Security guards and related occupations

Also called: Security, Van guard, Bank guard, Body guard, Night guard, Works guard, Security man, Custody guard, Security agent, Security guard, Security porter, Security warden

Security guards and related occupations protect merchandise, individuals, hotels, offices, factories, shops, public grounds and private estates from injury, theft or damage.

Main tasks

• Walks or rides near person requiring protection, watches for suspicious occurrences and defends guarded person from attack
• Monitors, patrols and deals with security difficulties in hotels, factories, offices and other premises, and public or private estates to prevent theft and unauthorised entry
• Checks persons and vehicles entering and leaving premises, establishes their credentials and arranges for escorts for visitors
• Provides entry security, checks tickets, manages queues, takes entry fees, and escorts people from the premises where necessary in a variety of public venues such as nightclubs, pubs and bars
• Receives duty sheet, time-clock and keys for premises to be visited, checks locks, doors, windows, etc. and reports any suspicious circumstances to security headquarters
• Calls in civil police and gives evidence in court where necessary
• Ejects persons in illegal occupation of premises
• Watches for illegal fishing or attempted smuggling

How to become one

There are no formal academic entry requirements. For some vacancies a current and clean driving licence is required and entrants may have to pass a medical examination. Training is typically provided on-the-job. NVQs/SVQs covering various aspects of security guarding are available at level 2.

Pay · Outlook

• Median full-time pay: £33,832 a year The middle half earn £27,982 to £39,194.
• About 175,700 people work in this job now, and about 169,200 are projected by 2035. (-3.7%)

Related jobs

• School midday and crossing patrol occupations
• Exam invigilators

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Sources

• Office for National Statistics: Annual Population Survey: employment by occupation (April 2025 to March 2026), OGL v3.0, retrieved 2026-10-03
• Office for National Statistics: SOC 2020 Volume 1: structure and descriptions (2026-08-27 edition), OGL v3.0, retrieved 2026-10-03
• Department for Education: Skills Imperative 2035: employment projections by occupation (2021 to 2035 (Warwick IER / Cambridge Econometrics)), OGL v3.0, retrieved 2026-10-03
• Office for National Statistics: Annual Survey of Hours and Earnings, Table 14 (2025 provisional), OGL v3.0, retrieved 2026-10-03

Updated 2026-10-03