UK Security Threat Report 2026: Findings, Data and Methodology
Key Takeaways
- Reactive rather than preventative
- Regional spread widened
- Shorter engagements, higher intensity
- Female officer demand up sharply
Quick Answer
Our 2026 UK Security Threat Report analysed 1,284 enquiries and 412 completed assignments across 12 months. Residential intrusion concern rose 31% year on year, and 62% of enquiries cited an event that had already occurred rather than a precautionary concern.
Key Findings at a Glance
| Primary stated trigger | Share of enquiries | Change on 2024 |
|---|---|---|
| Residential intrusion or trespass | 31% | +31% YoY |
| Stalking, fixation or persistent approach | 18% | +12% YoY |
| Corporate or workplace threat | 16% | +4% YoY |
| Event and public appearance exposure | 14% | +9% YoY |
| Litigation, divorce or dispute | 11% | +6% YoY |
| Travel and transit concern | 10% | -2% YoY |
Sample
1,284 enquiries and 412 completed assignments recorded between January 2025 and December 2025 across England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland.
Methodology
Analysis
Reactive rather than preventative. 62% of enquiries followed an incident that had already happened. The single largest opportunity to reduce cost and harm is earlier written risk assessment. Regional spread widened. London accounted for 47% of enquiries, down from 56% in 2024, with growth strongest in the North West, Scotland and the Home Counties. Shorter engagements, higher intensity. Median assignment length fell from 14 days to 9 days while median officer count per assignment rose from 1.3 to 1.7. Female officer demand up sharply. Requests specifying a female CPO rose 44%, driven by family and retail assignments.Limitations
This dataset reflects one provider's enquiry flow and is not a national sample. It over-represents high-net-worth households and under-represents public-sector and low-value commercial security. Percentages are rounded and may not total 100.
Citation
Cite this report as: VIP Protection Services, UK Security Threat Report 2026, 2026. Available at https://www.vipprotectionservices.co.uk/blog/uk-security-threat-report-2026-methodology. Journalists and researchers may reproduce the tables with attribution and a link. For the underlying breakdown by region, contact the editorial desk.
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About the Author
VIP Protection Services Operations Team
Close Protection Operations & Security Consultancy
Written and reviewed by our operations desk — SIA-licensed close protection officers and security consultants with over 20 years of combined experience delivering executive protection, corporate security and residential security teams across the UK. Every article is fact-checked against current SIA licensing rules, BS 7858:2019 screening standards and live deployment experience.
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