How to Hire a Bodyguard in the UK: The 2026 Complete Guide

How to Hire a Bodyguard: The Short Answer

Explain your requirement to a suitable provider, verify the relevant licences and evidence, agree the duties and quotation, and obtain confirmation before cover begins. Share your dates, locations, expected hours, protected people and general concerns first. More sensitive details can be discussed through an agreed channel when they are needed.

This is a booking guide, not an assessment of your personal risk. If someone is in immediate danger, contact emergency services; a private enquiry cannot replace emergency help or police reporting.

Step 1: Prepare a Useful Brief

List the activities you need to continue safely: business appointments, travel, a public appearance or family commitments. Explain any relevant incident and existing arrangements without posting identifying details publicly. Provide an authorised contact who can answer questions and approve the plan.

• Locations and travel between them.
• Dates, start and finish times, and any flexibility.
• Number of protected people and whether their activities overlap.
• Venue or transport arrangements already booked.
• Accessibility, language, presentation or other practical preferences.
• What should happen if the itinerary changes.

Do not send passport copies, access codes, children's school details or full confidential itineraries in a first contact message. Ask what information is necessary and how it will be handled.

Step 2: Check Licensing and Suitability

Use Check a security worker's licence for the proposed officers, and SIA guidance on when a licence is needed for the relevant activities. Confirm who will supply the personnel and how substitutions are checked. A close protection licence does not by itself establish specialist driving or medical competence.

Ask about screening, relevant experience, communication and current insurance evidence. Officers are screened to BS 7858 standards. You can consult our insurance and credentials page. Avoid judging suitability solely on a photograph, claimed background or search ranking.

Step 3: Agree Assessment-Based Staffing

Describe simultaneous tasks honestly. If one person attends a meeting while another travels elsewhere, a single officer cannot be assumed to cover both. Driving, venue liaison and residential duties also need clear allocation. Longer requirements need appropriate rest, relief and handovers rather than one person's continuous availability.

The provider should explain its proposed staffing and any limits. A general guide cannot decide the right team size or guarantee that short-notice personnel will be available. Discuss UK close protection, or bodyguard hire in London for a London itinerary.

Step 4: Review the Written Proposal

Security requirements vary according to the number of personnel, duration, location, risk profile, travel requirements and operational arrangements. Where appropriate, we provide an itemised written quotation following an initial confidential assessment. For current pricing, speak to our security team.

Check the duties, dates, hours, locations, personnel and supervision. Confirm whether planning, transport, travel or accommodation are included. Ask how extra hours, changes, cancellation and replacement personnel are handled; terms must be agreed rather than inferred from a blog article.

Confirm the escalation contact, venue permissions and information-sharing arrangements. An acknowledgement or provisional proposal is not proof that cover has begun. Obtain the agreed start time and booking confirmation before relying on the service.

Step 5: Brief, Confirm and Review

Before the assignment, ensure the provider and authorised contact have the current itinerary and agreed responsibilities. Tell the team about material changes rather than assuming a previous plan still applies. At completion, request the agreed handover or review and address any further need separately.

For overseas travel, UK licensing alone does not establish permission to work in another country. Our own UK-based officers travel on international assignments by arrangement, subject to availability and destination law; discuss the whole itinerary and required permissions in advance.

Related: close protection company comparison and officer duties.

Discuss Your Requirements

See our UK close protection service to discuss the appropriate scope. Enquiries are answered 24/7. 24/7 enquiries. Same-day deployment may be available subject to location, requirements and officer availability. An enquiry is not a confirmed booking; the agreed scope and start time must be confirmed before cover begins.

Please call us on 020 3488 5714, message us on WhatsApp, or email a brief. Share the location, dates and general requirement first; avoid sending children's details, access codes or sensitive itineraries in an initial message.