60 Licences Suspended in Glasgow and Manchester Fraud Case – How to Choose a Security Provider You Can Trust
What makes a security provider trustworthy? Is it simply an SIA licence, a competitive quotation or years of experience? In reality, businesses need to look at several factors when deciding who they can rely on to protect their premises, people and events.
The suspension of more than 60 licences following concerns surrounding training at centres in Glasgow and Manchester has brought greater attention to the importance of legitimate qualifications and proper licensing. For businesses searching for an Event Security Company in Glasgow or Site Security Glasgow, this is an opportunity to look beyond the surface and understand how a provider recruits, trains, verifies and manages its security personnel.
What Happened in the Glasgow and Manchester Case?
The SIA’s November 2025 update stated that it had suspended more than 60 SIA licences following intelligence concerning training undertaken at two centres in Glasgow and Manchester. Both centres were operated by the same company. The awarding organisation responsible for the qualifications prevented the centre from providing further training while enquiries continued.
SIA board minutes from November 2025 also recorded that an intelligence-led intervention resulted in the suspension of 60 licences and the closure of a training centre within 24 hours.
The case demonstrates why the integrity of security qualifications matters. An SIA licence is connected to specific training and licensing requirements, and the regulator has powers to intervene when there are concerns about the legitimacy of licence-linked qualifications.
This does not mean that businesses should assume security licences are generally unreliable. Instead, it shows why businesses should use appropriate checks and work with established security providers.
Why Does This Matter to Your Business?
Security personnel can be responsible for protecting construction sites, managing access to events, monitoring premises and responding to incidents. If the people performing these roles are not properly licensed or trained, the consequences can extend beyond an individual operative.
Businesses may face unnecessary operational, compliance and reputational risks if they fail to establish appropriate checks when appointing security contractors.
The SIA states that security operatives working under contract must hold and display a valid SIA licence when undertaking licensable activities. The regulator also carries out inspections and enforcement activity to identify unlicensed working, counterfeit licences and licence-condition breaches.
For a business, therefore, choosing the right provider should be part of the wider risk-management process.
5 Things to Check Before Choosing a Security Provider
- Check SIA Licensing
Ask how the provider verifies the licences of its security personnel. Businesses can use the SIA’s licence-checking system to confirm whether an operative holds a valid licence.
A reputable provider should have its own process for checking licence status and ensuring that personnel are appropriately licensed for the duties they perform.
- Ask About Training and Qualifications
Licensing and training are closely connected. The Glasgow and Manchester case demonstrates why businesses should take the legitimacy of qualifications seriously.
Ask your security provider how it selects and monitors its personnel and whether training records are maintained.
You do not necessarily need to manage the training process yourself, but you should understand what checks your contractor has in place.
- Look at Experience Relevant to Your Site or Event
Security requirements vary considerably between different environments.
A construction site may require access control, perimeter protection, overnight guarding and monitoring of equipment or materials. An event may require entrance management, crowd monitoring, access control and a visible security presence.
When comparing providers, ask whether they have experience working in environments similar to yours.
- Check Whether the Company Has Structured Procedures
A professional security provider should be able to explain how it manages recruitment, licensing, training, deployment and supervision.
Ask questions such as:
- How are security guards vetted?
- How are SIA licences checked?
- How is licence status monitored?
- Who supervises personnel on site?
- How are incidents reported?
- Is there an emergency escalation process?
- Can the company provide references or relevant experience?
Clear answers can help you understand how seriously a provider approaches compliance and operational management.
- Don’t Make Price Your Only Consideration
Security is an area where the lowest quotation does not necessarily tell you enough about the service you will receive.
Consider the provider’s licensing processes, experience, supervision, responsiveness, and ability to understand your specific risks alongside the proposed price.
The goal should be to appoint a provider that can deliver the appropriate level of security while maintaining proper compliance procedures.
What Can Businesses Learn from the 60-Licence Case?
The Glasgow and Manchester case is a useful reminder that businesses should not treat security compliance as something that can simply be assumed. Whether you need an Event Security Company in Glasgow or Site Security Glasgow, taking time to assess your provider before deployment can help you establish a more structured and dependable security arrangement.
Frequently Asked Questions
The SIA suspended more than 60 licences belonging to people trained at two centres — one in Glasgow, one in Manchester — operated by the same company, after receiving intelligence about the training provided. The awarding organisation responsible for the qualifications immediately prevented the centres from delivering any further training while enquiries continued.
Not necessarily. This action was specific to two named training centres under investigation, not a reflection on the industry as a whole. However, it's a reasonable prompt to ask your own provider how they verify that their guards' qualifications came from a legitimate, currently-approved training centre.
Ask your provider directly how they check licence validity on an ongoing basis, not just when someone is first hired, and confirm they have a documented process for responding if a guard's licence status changes. You can also independently check any operative's licence yourself using the SIA's free public register.
