The SIA’s annual independent customer satisfaction survey saw levels of satisfaction in the SIA’s licensing process among employers rise from 89% in 2024 to 93% in 2025. This is the highest level recorded since the SIA began tracking customer satisfaction among employers in 2013.
Satisfaction rates among individual licence applicants remained high at 89%, despite having fallen slightly from 91% in 2024. Similarly, the number of individual applicants who held a favourable view of the SIA was also 89%.
The key drivers behind the high satisfaction levels include the simple and straightforward application process and the clear information provided about next steps, with the number of individual applicants having to contact the SIA during their application remaining consistent at around 30%. This reflects the continued value of the guidance the SIA provides its customers, through online ‘how to’ videos, website information, and regular communications, which all help to support customers through the licensing journey.
Employers particularly valued the low effort required on their part and the timely responses from the SIA’s Business Support team. The redesign of the Business Support team, as part of the SIA’s revised contact strategy in 2022, has generated impressive results over the years, with employer satisfaction rising in every survey since.
Iestyn David, SIA Head of Licensing and Service Delivery, said
It is very pleasing to continue seeing such high levels of satisfaction among our customers. We were not only able to maintain many of the high results from our last survey, but satisfaction among employers reached a record high. This is a testament to the hard work of the SIA teams and our commitment to excellence as an organisation.
We have continued to build on the feedback we receive from these surveys each year. To have maintained such strong results demonstrates we’re prioritising the right areas, which is helping us continue to deliver a quality service for our customers.
The survey was conducted in June and July 2025. It involved 741 interviews with individuals who had recently applied for an SIA licence and 59 interviews with employers who had recently submitted applications on behalf of their employees. The research measures customer satisfaction with the SIA’s online licence application service and management of customer contact.
The SIA commissioned the independent research as part of its commitment to understanding customer needs and continuously improving service delivery. The findings will continue to inform the regulator’s strategic planning and licensing delivery.
Read a summary of the survey findings.
Background
The SIA is the organisation responsible for regulating the private security industry in the UK, reporting to the Home Secretary under the terms of the Private Security Industry Act 2001. The SIA’s main duties are the compulsory licensing of individuals undertaking designated activities and managing the voluntary Approved Contractor Scheme (ACS).
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