Close protection protects a person wherever they go: officers stay with them on journeys, at work, at events and abroad. Residential security protects a home and everyone in it: officers stay at the property, control who comes in and respond to anything that happens there. In short, close protection follows the person; residential security stays with the house.
Many families need one, some need both, and the answer depends on where the risk lies. If the concern is being followed, approached or targeted when out, close protection for you and your family is the starting point. If the concern is the home itself, a break-in, intruders or unwanted visitors, a residential security team at your home is. This guide explains the difference and how to decide.
What Is Close Protection?
Close protection is the protection of a named person from harm by officers who plan ahead and stay close to them. A close protection officer plans routes and venues in advance, travels with the person, watches for anyone taking an unusual interest and knows how to move them away from trouble. Close protection officers supplied under contract in the UK must hold an SIA close protection licence. Our guide to close protection teams explains the roles in detail.
What Is Residential Security?
Residential security is the protection of a home and the people who live in it. Residential security officers are based at the property. They control who comes in, keep visitor and incident logs, watch the cameras and alarms, patrol the grounds and act as first responders if something happens. They also look after the house when the family is away. Our article on what residential security involves covers the work in more depth.
Close Protection and Residential Security Side by Side
| Close protection | Residential security | |
|---|---|---|
| What is protected | A named person or family members | The home, its contents and everyone in it |
| Who does it | Close protection officers, often with a security driver | Residential security officers, sometimes with a team leader |
| Where | Wherever the person goes: journeys, work, events, abroad | At the property and its grounds |
| Typical arrangement | For particular journeys, events or periods, or day to day for those at higher risk | At night, while the family is away, or around the clock |
| Main tasks | Advance planning, escorting, route and venue checks | Access control, patrols, monitoring, first response |
| Licence (contract staff) | SIA close protection licence | SIA licence for the role, usually security guarding |
Signs You Need Close Protection
- You have been threatened, followed or approached by someone with an unusual interest in you.
- You have a public profile, and your appearances or movements are known in advance.
- You travel to places where the risk is higher, or attend events with crowds and press.
- Your business, a dispute or a public role has made you the focus of attention.
- Your children or partner have their own exposure, such as a predictable school run.
Signs You Need Residential Security
- Your home holds valuables, art or collections worth watching the house for.
- The house is large, with several entrances, staff and a steady flow of visitors and contractors.
- The house is often empty, or you want it watched while you travel.
- There has been a break-in, or suspicious activity, nearby or at your home.
- You want someone on site whenever the family is at home, especially at night.
How the Two Work Together
For families at higher risk the two are designed as one plan. The residential team holds the home: it controls access, keeps the logs and knows who is expected. The close protection team covers the family when they leave: it plans the journey and hands over to the residential team at the door. Shared procedures and good handovers mean there is no gap between the two, and the same assessment decides how much of each the family needs.
Many families start with one and add the other. A family might have a residential team at home and bring in close protection only for travel or public events. Another might have a protection officer with the principal and rely on alarms and a monitored response at home.
How to Decide
Start with where the risk lies. A risk assessment of your family and home looks at who might take an interest in you, how you live and where you are exposed, and recommends what is proportionate. It should tell you as plainly what you do not need as what you do. The cost of either depends on the hours, the number of officers and the level of risk, and each arrangement is quoted individually.
FAQs
What is the difference between close protection and residential security?
Close protection protects a person wherever they go, with officers who plan ahead, travel with them and stay close. Residential security protects a home and everyone in it, with officers based at the property who control access, patrol, monitor the alarms and cameras and respond to incidents. One follows the person; the other stays with the house.
Can one team provide both close protection and residential security?
Yes, many providers offer both, and for families at higher risk the two are best planned together under one set of procedures. The officers themselves usually have different roles: close protection officers move with the family, while residential officers stay at the house. What matters is that the two teams share information and hand over smoothly at the door.
Do residential security officers need the same licence as close protection officers?
Not usually. Contract staff need an SIA licence for the activity they carry out. Close protection officers need a close protection licence. Residential security officers usually need a licence for security guarding, unless they also protect people away from the house. You can check any officer’s licence on the SIA’s public register at GOV.UK.
Which should I choose first?
Choose the one that covers your biggest risk. If you feel most exposed when out, on journeys, at events or abroad, start with close protection. If the concern is the home, a break-in, intruders or an empty house, start with residential security. A risk assessment tells you which matters more, and whether you need both.
What to Do Next
If the risk lies at home, talk to us about residential security for your home. If it lies on the move, find out how our close protection officers work with families.