Close Protection
What Is Close Protection? A Plain-English Guide for Private Clients
Close protection is a specialist security discipline focused on keeping an individual safe from harm. Here is what it actually involves, who needs it, and how it works in practice.
What Is Close Protection?
Close protection is a specialist security discipline focused on keeping a specific individual safe from physical harm, harassment, or unwanted intrusion. It is proactive rather than reactive: a close protection officer (CPO) identifies and neutralises threats before they materialise.
In the UK, close protection is regulated by the Security Industry Authority (SIA). Any individual providing close protection commercially must hold a valid SIA Close Protection licence. Reputable companies also require BS 7858 pre-employment screening, which verifies identity, criminal record, employment history, and financial background.
Speak to our senior security team
Need expert advice or immediate protection? Call us now — our senior CPOs are available 24/7.
Close Protection vs. a Bodyguard: What Is the Difference?
The terms are often used interchangeably, but there is a meaningful distinction. A bodyguard is a colloquial term implying physical presence and reactive protection. A close protection officer is a trained professional who conducts advance work, threat assessments, route planning, and liaison with venues, police, and other agencies.
A CPO is also trained in first aid, counter-surveillance, defensive driving, and crisis management. When you hire a close protection officer from a reputable UK company, you are engaging a security professional, not simply a large person standing nearby.
Who Needs Close Protection?
Close protection is not exclusively for celebrities or heads of state. In practice, clients who engage close protection services in the UK include:
- High-net-worth and ultra-high-net-worth individuals and their families
- C-suite executives and board members travelling to high-risk locations
- Public figures, media personalities, and sports professionals
- Individuals who have received credible threats or are involved in high-profile legal matters
- Families requiring residential or travel security
- Corporate clients protecting key personnel at events or during sensitive negotiations
What Does a Close Protection Officer Actually Do?
The visible element of accompanying a client in public is only a fraction of the role. Before any principal movement, a CPO will conduct an advance: visiting venues, assessing entry and exit routes, identifying risks, and liaising with local contacts.
Behind the scenes, the team prepares threat assessments, maintains communication protocols, and coordinates with drivers, residential security, and other elements of the protective detail. Good close protection is largely invisible to the client.
Speak to our senior security team
Need expert advice or immediate protection? Call us now — our senior CPOs are available 24/7.
What Should You Expect When You Hire Close Protection?
A professional close protection company will begin with a confidential consultation under NDA to understand your requirements, assess the threat environment, and propose an appropriate security solution. You should expect a written proposal, clear pricing, and evidence of SIA licensing and insurance.
Operatives should be discreet, professional, and experienced. Effective close protection is low-profile by design.
Speak to a Protection Specialist
All enquiries are treated with complete confidentiality. We sign an NDA before any operational detail is exchanged. Available 24/7.
Confidential consultation · SIA-licensed officers · UK & international assignments