28/08/2026
We have launched a public consultation on proposed changes to licence-linked qualifications.
These proposals have been worked up based on what we’ve heard from our extensive stakeholder with the industry and a strategic review.
We're seeking views on a wide range of proposed changes, including:
• updated specifications with new content requirements for the training and qualifications needed to obtain a licence
• changing the ways in which the assessment of learners’ ability to speak and understand English is carried out, including requiring an additional independent test to provide greater confidence in communication skills
• changes to how learners show they are competent in first aid, including a new security-specific first aid qualification more closely aligned with the types of incidents security operatives will encounter in their work
As the demands on private security operatives evolve, your skills and knowledge need to keep pace. Ensuring licensed security operatives have up-to-date and relevant skills is crucial to keeping you and the public safe.
We particularly want to hear from those of you who hold a licence and do the job every day. If you have never responded to an SIA consultation before, this is the one to start with, because it is about the practical skills and knowledge you need to do your role safely and confidently.
Please take the time to respond, and we would be grateful if you could share this consultation as widely as possible with your colleagues, staff, and networks, so that we can gather the broadest possible range of views.
The consultation closes on Friday 23 October.
To take part, please visit the SIA’s consultation webpage: https://orlo.uk/wdlSe
