Security and events labour providers are facing their biggest compliance change in years. BS 10119:2026, the new British Standard for the provision of security and events labour, is replacing the COP 119 / NCP 119 code of practice. Certification bodies are already setting deadlines. Clients and principal contractors are starting to ask whether their suppliers are ready.
Getting ready means reviewing your systems against a more demanding standard, upgrading documentation, remediating worker files and proving your payroll and vetting controls work in practice. That is a significant project, and professional consultancy has traditionally added a significant cost.
ESC Support is currently providing full BS 10119 consultancy at no consultancy fee, from the first gap analysis through to assessment preparation and support. This article explains what BS 10119 is, who needs it, what the free consultancy includes and how to get started.
What Is BS 10119:2026?
BS 10119:2026 is a formal British Standard published by the British Standards Institution (BSI). It sets requirements for organisations that supply temporary, contract or outsourced workers into the security and events sectors.
It replaces COP 119, the Code of Practice for the Provision of Labour in the Security and Events Sectors, which the National Security Inspectorate (NSI) assessed under the designation NCP 119. COP 119 was a respected but voluntary industry code. BS 10119 raises the bar. It is more prescriptive, demands more detailed evidence and places a stronger focus on worker welfare, lawful payroll, vetting and supply-chain transparency.
For a full explanation of the standard, read our BS 10119 guide and What is BS 10119:2026?
Who Needs BS 10119?
BS 10119 applies to any business whose model involves recruiting, vetting, paying and deploying workers on behalf of another organisation in the security or events space, including:
- Security labour providers and relief-cover agencies
- Event stewarding and crowd-management labour suppliers
- Businesses supplying SIA-licensed officers to SIA Approved Contractors
- Labour providers supplying door supervisors, CCTV operators or security officers to prime contractors
- Existing COP 119 / NCP 119 certificate holders who need to transition
It also matters to the buyers of that labour. SIA ACS approved contractors and event organisers increasingly expect their labour suppliers to meet BS 10119 as part of supply-chain due diligence.
The Transition Timeline
BSI publishes the standard, but each certification body sets its own transition timeline. Taking NSI as an example, based on its published guidance:
| Milestone | NSI Position | What It Means |
|---|---|---|
| New applicants | Assessed against BS 10119 from 1 July 2026 | If you are seeking certification for the first time, build your systems around BS 10119, not COP 119. |
| Existing NCP 119 holders | NCP 119 certifications to be withdrawn by the end of June 2027 | Complete your gap analysis, upgrades and transition audit before the deadline to avoid a lapse. |
Other certification bodies may have different dates and transition arrangements, so always confirm the timeline that applies to your certificate directly with your certification body. Because preparation takes time, we recommend starting at least 6 to 9 months before your deadline. For existing certificate holders, read our COP 119 guide for the baseline requirements you are moving from.
What the Free BS 10119 Consultancy Includes
The offer covers the same end-to-end BS 10119 consultancy we deliver as a paid service:
| Stage | What ESC Support Does | What You Receive |
|---|---|---|
| 1. Consultation | Understand your labour model, clients, workforce, certification body and deadlines. | A clear project scope and realistic timeline. |
| 2. Gap analysis | Review your current operations, policies and records against BS 10119 requirements. | A written gap analysis and prioritised action plan. |
| 3. Documentation | Create or upgrade your labour-provision manual, SOPs, forms and registers. | Tailored documentation that reflects how your business operates. |
| 4. Worker-file remediation | Review personnel files for BS 7858 screening, right-to-work, SIA licence and employment evidence. | A clear list of file gaps, and support to close them. |
| 5. Payroll and employment review | Review PAYE, pay practices, worker status and contractual arrangements. | Confidence that your pay and employment evidence will stand up to scrutiny. |
| 6. Mock audit | Run a realistic pre-assessment audit in the style of your certification body. | Written findings and corrective actions before the real audit. |
| 7. Assessment support | Prepare your team for assessment and help close any findings raised. | Support right through to certification decision. |
Gap Analysis: Where BS 10119 Projects Start
The gap analysis compares how your business actually runs with what BS 10119 requires. For existing COP 119 holders, it pinpoints where current practices, which may have been acceptable under the old code, fall short of the new standard. For new applicants, it sets out everything that needs to be built.
Areas we typically review include:
- Governance and management: responsibilities, oversight and management review
- Recruitment and screening: BS 7858 vetting, including verification of employment history
- Right to work and SIA licensing: checks, records and ongoing monitoring
- Payroll and worker status: PAYE compliance, lawful deductions and transparent pay
- Worker welfare: communication, working time, grievances and support
- Client contracts: written terms, responsibilities and reporting arrangements
- Subcontracting controls: approval and monitoring of any secondary suppliers
- Training and competence: induction, role-specific training and records
- Records and evidence: document control and audit trails
Documentation and Systems
BS 10119 requires extensive documented evidence, and auditors will look for proof that documented procedures are applied consistently in daily operations. We help you build or upgrade:
- A labour-provision quality manual
- Standard Operating Procedures covering recruitment, onboarding, deployment, incidents, welfare and discipline
- Screening and vetting forms aligned with BS 7858
- Right-to-work and SIA licence registers with expiry monitoring
- Worker induction packs and handbooks
- Client contract and service-agreement templates
- Subcontractor approval and monitoring records
- Complaint, grievance and incident logs
- Management-review and corrective-action records
As with all our work, documentation is tailored to your business, not a generic template pack.
Worker Files and Payroll: The Areas Auditors Test Hardest
In our experience, worker files and payroll evidence are where labour providers are most exposed. An auditor will typically sample worker files and trace them from recruitment through screening, right-to-work, licensing, deployment and pay.
Common issues include incomplete five-year employment histories, unverified gaps, missing right-to-work evidence, lapsed SIA licence checks and pay arrangements that cannot be clearly evidenced. Under BS 10119, unclear worker-status arrangements, such as treating frontline officers as self-employed or using umbrella structures, face close scrutiny.
We review a sample of your files, identify gaps, help your administrators remediate them and set up controls so new files are compliant from day one.
Assessment Preparation
Before your certification audit, we run a mock audit that samples files, tests processes and interviews key staff, so you can find and fix issues while there is still time. We then help your team prepare for the real audit and support you in responding to any findings.
Certification decisions are made by independent certification bodies such as NSI or SSAIB. No consultant can guarantee the outcome. Our job is to make sure you go into the audit genuinely ready.
What the Offer Does Not Cover
- Certification body fees for your assessment and ongoing surveillance, paid directly to your certification body
- Your internal time: a nominated project lead and input from your HR, payroll and operations staff
- Operational investments you decide to make, such as HR software or additional screening capacity
Why Is ESC Support Offering This for Free?
We want to build lasting relationships with security labour providers by proving the quality of our work, and to grow our track record of successful BS 10119 transitions. If you are happy with the result, we may ask whether you would share feedback or a case study. Some clients also choose optional ongoing services, such as internal audits or SIA ACS support. None of this is a condition of the offer. You can read more about our approach in why we are currently providing consultancy for free.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is the BS 10119 consultancy really free?
Yes. ESC Support is currently providing its full BS 10119 consultancy, including gap analysis, documentation, worker-file and payroll review, mock audit and assessment support, at no consultancy fee. Certification body fees are separate.
We already hold COP 119 / NCP 119. Do we need BS 10119?
Existing certificates remain valid only until your certification body withdraws them. NSI, for example, plans to withdraw NCP 119 certifications by the end of June 2027. You will need to transition to BS 10119 before your certification body’s deadline to keep continuous certification.
Can we reuse our COP 119 documentation?
Often, yes. Much of your COP 119 work will still be relevant. The gap analysis identifies what can be kept, what needs upgrading and what is new under BS 10119.
We are a new labour provider. Should we go straight to BS 10119?
In most cases, yes. NSI, for example, assesses new applicants against BS 10119 from 1 July 2026. Confirm the position with your chosen certification body.
How long does BS 10119 preparation take?
It depends on your size, workforce, existing systems and the condition of your worker files. We recommend starting at least 6 to 9 months before your deadline, and we will give you a realistic timeline after the gap analysis.
Can you guarantee certification?
No. Certification is granted by independent certification bodies. We make sure you are fully prepared to demonstrate compliance.
Get BS 10119 Ready at No Consultancy Fee
Gap analysis, documentation, worker-file and payroll review, mock audit and assessment support, delivered end to end by ESC Support. Book a no-obligation consultation.