Hire a Bodyguard in the UK: The Complete 2026 Guide

Most people who need to hire a bodyguard in the UK have never done it before. As a result, the process can feel daunting. In reality, it is more straightforward than you might think, provided you know what to check and what to expect. This guide walks you through every stage: deciding whether you need close protection, verifying licences, understanding costs, and what happens from first call to first shift.

Security and Safety Solutions is a UK close protection and security consultancy led by Tom Richmond, a former commissioned officer in the Royal Military Police with a Level 7 Diploma in Security Management. Consequently, the advice below reflects how professional engagements actually work, not how they are marketed.

Do you actually need to hire a bodyguard in the UK?

The first question is whether close protection is the right solution. Close protection is one tool within a broader security spectrum. For some clients, a security risk assessment is the right starting point. It identifies whether the threat justifies a close protection officer, or whether other measures would be more proportionate. For example, residential security, vehicle security or changes to routine sometimes achieve more at lower cost.

Clients who typically hire a bodyguard in the UK include high-net-worth individuals and their families, executives during travel or public appearances, visiting international clients, people who have received credible threats, and public figures attending events. However, close protection is not exclusive to high-profile clients. Anyone facing a credible, specific threat can benefit from professional protective cover.

Step 1: Check the SIA licence before anything else

In the UK, anyone working as a close protection officer must hold a valid Close Protection licence from the Security Industry Authority. This is a legal requirement under the Private Security Industry Act 2001. Hiring an unlicensed bodyguard exposes you to legal risk. More importantly, it means your protection comes from someone who has not been vetted or trained to the national standard.

Therefore, ask any officer or company for their SIA licence number and verify it on the SIA public register. A reputable company provides this without hesitation. In addition, confirm the company carries public liability and professional indemnity insurance. Beyond the licence, look for advanced driving, emergency first aid, and surveillance awareness training. For higher-risk work, trauma medical training is increasingly standard.

Key takeaway: no valid SIA licence, no conversation. Everything else comes second.

Step 2: Understand what it costs to hire a bodyguard in the UK

Day rates for a licensed close protection officer typically run from £350 to £1,000+ per day. Most London assignments sit between £400 and £650. Longer engagements are usually scoped weekly, and a two-officer 24-hour residential rotation starts from around £5,000 per week. Companies bill vehicles, accommodation and travel separately.

Cheaper options exist. However, the gap between a £150-per-day bodyguard and a £600-per-day close protection officer reflects real differences in training, vetting and experience. For anything beyond the most basic requirement, the cheapest option is rarely the right one. For full figures and what drives them, read our guide to how much a bodyguard costs in the UK.

Step 3: Expect a proper threat and risk assessment

A professional engagement does not begin with a bodyguard arriving at your door. Instead, it begins with a threat and risk assessment. Be open and honest at this stage. The more detail you share about why you feel at risk, the better the company can establish the actual threat. The better companies have risk analysts who specialise in exactly this.

Before deploying any protection, your provider should understand who you are, why you may be at risk, your routines and movements, the venues and travel involved, and any considerations for your household or business. This assessment informs the protective plan: how many officers, whether advance work is needed at venues, and what vehicles and communications are appropriate.

Skipping this step is a significant red flag. Generic protection without an assessment is expensive, often excessive in some areas and inadequate in others, and rarely proportionate to the real risk.

Step 4: Agree location, duration and logistics

Availability can depend on location, with the deepest pool of officers in London and the larger cities. Nevertheless, bodyguards routinely work across the whole UK and internationally. The company needs to know where you require support and whether you will be travelling between locations.

Next, agree how long you need cover, at what times, and when it should start. Shorter tasks use a day rate. Longer tasks usually move to a weekly or monthly rate. For multi-day work, decide where the officer will stay: at your residence, in a hotel with you, or travelling to you daily. Be aware that accommodation, travel and subsistence costs then apply.

Step 5: Choose between a security company and an independent operator

Most people who hire a bodyguard in the UK choose between a specialist company and an independent operator. Both models have merit. A company provides a single point of accountability, insurance, the ability to staff complex assignments, and continuity if an officer is unavailable. The best companies also offer consultancy-level input on your overall security posture.

Independent operators often have deep experience in particular sectors and can provide a very personal service for long-term principals. The risk is that vetting, insurance and continuity sit entirely with one individual. For most clients, a company offering a named officer with clear accountability and documented insurance is the better risk position.

Step 6: Selecting the right officer for you

Once the risk, location and duration are clear, the company will approach its network of trusted officers. Good companies use operators they have worked with before or who come recommended. They should not need to advertise the role to strangers.

The officer must first be of the right standard to manage the risk. Equally, they should suit your image and situation. Some clients prefer a larger, more visible presence. Others want someone highly discreet who blends in as a driver, assistant or companion. Similarly, agree how the officer should dress. In addition, every officer should pass a licence check and reference check as a minimum. If the officer will work around children, ask for an enhanced DBS check.

Visible aggression or an intimidating manner is rarely appropriate and often counterproductive. The best close protection officers are, in a professional sense, invisible. Your security should enhance your freedom of movement, not constrain it.

Step 7: Contract, assignment instructions and confidentiality

With the details agreed, the company drafts a contract for you to sign. It sets out the scope of service, the cost, and the terms and conditions. After that, the company prepares an assignment instruction. This single document brings together everything discussed: your itinerary, the threat assessment, and the health and safety risk assessment for the officer.

Before receiving it, the officer signs a non-disclosure agreement covering everything relating to you and the task. Finally, once cover starts, the company should stay in regular contact. This allows you to report any changes to your plans, and the company then passes them to the officer.

Where we cover

Most people who hire a bodyguard in the UK need cover in London, where high-net-worth residents, international visitors, corporate headquarters and major events create constant need. Our bodyguard services in London cover the whole capital, from Mayfair and Knightsbridge to the City. Beyond London we cover the South of England, including Surrey, Sussex and Hampshire. We also arrange residential security, event security and close protection for Middle East visitors.

Common questions about hiring a bodyguard in the UK

How quickly can a bodyguard be arranged?

For straightforward assignments with a defined scope, we can usually confirm cover within 24 to 48 hours. Same-day cover is sometimes possible, depending on officer availability and complexity.

Can I hire a bodyguard for a single day?

Yes. Single-day and single-event engagements are routine. The minimum is typically a full day of around ten hours, although shorter assignments can be discussed.

Will my bodyguard be armed?

No. Civilian close protection officers in the UK do not carry firearms. This is a legal restriction. Instead, UK close protection relies on planning, protective movement, advance work and risk mitigation. Read more on armed security in the UK.

Does a military or police background matter?

It is a useful signal of depth of experience, not the only route to excellence. Military close protection training, particularly within the Royal Military Police, builds judgement in high-pressure environments. Ask about operational history, the environments an officer has worked in, and the types of principal protected.

How do I start?

The best starting point is a confidential conversation. Initial discussions are free and without obligation. We will ask a few questions and can usually give an initial assessment and indicative cost within the same call.

Ready to hire a bodyguard in the UK?

Hiring a bodyguard in the UK can feel daunting. With the right company beside you, however, it becomes a clear, managed process. Security and Safety Solutions will listen, assess the real risk, and recommend only what you need. Contact us today for a confidential conversation.