Close Protection Cost Per Day UK 2026 | Full Price Guide

Last updated: 16 August 2026

Close protection in the UK typically costs £200 to £500 per day for standard domestic cover, rising to £700 to £1,500 per day for international or high-risk assignments, according to Get Licensed via Priority First (2026). Central London rates usually sit between £400 and £600 per day. Final cost depends on risk level, location, officer numbers and shift length.

Key Takeaways

• Standard close protection in the UK costs £200–£500 per day, rising to £700–£1,500 per day for international or high-risk work, per Get Licensed via Priority First (2026).
• Central London close protection day rates typically range from £400 to £600, against a wider UK market of £300 to £1,000 per day, per Security and Safety Solutions via Priority First (2026).
• A single UK close protection officer costs between £300 and £1,000 per day, according to Security and Safety Solutions (2026).
• Executive protection assignments in the UK can reach £500 to £1,500+ per day depending on risk level and operational complexity, per KSS Canada (2026).
• An SIA close protection licence costs £204 to apply for, effective from 1 April 2026, per GOV.UK (2026).

What is close protection?

Close protection is a licensable security service in which a trained officer, known as a Close Protection Officer (CPO), plans and delivers physical protection for a specific individual against assessed threats of violence, harassment or reputational harm. It differs from general manned guarding because a CPO's focus is a named person rather than a building or site, and their work begins with route planning and threat assessment long before any physical presence is required.

In the UK, close protection is regulated by the Security Industry Authority (SIA), the statutory body established under the Private Security Industry Act 2001. Anyone carrying out licensable close protection activities must hold a valid SIA licence, and the Regulated Professions Register formally lists close protection operative as a regulated profession. Priority First's Managing Director, Mo Hassan, describes the discipline this way:

"Good close protection is mostly invisible. If the day felt uneventful, that is usually the result of planning that started long before the car arrived — routes, venues, arrival points, all rehearsed. The visible bodyguard of the films is what you buy when you want to be seen; discretion is what you buy when you want to be safe." — Mo Hassan, Managing Director, Priority First

How much does close protection cost per day in the UK?

Close protection day rates in the UK vary widely depending on risk profile, location and the number of officers required, but most standard assignments fall between £200 and £1,000 per day. Get Licensed via Priority First puts standard UK cover at £200–£500 per day, rising to £700–£1,500 per day for international or high-risk work (2026). Security and Safety Solutions places the typical single-officer rate between £300 and £1,000 per day (2026), while KSS Canada notes executive protection can reach £500 to £1,500+ per day for complex operations (2026). Hourly rates, where offered, typically run £25–£50 per hour plus vehicle costs, per CC Security Services (2026).

Regional price comparison

Region	Typical day rate (standard assignment)	Source
Central London	£400–£600 per day	Security and Safety Solutions via Priority First (2026)
Wider UK (national average)	£300–£1,000 per day	Security and Safety Solutions via Priority First (2026)
London and South East (single officer)	£300–£800 per day	Security and Safety Solutions (2026)
Standard UK cover	£200–£500 per day	Get Licensed via Priority First (2026)
International / high-risk assignment	£700–£1,500 per day	Get Licensed via Priority First (2026)

These ranges reflect a single officer on a standard shift. Multi-officer details, overnight cover and armed protection abroad push costs towards the top of these bands or beyond.

What factors affect close protection pricing?

Close protection pricing is driven primarily by risk level, geography, team size and shift structure, with each factor capable of moving the day rate by hundreds of pounds. A low-risk domestic assignment in a quiet suburb costs far less than a high-profile figure moving through central London or travelling internationally.

Key cost drivers include:

• Risk assessment outcome — a documented threat, media exposure or history of harassment increases planning time and officer numbers, and therefore cost.
• Location — Security and Safety Solutions confirms London and the South East sit at the higher end of the national £300–£800 range (2026).
• Number of officers — a single CPO suits low-risk day cover; multi-officer teams with an advance reconnaissance officer and driver are needed for higher-risk or high-profile principals.
• Shift length and cover model — a standard 10–12 hour shift costs less per day than genuine 24-hour rotating cover, which typically requires two or three officers working in shifts.
• Vehicles and equipment — armoured or chauffeur-driven vehicles, secure communications and specialist equipment add to the base day rate, as noted by CC Security Services (2026).
• International travel — overseas assignments involve travel time, accommodation, visas and often local liaison, pushing costs into the £700–£1,500+ per day bracket per Get Licensed via Priority First (2026).
• Notice period — short-notice bookings typically attract a premium above standard published rates, reflecting the difficulty of mobilising vetted officers at short notice.

In-house versus contracted close protection

Businesses and high-net-worth individuals generally choose between employing a CPO directly or contracting a security provider. An in-house employed officer offers continuity and deep familiarity with the principal's routine, but the employer carries full responsibility for SIA licence checks, training currency, holiday and sickness cover, and liability insurance. A contracted provider absorbs those administrative and compliance burdens, supplies cover during illness or leave without a gap in protection, and can scale a single officer up to a full team at short notice — which is why most corporate and family offices in London contract rather than employ directly.

What does close protection cost include?

A close protection day rate is not simply payment for a body standing beside the principal; it covers planning, liaison and equipment delivered before and during the assignment. Understanding what sits inside — and outside — the quoted figure is essential when comparing providers.

Typically included in the day rate:

• Pre-assignment threat and risk assessment
• Route planning and venue advance work
• The officer's SIA licence, training and insurance cover
• Standard communications equipment

Typically charged separately or on request:

• Armoured or specialist vehicles
• Overnight accommodation and subsistence for multi-day or travelling assignments
• Additional officers for a multi-person detail
• International travel, visas and local fixer costs
• VAT, which is added to the quoted rate by VAT-registered providers

Business buyers should always ask a provider for a written breakdown before comparing quotes, since one provider's "day rate" may be an all-inclusive figure while another's excludes vehicles and travel.

Worked cost scenarios

The following illustrative scenarios show how the factors above combine in practice. These are indicative examples built from the pricing ranges above, not quotes from a specific provider.

Scenario 1 — Single-day executive event cover in Mayfair. One CPO for an 8-hour corporate event, standard risk, no vehicle required: roughly £400–£600 for the day, consistent with the central London range identified by Security and Safety Solutions via Priority First (2026).

Scenario 2 — Week-long UK business trip with a driver. One CPO doubling as a security driver, standard risk, five consecutive days across London and the South East: roughly £1,500–£4,000 for the week at the £300–£800 per-officer rate identified by Security and Safety Solutions (2026), before vehicle costs.

Scenario 3 — Multi-officer international assignment. A two-officer team accompanying a principal on an elevated-risk overseas trip: each officer at £700–£1,500 per day per Get Licensed via Priority First (2026), so a three-day trip for two officers could realistically total £4,200–£9,000 before travel and accommodation.

Ways to reduce close protection costs

Cost control in close protection should never mean cutting the risk assessment or the officer's qualifications, but there are legitimate ways to manage the budget:

• Book further in advance to avoid short-notice premiums and give the provider time to schedule the most cost-effective rota.
• Right-size the team — a properly conducted risk assessment may show a single CPO is sufficient where a client instinctively assumed a full team was needed.
• Combine services — pairing close protection with a provider that also delivers corporate security or manned guarding at the same site can reduce duplicated administration and mobilisation costs.
• Review shift patterns — genuine 24-hour cover needs multiple rotating officers; confirming whether continuous cover is truly required, versus cover during specific high-risk windows, avoids paying for round-the-clock protection that is not operationally necessary.
• Use a single accountable provider for planning, staffing and reporting rather than multiple subcontracted layers, each adding a margin.

Alternatives to consider

Close protection is not the right tool for every situation, and a proportionate risk assessment sometimes points elsewhere. For a fixed commercial premises rather than a moving individual, corporate security or static manned guarding is usually more cost-effective than close protection. For a residential building housing high-net-worth occupants, a concierge and front-of-house presence combined with CCTV monitoring can provide a visible deterrent without the cost of dedicated personal protection. For a planned event with crowd management needs rather than a single-principal threat, event security is the more appropriate and typically lower-cost service.

SIA licensing and the legal position on close protection

Every person carrying out licensable close protection duties in the UK must hold a valid SIA licence, and operating without one is a criminal offence under the Private Security Industry Act 2001. Hurak confirms that undertaking licensable close protection activities without an SIA licence is a criminal offence, unless the employer holds a specific exemption under Section 4(4) of that Act (2026).

The current cost of an SIA licence is £204 per application, effective from 1 April 2026, following the end of the £20 historic-reserves rebate that previously reduced the fee, according to GOV.UK (2026). This licence fee is not typically itemised separately on a client invoice — it is a professional overhead the officer or their employer absorbs as a cost of legally operating, and it is one reason genuinely licensed cover costs more than unlicensed "minders" sometimes advertised informally.

Business buyers should always ask a provider to confirm that every deployed officer holds a current, checkable SIA licence before signing a contract. The SIA maintains this as a statutory requirement precisely because close protection work involves direct physical intervention and access to vulnerable individuals, and the consequences of an unlicensed placement fall on the client as well as the individual.

Your close protection cost checklist

• Confirm the exact risk assessment behind the quote — never accept a day rate without understanding what threat level it is priced against.
• Ask whether the quoted figure is a full-day, half-day or hourly rate, and how many hours constitute "a day".
• Check whether vehicles, accommodation and travel are included or billed separately.
• Verify every proposed officer's SIA licence number directly, rather than taking the provider's word for it.
• Clarify whether the price includes pre-assignment planning and venue advance work, or only the on-site hours.
• Ask how cover is provided during officer illness, holiday or an extended assignment.
• Request written confirmation of VAT treatment before comparing quotes from different providers.
• Establish notice periods and cancellation terms in writing before booking.

FAQ

How much does close protection cost per day in the UK?

Standard close protection in the UK typically costs £200–£500 per day, rising to £700–£1,500 per day for international or high-risk assignments, according to Get Licensed via Priority First (2026). Central London rates commonly sit between £400 and £600 per day for standard cover.

What is the average day rate for a close protection officer in London?

London close protection day rates typically range from £300 to £800 per officer, with London and the South East often at the higher end of that range, per Security and Safety Solutions (2026). Central London specifically tends to fall in the £400–£600 per day band.

How much does it cost to hire a bodyguard in the UK?

A professional close protection officer in the UK costs between £300 and £1,000 per day, according to Security and Safety Solutions (2026). The final figure depends on risk level, location, shift length and whether a vehicle is required.

Is close protection charged by the hour or by the day?

Close protection is usually quoted as a day rate, though some providers offer hourly rates for shorter assignments. Hourly rates in the UK typically range from £25 to £50 per hour, plus the cost of vehicles if required, per CC Security Services (2026).

How much does an SIA close protection licence cost?

An SIA licence application costs £204, effective from 1 April 2026, after the previous £20 historic-reserves rebate ended, per GOV.UK (2026). This cost is typically absorbed by the officer or their employer rather than itemised separately on client invoices.

Do close protection officers need an SIA licence by law?

Yes, undertaking licensable close protection activities without an SIA licence is a criminal offence in the UK, unless the employer holds a specific exemption under Section 4(4) of the Private Security Industry Act 2001, according to Hurak (2026). Clients should always verify an officer's licence before booking.

How much more expensive is international close protection compared to domestic cover?

International or high-risk close protection assignments typically cost £700–£1,500 per day, compared with £200–£500 per day for standard UK cover, per Get Licensed via Priority First (2026). The difference reflects travel, accommodation, elevated risk assessment and often additional officers.

What is included in a close protection day rate?

A close protection day rate typically covers the officer's time, their SIA licence and training, pre-assignment risk assessment, and route planning. Vehicles, accommodation, additional officers, international travel and VAT are commonly charged separately, so buyers should request a written breakdown before comparing providers.

Securing your principal with Priority First

Choosing close protection cover is ultimately a question of risk assessment, not just day-rate comparison — and that is exactly the discipline Priority First applies across every protective assignment it plans. Just as Priority First's manned guarding teams document over 4,900 photo-backed patrols across a portfolio of 24 sites, close protection planning at Priority First is built on the same principle of provable, accountable cover rather than assumed presence.

Priority First operates across prime central London — including Chelsea, Knightsbridge and Mayfair — as well as West London, the West Midlands and Bedfordshire, giving clients a single accountable partner for protective and building security needs in the areas where high-net-worth individuals and corporate principals most often require cover. With over £1.6 billion in client assets protected and a 100% customer satisfaction rate, the firm's approach reflects the same planning-first philosophy described by Managing Director Mo Hassan: the goal is discretion and preparation, not visible show.

If you need close protection or wider corporate and residential security cover, contact Priority First for a tailored risk assessment and quote, and speak to a team that treats provable, accountable security as the baseline rather than the upsell.

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• Close Protection Central London | Priority First