Security guarding companies to acquire in the UK
Updated 9 November 2026
Looking to acquire a security guarding company in the UK? Firmbase ranks 1,388 security guarding companies using public company information to help buyers prioritise firms for research and potential outreach. The Approach Score ranks firms using public signals including director age and tenure, ownership, business scale, financial strength and recent changes. These firms are not listed for sale, and the ranking does not indicate that an owner is considering a sale.
The median firm has 14 staff and has been in business for 8 years.
A security company can charge a client for placing guards at the client's premises under a contract for services. Buying a security guarding company involves comparing the guarding duties promised to customers with the staff licences needed for those duties. Check the guarding, door supervision and CCTV duties specified in each contract against the appropriate licence categories, including any exemptions.
Plan guarding acquisitions around reliable shift cover
If you plan to grow a guarding group, Firmbase lists 1,388 UK limited-company and LLP security guarding businesses with five or more staff. Use the company ranking to map local coverage, then compare the duties promised in each client contract. Some guarding firms also run key holding or mobile patrols from a control room. A company filing will not show which of these services a firm offers.
The public ownership record helps distinguish independent operators from those owned by another company. Among firms in this list, 60% have a person holding 75% or more. Guarding firms in this list have a median headcount of 14. No ownership or staffing figure establishes an owner's willingness to talk. Research the operational model before drawing conclusions from the ranking.
Examine shift cover, supervision, relief staff and the terms for changing client requirements. Compare invoiced guarding hours with pay commitments and the practical cost of delivering each contract. A regional group needs managers who can resolve site concerns and keep standards consistent.
For a buyer, this is a sourcing tool, not a list of businesses for sale. The Security Industry Authority licenses individuals and publishes a register of licence holders; its company Approved Contractor Scheme is voluntary. Verify each claim on the appropriate register rather than treating company approval as a substitute for staff licences. Review contracts, incident records, subcontracting and client consent before relying on future site income.
1,388
Firms
19%
Every director 55+
60%
Held 75%+ by one person
8
Median years in business
14
Median headcount
£250k to £500k
Median turnover band
includes our estimates
Key facts
The Security Industry Authority licenses individuals and keeps a public register of licence holders. Security Industry Authority
The SIA Approved Contractor Scheme is voluntary and applies to companies. Security Industry Authority
The SIA approves contractors for the specific security activities they apply for. Security Industry Authority
The first 25 firms, in Approach Score order
| Rank | Firm | Approach Score | The facts behind the score |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Prototec Security Dartford | Approach Score 87/100 |
More about this firm
Company no. 10723932 · Companies House |
| 2 | Essl London | Approach Score 87/100 |
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Company no. 03841012 · Companies House |
| 3 | Stout Security ST Austell, Cornwall | Approach Score 86/100 |
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Company no. 06494713 · Companies House |
| 4 | Intacept Security Peterborough, Cambridgeshire | Approach Score 86/100 |
More about this firm
Company no. 02818535 · Companies House |
| 5 | ISG Commercial Swanley A director sits on 4 or more companies | Approach Score 85/100 |
More about this firm
Company no. 11004908 · Companies House |
| 6 | Tragopan Security Heston A director sits on 4 or more companies | Approach Score 84/100 |
More about this firm
Company no. 08296059 · Companies House |
| 7 | ZED Security and Guarding Colchester, Essex A director sits on 4 or more companies | Approach Score 84/100 |
More about this firm
Company no. 11812055 · Companies House |
| 8 | J Regan Security Services Swindon, Wiltshire | Approach Score 83/100 |
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Company no. 08085173 · Companies House |
| 9 | Streets Workforce Liverpool, Merseyside | Approach Score 83/100 |
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Company no. 08236431 · Companies House |
| 10 | Everest Group UK Folkestone, Kent A director sits on 4 or more companies | Approach Score 83/100 |
More about this firm
Company no. 05262335 · Companies House |
| 11 | G T Security Manchester | Approach Score 83/100 |
More about this firm
Company no. 07444494 · Companies House |
| 12 | Cranfield Jardine London | Approach Score 82/100 |
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Company no. 09877232 · Companies House |
| 13 | Stone Management Liverpool, Merseyside A director sits on 4 or more companies | Approach Score 82/100 |
More about this firm
Company no. 06479112 · Companies House |
| 14 | Secureforce Newton Abbot, Devon | Approach Score 81/100 |
More about this firm
Company no. 06741338 · Companies House |
| 15 | Danny and Parker Grays, Essex | Approach Score 81/100 |
More about this firm
Company no. 08966314 · Companies House |
| 16 | Sovereign Protection Winchester | Approach Score 81/100 |
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Company no. 09911757 · Companies House |
| 17 | Protec Security Oldham, Lancashire | Approach Score 81/100 |
More about this firm
Company no. 14464814 · Companies House |
| 18 | 247 Alliance Birmingham, West Midlands A director sits on 4 or more companies | Approach Score 81/100 |
More about this firm
Company no. 09570783 · Companies House |
| 19 | F.S.S. Canine Patrol Kenilworth A director sits on 4 or more companies | Approach Score 81/100 |
More about this firm
Company no. 09906603 · Companies House |
| 20 | RD Security Services Nottingham, Nottinghamshire | Approach Score 81/100 |
More about this firm
Company no. 14808557 · Companies House |
| 21 | MCM Security (NW) Wirral | Approach Score 81/100 |
More about this firm
Company no. 13829933 · Companies House |
| 22 | Photech Keyholding London, Greater London | Approach Score 80/100 |
More about this firm
Company no. 06585980 · Companies House |
| 23 | The Steadfast Security Group Peterlee, CO. Durham A director sits on 4 or more companies | Approach Score 80/100 |
More about this firm
Company no. 07332848 · Companies House |
| 24 | Eagles Security Services Harlow, Essex | Approach Score 80/100 |
More about this firm
Company no. 06278733 · Companies House |
| 25 | Pace Security London | Approach Score 80/100 |
More about this firm
Company no. 04164903 · Companies House |
1,363 more firms are in the list, in Approach Score order.
You're seeing the first 25. Buy all 1,388 for £1,187 + VAT, with the facts behind each score, director names, shareholders and financials.
Buy the list of all 1,388 firms, with director names, ages and shareholders
Each row comes with the facts behind its score, financials with dates and contact details.
What's in the file
One row per firm, in Approach Score order, as Excel + CSV.
The score and the firm
Directors and shareholders
Some people with significant control appear as Other individual, with no further detail. Director email lookups are not included.
Frequently asked questions
How should I approach a guarding company owner?
Which SIA records should I check?
How does the guarding Approach Score work?
What should I test in a guarding labour model?
How this list is filtered
- Active on Companies House. Companies in liquidation, administration, receivership or a voluntary arrangement, or with a proposal to strike off, are left out.
- Dormant companies are left out.
- Firms whose owners asked to be removed are left out.
- Private limited companies, public limited companies, LLPs and private unlimited companies only. Sole traders and partnerships are not covered.
- Firmbase industry tag: Manned Guarding.
- SIC code 80100.
- 5 or more staff, from filed headcount or our estimate where none is filed.
- Registered office in the UK.
How this list is built
The Approach Score ranks firms mainly on public Companies House information about owner tenure and age, ownership, size, financial strength and recent register changes.
Firms with higher scores appear first in each list.
Use the ranking to order research, then check each business directly.
What it does not mean
No firm here is for sale, and the score says nothing about any owner's plans.
At least 95% of the firms where we hold directors had them checked in or after November 2026.
What we do not cover
We cover limited companies, LLPs and private unlimited companies. Sole traders and ordinary partnerships are not on Companies House, so they are not here. Regulatory information is not included in this list. Buyers should check the relevant register as part of their due diligence. Check individual licences on the Security Industry Authority's register of licence holders. Company approval is voluntary and can be checked separately on its Register of Approved Contractors.
Why age bands but no people's names
Age bands come from the month and year of birth on Companies House. This page shows no exact ages and no people's names. Both come with the purchased list. The band edges from 45 to 65 are the ages where the score changes. A row shows no age bands when a director's surname is in the firm's name, its group's name or its website. Those directors' ages still count towards the score.
Is this your firm?
You can ask us to take it off every acquisition page, and out of every list we sell after that. Give us your name and work email, and we send you a link to confirm. If your email address is on the firm's own website domain, the firm comes off once you confirm. If it is not, a person reviews your request first. A list already sold stays with its buyer.
To have personal data erased, see our privacy policy.
Other areas
Related sectors
The standard Firmbase list
Buy the list of all 1,388 firms, with director names, ages and shareholders
Each row comes with the facts behind its score, financials with dates and contact details.