Changes to Licensing A presentation to the private security - PowerPoint PPT Presentation

Changes to Licensing A presentation to the private security industry to explain the changes in our processes. 1 2 3 4 Why are we What are we What do the Useful changing? changing? new information processes and getting look like? prepared 1

1 2 3 4 Why are we changing? • The UK private security industry is large and growing • The SIA licensing operation consistently meets and beats our target turnaround times from the point of application to the granting of a licence • The private security industry is largely regulation compliant (98% of people carrying out licensable activity are found to be correctly licensed). Despite the industry being largely compliant, challenges remain such as the industry’s association with organised crime. Although small in scale, almost every example presents a risk to the integrity of the licensing regime. We work closely with the National Crime Agency, the police, HMRC, Home Office Immigration Enforcement and other agencies to identify, prosecute or disrupt criminals associated with the private security industry. This includes a number of recent successes when significant contracts or sums of money have been taken from offending businesses and individuals through employing asset confiscation legislation. 2

1 2 3 4 So why change? ‘Digital by default’ is Technology has moved on government policy. Our significantly since the We want to regulate the processes relied largely on current platform was industry through good paper applications which developed. We listened to businesses and the slow the application the industry and are using changes reflect this process down, are harder the opportunity to build in aspiration. to manage and regulate, new functionality and and are old fashioned. efficiencies. 3

1 2 3 4 The SIA Vision Private security industry SIA Our vision is to create and maintain ‘A private security industry so professional and respected that it needs minimal intervention’. But what does passing responsibility to the industry mean? • This is not about passing our cost or work onto businesses • Many businesses already perform stringent identity checks and then we repeat them! We want to trust certain businesses to manage their own identity checks which in turn will streamline our processes • We want to share more information with trusted businesses e.g. when we revoke a licence • Over 800 businesses are already part of the Approved Contractor Scheme (ACS) with a further 8-10 businesses (mostly micro and small) joining each month. They have achieved that standard, what else can we trust them with? The proposal is to offer two new services ( Licence Management and Licence Assist ) which are available to approved contractors • We want to encourage non ACS businesses to consider becoming approved contractors so that they can access Licence Management or Licence Assist • The decision to restrict some services to approved contractors is consistent with our drive to raise standards and will hopefully encourage non ACS businesses to become part of the ACS • The changes outlined in this presentation are the beginning. We will continue to work with the private security industry to identify further opportunities to use our new technology to the benefit of both the regulator and the industry. 4

1 2 3 4 What are the changes? • Individuals and businesses will set up self-service online accounts • We are improving the quality of information available on our website to reduce the volume of routine calls to our contact centre • The added automation of the licensing operation will speed up the application process • We are introducing two new services available only to approved contractors: Licence Management and Licence Assist • The new self-service website will work with the most popular browsers which will improve access to the SIA site and licensing operation. 5

1 2 3 4 What are the changes? All individuals • New online account with self-service functionality • Online licence application and management. All businesses Businesses who are approved contractors • If they choose to, they can: • Pay a licence fee on • Act on behalf of individuals behalf of an individual submitting applications • Access a Licence Status • Use Licence Assist or Checker. Licence Management. What are the changes? • Individuals and businesses will set up self-service online accounts through which they will manage applications and their relationship with us • All businesses will be able to pay a licence fee on behalf of an individual and access the Licence Status Checker – an updated and improved version of the current service • Approved contractors will have access to the above; but additionally, will be able to use Licence Assist or Licence Management allowing them to pay and act on behalf of individuals submitting applications. 6

1 2 3 4 What are the changes? No telephone No bulk applications renewals Digital by default All licence Paper applications will only be accepted applications and in exceptional renewals processed circumstances online What are the changes? • The facility to submit bulk paper applications will not be available once the new services go live • The introduction of individual and business self-service online accounts will replace the telephone renewal facility that will not be available once the new services go live • Thereafter all new licence applications and renewals will be made online • There will be a small number of exceptions that will be allowed to either not use an online account or submit an application without having to go to a post office to verify identity. More information concerning exceptions is available on our website at ‘Changes to Licensing ’. 7

1 2 3 4 Who will the changes affect? The changes will affect individuals and businesses in different ways: Individuals • All individuals (regardless of whether they work for a business using one of our new services) will need to create a personal online account. • Individuals will be invited through their personal online accounts to consent to link to employers paying for their licence. ACS Businesses • ACS businesses currently using the bulk application service will lose this service but will have the opportunity to use the Licence Assist , Licence Management or Licence Pay Only functionality. • Businesses wanting to use Licence Pay Only or the Licence Status Checker will need to create a business online account. • Approved contractors choosing to use Licence Assist will be able to submit applications on behalf of individuals but the individual will still have to go to a post office for identity verification. • Approved contractors choosing not to use Licence Assist will not be able to submit applications on behalf of employees but could still use Licence Pay Only . • The new Licence Management service will initially only be available to the nine approved contractor pilot businesses although we are already looking at identifying the next tranche of approved contractors to use Licence Management . Other Organisations • Training providers, charities, and non ACS organisations currently submitting bulk applications or ‘pay on behalf of’ will lose these services but may then use the new Licence Pay Only service. • These organisations will not be able to make an application on behalf of individuals as they have previously but they will be able to assist with online applications. 8

1 2 3 4 New services for businesses Through the new self-service website, all businesses will have access to Licence Pay Only and the Licence Status Checker . Additionally, approved contractors will have access to Licence Assist and Licence Management should they wish to use these services. SIA self-service website Licence Licence Licence Licence Status Management Assist Pay Only Checker 9