Area Relief Security Officer

A very important part of security work is ensuring that security professionals can perform their duties to the best of their ability. That means it’s essential they’re able to work established shifts, but also be given the rest they need to remain alert on the job. When a security professional’s work means they go beyond their allotted time shift, fatigue can mean less focus and more potential for mistakes. To prevent this, the Area Relief Security Officer is a vital part of any security team. That officer is tasked with filling any gaps in the security team rota, as needed. That also means helping members of the team who are ill, on holiday or who have had an emergency that means they had to leave work early.

Wage rate hourly

From £9 to £15
(usually includes weekends)

Total Cost

Between £350 and £440 including your licence fee

Typical hours

20 to 48 hours a week usually includes weekends

Requirements

Door Supervisor Licence

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How to become a Area Relief Security Officer

The first step in becoming an Area Relief Security Officer is to get the proper license. This means you must acquire your SIA Door Supervisor License. Getting this license will help your career, as there will be almost no restrictions to where you can work.

A very important part of security work is ensuring that security professionals can perform their duties to the best of their ability.

This means if you are called upon to work any type of assignment, you have the necessary clearance. It doesn’t matter if it’s at a pub, bar, shop, mall or office building.

Another certification you should really consider for this role is the SIA CCTV License. This course will give you all the necessary tools to be able to become a CCTV Operator, a Security Supervisor or even qualify you for some management positions in the security industry. As more businesses continue to use CCTV as an added layer of protection, there is more demand for security professionals in these roles.

Course cost

The Security Guard Course is a 4-day course and costs £179.99.

The SIA Door Supervisor Course is a 6-day course that features multiple-choice exams as well as practical assessments. The training for the license starts at £199.99.

There is also an SIA License fee to pay after training of £190.00, and your license is valid for 3 years.

You can apply and pay for your license at a local post office, or online. The total cost of the course and the license is £439.99.

The SIA CCTV License is a 3-day course that includes 2 multiple-choice exams and practical assessments. The SIA CCTV Course starts at £179.99 and has an SIA Licence fee of £190.00, valid for 3 years.

Legal Requirements

The SIA License requires you to:

Be over 18 years of age

Have proof that you are allowed to work in the UK (such as visa)

A criminal background check

A mental health check

Have passed you SIA course

Become a Area Relief Security Officer

Start a successful career as a Area Relief Security Officer by following these steps:

Book your Door Supervisor course

This is the first step to become an Area Relief Security Officer

Pass the course

Consist of multiple choice exams and includes a physical assessment.

Apply for your SIA Licence

You can apply for your licence through the postoffice after passing the course

Apply for jobs in your area

Once you have your licence, you can start applying for Area Relief Security Officer jobs in your area

Course price from

£159.99

Licence fee

£190

Valid for

3 years

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Typical job description and responsibilities

Following training for this role, you will be equipped with the skills to:

Ensure relief support when needed for your security team
Security buildings, valuables and the people at the premises
Make regular patrols as required to ensure the safety of the premises
In some cases, use CCTV to help keep the premises safe
Guard cash and other valuables

Area Relief Security Officers are also responsible for:

Being able to support to call-out requests on short notice, which include providing relief when other officers are sick, on holiday or have had an emergency
Being able to maintain the same level of professionalism as the officer you are providing relief for
Driving the company vehicle from time to time

Writing reports as required

Working Conditions

As with many positions in security, you’re likely to be required to spend large amounts of time on your feet. To be prepared for this role, it’s advised that you maintain good physical health.

You may also be called out with very little notice, and could be depended on to cover certain critical shifts. To this end, you should remain flexible and have systems in place to ensure that you can respond to call-outs.

Skills and personal qualities required:

An Area Relief Security Officer needs to be:

Able to carry out the same duties as a regular officer
Dedicated to maintaining the safety and security of a builder or other premises and the people there
Detail-oriented

Physically fit
A quick problem solver
Knowledgeable of licensing laws and health and safety regulations
Able to write basic reports and detail events accurately

Education required:

There are no specific qualifications required to take your SIA course. However, you should have a strong command of English, as you’ll be required to listen and understand situations, as well as write reports and communicate with your team.

Benefits of the job:

There are many benefits to becoming an Area Relief Security Officer. Some of them include:

Increased earnings over time
Developing CCTV skills as required
Different assignments at different places help you to gain experience faster
Plenty of job variety

An Area Relief Security Officer gains teamwork skills, which help you keep moving forward in your journey in security. You’re considered a very important part of the team, and your role helping the team run smoothly brings out your dedication and commitment.

You can also expect to:

Learn about working in the Private Security Industry
Learn about working with CCTV and other video monitoring equipment

In this position you will also gain lots of transferable skills, including:

Decision-making
Concentration
Teamwork
Observation

How much does a Area Relief Security Officer actually earn

Wage rate and hours

Because this job is about making sure the security team always has relief as required, you should be prepared to work unusual hours, and often at unusual times. You will be considered part of your security team, and will be called to fill the necessary relief shifts as required. There may be no set time or set shift, because you become the officer that backs up the team as needed.

In this sector of the security industry, an experienced Area Relief Security Officer can make up to £15.00 per hour. If you’re just starting out you may earn about £9.00 an hour.

How much does an Area Relief Security Officer earn?

An Area Relief Security Officer usually works between 20-48 hours a week. Since the job is mostly about providing the necessary relief to your team, you can be called out at any time.

Because of this, most people who are hired for this post are required to be flexible. You will basically be on standby most of the time, but if you remain flexible you can earn a fair wage over time.

The table below shows how much you could earn:

Experience	Hourly	Typical weekly (40 hours)	Typical annually (40 hours per week)
Starter	£9 to £12	£380 to £480	£19, 760 - £24,960
Mid-level	£12 to £18	£480 to £720	£24,960 - £37,440
Head	£18+	£800+	£37,440+

As with many security jobs, you get rewarded as you gain experience. Most times an Area Relief Security Officer can expect to make between £9.50 to £12.00 an hour. The average annual salary for a starting Area Relief Security Officer is about £24,960. This largely depends on how much you are able to respond to call-outs when required.

With dedication to the role, you can increase your earnings into the £14.00 to £18.00 hourly range as time passes, and your security team sees how dependable you are.