BS 10119:2026 The New Standard in Labour Provision.
A new British Standard for organisations providing bought-in labour to the security and events sectors. Understand where it applies, why buyers care, and what controlled labour provision should look like.
Published 30 June 2026 · Code of practice · Security and events labour
Why BS 10119 matters.
Labour provision gives security and event operations flexibility. BS 10119 is designed to make that flexibility more controlled, transparent and dependable.
Stronger buyer confidence
Show contractors and clients that supplementary labour is selected, checked and supplied through controlled systems.
Lower supply-chain risk
Reduce exposure to unclear responsibilities, weak worker checks, missing records and poorly controlled labour arrangements.
Better worker protection
Support lawful, fair arrangements around employment status, pay, working time, training, PPE and welfare.
Clearer operational control
Define who recruits, screens, briefs, deploys, supervises and retains the evidence for every worker supplied.
A national framework for responsible labour provision.
BS 10119:2026 is titled “Provision of labour to the security and events sectors — Code of practice.” It gives best-practice recommendations for organisations that employ or supply bought-in labour to supplement a security or event workforce.
It is about the systems behind the people: who is responsible, what checks are completed, how workers are treated and prepared, and what evidence is retained.
- Built for security and event labour providers
- Relevant to contractors buying supplementary labour
- Covers management, staffing, records and worker controls
- Designed to support consistent and certifiable good practice
Good labour supply protects more than the rota.
A gap in the labour chain can become a licensing, legal, safety, service-delivery or reputational problem. The standard puts responsibility and evidence at the centre.
For the buyer
Know who is being supplied, what checks have been completed and who remains responsible for deployment and supervision.
For the worker
Support clear employment terms, lawful pay, appropriate training, suitable PPE and fair treatment across each assignment.
For the provider
Build repeatable controls that stand up to customer due diligence, certification review and day-to-day operational pressure.
The controls behind every person supplied.
BS 10119 brings the core responsibilities of security and event labour provision into one structured code of practice.
Licensing & role checks
Controls to confirm whether work is licensable and that each operative holds the correct, current SIA licence where required.
Screening & right to work
Appropriate identity, right-to-work and security-screening controls, including BS 7858 where applicable.
Employment arrangements
Clear terms, employment-status decisions, PAYE and other legal responsibilities reflected in real working practice.
Training, competence & PPE
Evidence that workers are competent, briefed for the assignment and provided with suitable clothing or protective equipment.
Roles & responsibilities
Defined authority across the provider, any intermediaries, the contractor buying labour and those managing staff on assignment.
Documents & records
Controlled worker files, agreements, deployment records, checks and other evidence that demonstrate the system operates in practice.
Three groups should pay attention.
The standard is useful on both sides of the labour relationship—not only to the company supplying workers.
Security and event labour providers
Organisations employing or supplying people to supplement another company’s security or event workforce.
Businesses buying extra labour
Security contractors and other organisations procuring supplementary staff to help deliver their own customer contracts.
Event and property managers
Those who need confidence that the labour supporting a venue, property or event has been responsibly sourced and controlled.
Already working to an earlier scheme?
BS 10119:2026 is now the current British Standard in this area. If you already hold or are working toward COP 119 or NCP 119 certification, do not assume your certificate changed automatically. Confirm the transition route and certificate position with your certification body.
Understand BS 10119 vs COP 119 vs NCP 119NCP 119 Check your certificate route
BS 10119 frequently asked questions.
What is BS 10119:2026?
It is the British Standard code of practice for organisations providing bought-in labour to supplement security and event workforces. It covers management, staffing, worker controls and evidence.
Is BS 10119 legally mandatory?
It is a code of practice rather than a law requiring every provider to become certified. However, customers, contracts, procurement exercises or certification arrangements may require or expect it.
Does BS 10119 replace an SIA licence?
No. BS 10119 does not replace the SIA licensing regime. Operatives carrying out licensable activity still need the correct SIA licence, and businesses must maintain effective licence-checking controls.
What should existing COP 119 or NCP 119 certificate holders do?
Check the current transition position with the certification body that issued or will issue the certificate. Publication of BS 10119 does not by itself mean an earlier certificate automatically became a BS 10119 certificate.
Where can I learn about the full requirements?
Read ESC Support’s detailed BS 10119 explained guide for an accessible overview, then use the authorised BSI standard and current guidance from your intended certification body when making compliance decisions.
Not sure how BS 10119 affects your labour operation?
Start with a straightforward conversation. ESC Support can help you understand where the new standard fits, what needs attention and what your sensible next step should be.
Prefer to speak directly? +44 7533 640422 · admin@escsupportltd.co.uk
This page is general information and does not replace the authorised BS 10119:2026 standard or legal advice. Certification and transition arrangements should be confirmed with the relevant certification body. View the official BSI listing. Information reviewed August 2026.