Lowe pledges to recheck every security licence and build a '100% British' security workforce

Rupert Lowe has set out an eight-point Restore Britain plan for the private security industry, promising an independent audit of the regulator, a recheck of every licence and new tests for frontline staff.

In a post on X at 07:06 BST on Wednesday 21st October, the Restore Britain leader wrote: "Security staff protect our hospitals, shops and public venues. As such, their licences must provide genuine assurance of competence and integrity."

He said a Restore Britain Government would "fix the security industry", and set out a target: "By the end of our first Parliament, we aim to have a 100% British security workforce."

He added: "Our people deserve to feel properly protected in hospitals, in shops, at nightclubs, and everywhere else where security personnel are required."

Restore Britain posted a graphic summarising the plan at 07:13 BST.

The plan includes an independent audit of the Security Industry Authority (SIA), with Mr Lowe writing that "the senior leadership will be replaced - such failure must have consequences". It would also require every frontline licence holder to retake independently supervised competence tests, pass a separate English-language exam and meet new physical fitness standards.

Under the plan, licences would be withdrawn from those who fail or refuse to meet the standards within a set period. Mr Lowe's post says this would mean "requiring former holders and their families to leave Britain". The same consequence is set out for foreign-national licence holders who do not support themselves and their dependants without social housing or welfare benefits. This is his stated plan; no detail was given on how it would work.

No costings or detailed policy paper were published with the post.

What is the SIA?

According to its gov.uk page, the SIA is the regulator of the UK's private security industry. It was set up under the Private Security Industry Act 2001, is sponsored by the Home Office, and began licensing people in 2004.

People need an SIA licence to do certain jobs, including security guarding, door supervision, close protection, CCTV monitoring, cash and valuables in transit, and key holding. The SIA also runs a voluntary Approved Contractor Scheme for security businesses.

What the figures show

Mr Lowe cited the SIA's own figures. Its published data for September 2026 records 447,558 licence holders, of whom 241,851 are recorded as British nationals.

The largest groups are:

- British: 241,851 (54.0%)

- Pakistani: 69,663

- Nigerian: 28,770

- Indian: 20,567

Mr Lowe said the British share was down from 68.1% in September 2021. The SIA's September 2021 data supports this: it recorded 262,252 British licence holders out of 384,912.

British share of licence holders:

- September 2021: 68.1%

- September 2025: 53.1%

- September 2026: 54.0%

Over the last year, the British share rose slightly. The number of British licence holders fell by 991, but the total of all other nationalities combined fell faster, according to an analysis by The Professional Security Officer. Some groups, including Pakistani and Indian nationals, fell, while others, including Nigerian nationals, rose.

The same analysis points out that the figures record nationality, not ethnicity, country of birth or how long someone has lived in the UK. They also count people holding an active licence, not necessarily people working in security.

The main points

- Root out fraud and recruit British workers: Restore says it would tackle fraud and corruption, hold security companies accountable and reduce reliance on what it calls "cheap foreign labour".

- Audit the regulator and recheck every licence: an independent audit of the SIA and a nationwide review of all licences, rechecking identity, qualifications, criminal records and right to work. Overseas background checks would be strengthened, whistleblowers protected, and the SIA's senior leadership replaced.

- New tests for frontline staff: every frontline licence holder would retake supervised competence tests, sit a separate English exam covering speaking, listening, reading and writing, and pass a fitness test suited to their role. Those who fail or refuse would lose their licence and, under the plan, be required to leave Britain with their families.

- Licences for security firms: businesses would need a licence too, with checks on directors and owners. Firms would have to check subcontractors and staff licences and keep employment records, to stop banned operators coming back under new company names.

- Visa checks: joint SIA and Home Office teams would investigate sham sponsorship, falsely described jobs and illegal working, checking that people's actual duties match their visa conditions.

- No social housing or benefits for foreign-national licence holders: new legislation would require them to support themselves and their dependants. If they did not, they would lose their licence and be required to leave the UK with their families.

- Prosecute fraud: criminal investigations into company owners, recruiters, trainers, assessors and officials who knowingly help with fake qualifications, false identities, sham sponsorship or illegal working, with prison sentences for serious cases, seizure of criminal proceeds, bans for directors and exclusion from public contracts.

- Recruit British workers: a recruitment drive through Jobcentres, college apprenticeships and veterans' organisations, with funded training and help with licence fees for British recruits, aiming for a "100% British" workforce by the end of a first Parliament.

Image: Gary, CC BY-SA 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons