Quick answer
Secured by Design (SBD) is the official police-backed accreditation scheme run by Police Crime Prevention Initiatives, requiring products to pass PAS 24 testing plus additional criteria covering glazing, hinges, letterplates and accredited installation. An SBD-licensed composite doorset represents a higher, independently policed bar than PAS 24 certification alone.
Overview
SBD is administered by Police Crime Prevention Initiatives. An SBD composite doorset requires PAS24 testing PLUS additional criteria - laminated glass, specific hinge specs, mechanical/attack-tested letterplates, and installer accreditation.
Who runs the scheme and why it exists
Secured by Design is owned and administered by Police Crime Prevention Initiatives (Police CPI), a police-affiliated organisation that licenses products meeting agreed security criteria. It grew out of decades of crime prevention research showing that certain product and design choices measurably reduce burglary risk, and it exists to give the public and specifiers a recognisable mark they can trust without needing to interpret technical standards themselves.
What SBD requires beyond PAS 24
PAS 24 tests the physical resistance of the doorset. SBD builds on top of that baseline with additional requirements: laminated glazing rather than plain toughened units in vulnerable panels, hinge specifications that resist being drilled or knocked out, letterplates tested against fishing and arson-related attacks, and crucially, a requirement that the installer holds specific accreditation and fits the product according to the manufacturer's tested method.
- PAS 24 test pass as the baseline requirement
- Laminated glass in accessible glazed panels
- Attack-resistant letterplate design
- Installer accreditation and correct fitting method
Why the installer requirement matters so much
This is the part of SBD that gets overlooked. A product can be SBD-licensed on the manufacturer's side, but the licence and the real-world security benefit only carry through if it's installed by an accredited installer following the tested fixing method. An SBD-rated door fitted with the wrong screws or without the specified sealant and packing is no longer performing to the standard its badge suggests.
Where SBD is required rather than optional
Many new-build developments, particularly those working with local police Designing Out Crime officers, specify SBD as a planning or NHBC-adjacent condition. Some housing associations and local authorities also mandate it for social housing stock. For private homeowners it remains voluntary, but several insurers offer modest premium recognition for SBD-accredited security measures.
Is it worth it for a private homeowner in Cornwall
For a standard family home in a low-crime rural setting, a PAS 24:2022 doorset with a TS007 3-star cylinder gets you the vast majority of the practical security benefit at a lower cost than a full SBD specification. For higher-value properties, holiday lets with valuable contents, or homes in areas that have experienced break-ins, the additional laminated glazing and letterplate protection that SBD requires is a genuinely worthwhile step up.
How to verify a claimed SBD product
Police CPI maintains a searchable list of licensed products and accredited installer companies. If a door or installer is described as Secured by Design, it's reasonable to ask for the licence reference and check it, particularly given how often the term gets used loosely in sales literature without the underlying accreditation.
When to call a professional
- Required on many new-build sites and for some insurance discounts.
Prevention
- Specify SBD upfront rather than trying to upgrade later.
