The minimum pay in London
The legal minimum is the same everywhere in the UK. Your average hourly pay in each pay period must be at least:
- Aged 21 and over (National Living Wage): £12.71 an hour
- Aged 18 to 20: £10.85 an hour
- Aged 16 to 17: £8.00 an hour
- Apprentices (under 19, or in the first year of an apprenticeship): £8.00 an hour
London is the one place where the Real Living Wage is higher: employers accredited by the Living Wage Foundation pay at least £14.80 an hour here. The legal minimum is still £12.71, so check which one your contract follows.
Where the security work is in London
Security work in London is spread across City and Canary Wharf offices, retail on Oxford Street and in Westfield, transport hubs, hospitals, construction sites and a huge night-time economy. Major venues such as Wembley, the O2 and the ExCeL bring a steady stream of event shifts.
Rates vary a lot by sector. Event and night shifts, construction sites and specialist roles often pay more than daytime static guarding, and contracts for corporate clients are more likely to follow the Real Living Wage.
What changes your take-home pay
- Unpaid breaks: on a 12-hour shift, a 30 or 60-minute unpaid break makes a real difference. Check whether your breaks are paid.
- Travel between sites: time spent travelling between sites during your working day counts as working time for minimum wage purposes. Your commute to the first site doesn't.
- Nights, weekends and bank holidays: there's no legal right to a higher rate, so it depends entirely on your contract.
- Two jobs: your second job is often taxed at a flat 20% with no personal allowance (tax code BR).
- Holiday pay: on irregular hours, holiday builds up at 12.07% of the hours you work.
Check your pay in a minute
Use the shift pay calculator to work out what a shift should pay, or the take-home pay calculator if you have two jobs. Shiftaan keeps every shift, rate and payment in one place, so you can check each payslip in seconds. Try it free.
Common questions
What is the minimum wage for a security guard in London?
£12.71 an hour if you're 21 or over, from April 2026. Living Wage accredited employers in London pay at least £14.80.
Do security guards get paid more for night shifts?
Only if your contract says so. There's no legal night-shift premium in the UK, but many contracts pay one, so check yours.
Do I need an SIA licence to work in security in London?
Yes, for most front-line security roles anywhere in the UK, including guarding, door supervision and public-space CCTV. Event stewards who don't carry out security activities may not need one.