time and the standard of the security personnel provided.
Get an accurate quote for your site
Request your free site security audit, or call 0800 121 6576 to talk it through. You can also get in touch through our contact page.