What drives the range
Location (London and city-centres pay 20–40% more), shift pattern (nights and weekends add uplift), specialism (retail loss prevention with analytics skills earns more than raw static), and employer type (client-side in-house often pays more than contracted).
Negotiating your rate
Come with market data — call four other agencies in your postcode and note their advertised rates. Employers negotiate against evidence, not against 'I think'.
Trade uplift for guaranteed hours. A 50p/hour bump on a guaranteed 40-hour week beats £2 on ad hoc scraps.
The specialist path
CCTV analyst, control-room supervisor, close protection RST, cash-in-transit team leader — each represents a £4k–£10k salary jump on the equivalent front-line role.