United Kingdom Security Market in 2021

The UK security and resilience market is valued at approximately $15bn and growing. The market benefits from the focus on national security and counter terrorism, new post Brexit infrastructure, the need to guard against the increased threat of crime and the general demand for security products and services.    

The UK physical security market is expected to be fairly stable over the next year with no significant growth overall reaching $5.93bn in 2022. The sector will benefit from a strong performance of security for infrastructure whilst other aspects will see decline. The areas that will play an important role are surveillance technologies and managed services. Border security and major events are anticipated to require significant investments in security in the coming years and will outperform other subsegments (Source Frost & Sullivan).   

The UK Government’s national security technology procurement strategy emphasizes the need for commercial off-the-shelf solutions from well-established suppliers that can be deployed quickly, suggesting a good opportunity for U.S. companies with a strong existing track record in the U.S. The evolving terrorism threat raises the need for new technology and product innovation. Although the demand for security services such as consultancy, training, guarding, and risk analysis is also growing, the UK market is highly competitive and can represent challenges for U.S. businesses, as the local companies are seen as one of the world leaders in this sub-sector.   

All the main U.S. suppliers typically do well in the UK, but newcomers must consider the scale of the competition. There are an estimated 9,000 security companies in the UK. British companies operating in the market vary in size from small niche companies through to a handful of major UK-owned global operators.    

The departure of the UK from the EU will result in greater investment in the UK border crossings. The UK Government allocated over $910 million for border infrastructure, technology and new staff, to ensure British border systems are fully operational at the end of the transition period.  

While the UK market is substantial, mature and growing rapidly, there can be significant challenges to newcomers with no previous track record in the UK. For that reason, it is strongly advised to consider partnering with an established local partner. For UK government-related opportunities, it is often important to have a UK incorporated presence.

For more information, please contact Kristina Schaferova.