Home security habits: how safe is your home?
Whether you’re installing the latest security system, or joining the neighbourhood watch, we’ve all got different views on how best to keep our homes safe and secure.
With this in mind, we’ve conducted research to explore the home security habits of people across the UK. Our study looked into the most common types of home security, how much Brits spend on this, and how worried people are about the safety of their homes. Our team has also advised on how investing in proper security systems can help lower the price of your home insurance.
Most common types of home security
Window locks are the safety measure most commonly used in homes across the country, with 70% of Brits saying they currently have these installed. This differs significantly across the generations though. A huge 85% of those aged over 55 have invested in window locks, but just 44% of 18 to 24-year-olds have these in their homes.
The second most common type of home security is double locks, with half (50%) of Brits saying they have these installed on their doors. Over a third (36%) of people also have house alarms, making this the third most popular type of home security. Deadbolts (33%) and spy holes (28%) round out the top five, showing lots of people are focusing on securing their doors to keep their properties safe.
| Rank | Type of home security | Percentage of people who have this home security device |
| 1 | Window locks | 70% |
| 2 | Double locks | 50% |
| 3 | House alarm | 36% |
| 4 | Deadbolts | 33% |
| 5 | Spyhole | 28% |
Most desired types of home security
Home security systems are getting increasingly advanced, and while things like connected locks and smart lighting systems are helping to keep homes secure, they are often much more expensive than their manual counterparts. With this in mind, our research has also revealed the types of home security that Brits would love to have, but can’t purchase because they are too expensive.
CCTV tops the list as the most desirable home security equipment, with one-fifth (21%) of Brits admitting they’d like to have it, but it’s too expensive. When it comes to the different generations, over a quarter (28%) of those aged between 18 and 24 admit they would like to have CCTV if they could afford it, compared with just 16% of those over 55.
Despite being the third most common type of home security to have, there are still many people who wish to have a house alarm on their property, as it also ranks as the second most desirable item, with 18% of people wishing they could afford to install one. Video doorbells (17%), motion sensors (15%), and electric gates (14%) round off the top five most wanted types of home security.
| Rank | Type of home security | Percentage of Brits who want this home security device but say it is too expensive |
| 1 | CCTV | 21% |
| 2 | House alarm | 18% |
| 3 | Video doorbell | 17% |
| 4 | Motion sensor | 15% |
| 5 | Electric gates | 14% |
How much are Brits spending on home security?
In general, Brits are spending an average of £448 on their current home security systems, but this does vary significantly by location.
People living in Newcastle are spending the most on protecting their homes, at an average of £655 in total. Residents in Belfast follow closely behind, spending around £546. This is despite being one of the locations that worries the least about the security of their home, with our study revealing they spend less than one day per week pondering the topic. London follows in third, spending an average of £532 on home security.
| Rank | Location | Avg price spent on security of home | Avg days spent worrying about the security of their home per week |
| 1 | Newcastle | £655 | 1.33 |
| 2 | Belfast | £546 | 0.75 |
| 3 | London | £532 | 1.63 |
| 4 | Southampton | £502 | 1.88 |
| 5 | Edinburgh | £487 | 0.98 |
| 6 | Birmingham | £481 | 2.07 |
| 7 | Leeds | £479 | 1.00 |
| 8 | Cardiff | £467 | 1.12 |
| 9 | Brighton | £447 | 1.73 |
| 10 | Nottingham | £415 | 1.25 |
In comparison, those living in Norwich spend the least on securing their properties, totalling just £172. Glaswegians follow with £270, even though they spend a significant amount of time worrying about the safety of their homes, at around 1.5 days per week.
The study has revealed a lack of correlation between how much people spend on their home security, and how much time they spend worrying about it. In particular, residents of Birmingham spend the most time worrying, at around 2 days per week, but invest an average of £481 on their home security systems – which is just above the national average.
Home security attitudes
With our research revealing that 75% of Brits actively worry about the security of their properties, it’s normal that many of us would take extra precautions to keep our homes safe.
Whether it’s to keep an eye on things or simply just to water their plants, 71% of Brits ask friends, family, or neighbours to look after their homes when they’re on holiday. A further 56% of people make sure to tell someone if they are leaving their place unattended overnight.
Interestingly, some of us go even further, with one-sixth (16%) of Brits asking a friend or family member to move into their home if they go on holiday, though this number does vary by location. Despite investing heavily in their security systems, those living in Belfast are the most likely to ask friends or family to move in, with 22% of people admitting they have done this before. Residents in Sheffield (7%) aren’t too concerned about anyone moving in while they’re away. However, they are the most likely to refuse to leave their home unattended overnight, with one in ten (10%) of those living in the northern city admitting they don’t ever leave their house empty for an evening.
When it comes to how different age groups approach home security, we found that the younger generations are more likely to be involved in a community group on social media. Nearly a quarter (23%) of those aged 18 to 24 say they are part of a neighbourhood safety group on Facebook or WhatsApp, but just 8% of those over 55 are. 17% of 18 to 24-year-olds are part of their local neighbourhood watch, compared to 14% of over 55s.
In terms of location, those living in Nottingham (24%) are most likely to be part of a social media community group associated with neighbourhood safety, while Londoners (18%) are the most likely to be part of their neighbourhood watch.
What our expert says...
Anna McEntee from the home insurance team at Compare the Market says, “From upgrading your window locks to installing security lights, there are lots of simple ways to protect your home from thieves.
“Aside from the obvious benefit of keeping you safe and secure, having proper security systems in place could also help lower the cost of your home insurance. Many insurance companies may lower the price of your policy if you have a working burglar alarm installed, and some might even give additional discounts for using the latest home security technology.
“While investing in a solid home security system can be very worthwhile, taking out contents insurance will also give you full peace of mind that you’re fully protected in the unfortunate event that a break-in does occur, and you find your belongings stolen or damaged. In the case that your property is damaged by a break-in, then buildings insurance may be required to rectify the damage.
You should always check the terms and conditions of an insurance policy to make sure it provides the cover and peace of mind you need, as providers have different requirements for the cover to be in place. For example, some providers may require the windows to be kept locked for the home insurance policy to be valid.”
- Anna McEntee, Insurance comparison expert
Sources and methodology
Compare the Market surveyed 2,118 homeowners and renters in the UK. The survey was conducted in July and August 2023.
