Awarding body removed from SIA directory

The SIA welcomes the action taken by Ofqual today (9 July 2026) to ensure the authorisation to issue qualifications for security courses is only given to awarding organisations that are working to Ofqual’s standards.

Ofqual has taken action to stop the awarding organisation BIIAB from accepting new learners for door supervision and security guarding qualifications, including refresher courses.

The SIA has worked with Ofqual to support their regulatory action and removed BIIAB courses for these qualifications from its course finder tool.

Tim Archer, SIA Executive Director of Licensing and Standards, said:

Protecting the integrity of the SIA licence and mandated entry-level training that SIA licensed operatives require is essential for both public safety and public trust and confidence in private security.

The public needs to be confident that people working as private security operatives have undergone the training required by the SIA to the standards set. We welcome this action by Ofqual.

The SIA’s joint working with Ofqual and other qualification bodies is part of the SIA’s approach and action to tackle poor standards by commercial providers who supply licence-linked qualification training under Operation RESOLUTE.

The SIA undertakes both intelligence-led inspections and proactive inspection activity to combat training concerns, including undertaking 24 unannounced inspections at training centres across England in the last month. As well as closer working, Ofqual inspectors have accompanied SIA inspectors on unannounced visits to training centres.

Background

For information on the SIA and its role visit: www.sia.gov.uk/sia

Learn more about how the SIA is tackling security training malpractice

Ofqual regulates qualifications, examinations and assessments in England. For information on Ofqual visit: About us - Ofqual

See Ofqual’s published summary of the interim regulatory action taken with BIIAB.