The Security Industry Authority (SIA) published its November data on Monday 9 November. Its licence holder figures, refreshed on 2 November, show 11,788 active close protection licences, against 11,809 at 1 October and 11,471 at 1 November 2025. Close protection applications in October 2026 numbered 310, against 379 in October 2025. This post is for close protection operators and the companies that employ them.
Active licences
At 2 November there were 11,788 active close protection licences: 815 held by women and 10,973 by men. That is 21 fewer than at 1 October, down 0.2 per cent, and 317 more than at 1 November 2025, up 2.8 per cent. Across all sectors there were 505,452 active licences, down 1,811 on 1 October and down 11,602, or 2.2 per cent, on a year earlier. The SIA counts licences and individual holders separately: 444,761 individuals held a licence at 2 November. The Ops Con's post of 23 October used the 1 October figures.
Applications
The SIA counts applications by the month in which they were made. Close protection applications were 310 in October 2026, 69 fewer than in October 2025, down 18.2 per cent, and 5 fewer than the 315 in September 2026. The monthly close protection figures for 2026 so far are: January 388, February 386, March 447, April 234, May 247, June 294, July 276, August 261, September 315 and October 310.
What the figures do not say
The SIA files carry numbers only and give no reasons for any change. Applications are not grants, and the SIA's decision figures are not split by sector, so close protection grant or refusal rates cannot be read from them.
Approved contractors
At 2 November, 717 businesses held SIA approved contractor status, against 714 at 1 October. Of those, 22 were approved in close protection, the same as in October.
