BenchmarklyAll benchmarks

Security company companies in London

2,839 security company companies have a registered office in London, and 885 of them were formed in 2025 or 2026. In their latest accounts, the typical one held £8,392 in cash and owed £8,089 at year end.

Companies House register, 1 September 2026, and accounts filed in the last twelve months. Compared with the official category “Private security activities” (SIC 80100).

The numbers

Security company companies in London compared with the same category across the UK. Typical figures are medians.
MeasureLondonUK
Registered companies2,83913,277
Formed in 2025 or 2026885 (31%)29%
Being struck off or in liquidation420 (15%)15%
Typical cash at year end£8,392447 accounts£11,382
Typical amount owed at year end£8,0891,112 accounts£11,707
Typical number of employees11,178 accounts1

What this means if you’re starting one

Cash is tight in this trade

At year end the typical security company company in London holds £8,392 in cash and owes £8,089; that cash figure is lower than 81% of UK industries.

Typical operators end the year holding less cash than they owe, so there is little slack if takings dip or a big bill lands early.

More of these companies are closing than in most trades

14% of security company companies in London are currently being struck off, against 6.9% of all companies there. Nationally that rate is higher than 93% of UK industries.

Closures run high here. It is a churn signal, not a survival rate, but it means the common failure points are worth learning before you start.

Most of these businesses are run by one or two people

The typical security company company in London reports 1 employee; the top quarter has 2 or more (1,178 filings).

You are mostly up against owner-operators. Your own hours are likely to be your biggest cost, and the easiest one to undercount.

Planning a business like this in London?

Answer two questions about your customer and what makes you different, and get a free three-week plan to test the idea before you spend real money. No account or card.

Check my idea

What these figures can’t tell you

Companies are counted where their registered office is, which may be an accountant or a home address rather than a shop. Sole traders and partnerships are not on the register, and electronically filed accounts cover roughly 60–75% of accounts filed each year. The figures describe companies that exist; they cannot prove demand for your idea or predict whether it will work. How the figures are built.

Security company in other places

Other businesses in London

All business benchmarks in London