Winter in the UK is a season of higher crime and harsher weather. If your security and safety measures aren’t ready for this winter, your business could be exposed. Below is a practical guide on winter security and how MES Systems can help you stay protected.
Why Winter 2025 Is a High-Risk Season for UK Businesses
Longer nights, emptier premises & seasonal crime
When the clocks go back and nights draw in, businesses get more hours of darkness, and criminals get more cover. Seasonal crime data shows a rise in burglary and theft as the nights get longer, especially around the festive period. Add in quieter industrial estates, premises closed for holidays and staff going home in the dark, and you’ve got a combination that criminals love.
Step 1 – Secure Your Perimeter and Access Points
Securing your property's perimeter is fundamental for any commercial security system. Your boundary is the first line of defence against criminals, but the access points across the perimeter are often the weakest links.
Think like an opportunist. If you were trying to get into your own building on a dark, wet evening, where would you start?
Doors, locks and shutters
- Check that the external doors, shutters and locks are in good condition and not warped or damaged from previous bad weather.
Windows
- Check all ground-floor windows and roof lights to ensure they have working locks.
- Consider security bars or shutters where high-value stock is visible.
Gates and barriers
- Check all gates and barriers are secure, in good condition and not impaired by snow or debris.
Signage and fencing
- Repair any damaged fencing or gaps that make access easy.
- Keep bins, pallets and ladders away from boundaries to stop them from being used as climbing aids.
- Make sure your security signage is visible and up to date. It’s a simple way to make thieves think twice.
Step 2 – Make CCTV and Lighting Winter-Ready
Your CCTV and lighting work hardest in winter, just when they’re most likely to be challenged by dark, wet or foggy conditions.
- Are your main entrances, car parks and loading bays covered by high-quality CCTV?
- Do your cameras deliver clear images after dark and in bad weather?
- Are any lenses obscured by foliage, debris or spider webs?
- One of the simplest and most important security measures is setting a strong CCTV password. A weak password can put your entire site at risk if intruders can log in (remotely).
Winter prep checklist:
- Clean lenses and housings; trim back foliage and remove cobwebs.
- Check night-vision performance.
- Ensure brackets and cables are secure and weather-resistant.
If you’re unsure whether your existing system will cope this winter, MES Systems can survey your site and recommend all-weather, high-definition CCTV positioned for maximum coverage.
Optimising security lighting for long evenings
Poor lighting is one of the biggest enablers for winter crime. Ensure your perimeter and the exterior of your building are well-lit, ideally with motion-activated lighting. For even better protection, consider external cameras with ColourVu technology or infrared capability as a minimum.
- Install or test motion-sensor lighting around entrances, car parks and loading areas. Fix any broken lights and ensure times are correct.
- Consider the use of lighting to support CCTV; evenly lit scenes give much better footage than patchy glare or deep shadows.
Remote monitoring and smartphone alerts
Your CCTV can:
- Send push notifications to your phone when there’s activity out of hours.
- Stream live video so you can check what’s happening in real time.
- Link to an alarm-receiving centre for 24/7 professional monitoring, audio challenge and police response where appropriate.
If you’d rather not be the one checking alerts at 3 am on a freezing January night, remote monitoring can take that worry off your plate. Plus, consider engaging with an alarm response company to respond and attend the site on your behalf if required.
Step 3 – Test Intruder Alarms and Monitoring Before the Temperature Drops
A winter break-in is bad enough. Discovering your alarm didn’t trigger or that nobody was notified makes it far worse.
Servicing sensors, batteries and communication paths
Ahead of winter, book a full alarm service to:
- Test all door and window contacts, PIRs and shock sensors.
- Replace weak batteries and faulty devices.
Monitored alarms vs bells-only systems
Bells-only alarms rely on someone being close enough and willing to act when they hear them. In winter, on a quiet industrial estate, that’s a risk.
An alarm is essential for all businesses, and a monitored alarm offers even more peace of mind.
A monitored intruder alarm:
- Sends a signal to a 24/7 alarm receiving centre.
- Triggers a series of actions: audio challenge, calling keyholders, or requesting police response.
Keyholder, guarding and police response plans
- Check that your keyholder list is up to date and that people are actually available over Christmas and New Year.
- Consider using a professional keyholding or guarding service so staff aren’t put at risk attending activations alone in the middle of the night.
- Ensure your monitoring company has clear instructions for holiday schedules and for any staff changes.
Step 4 – Access Control
Winter access control and ID management
- Use access control systems to limit who can reach certain offices and stock rooms.
- Remove access for temporary staff promptly.
Safes and strong rooms
- Use insurance-rated safes for cash, keys and high-value items.
- Keep safes out of sight from windows and away from external walls where possible.
Step 5 – Check Insurance, Compliance and Documentation
Are your security measures insurance-compliant?
Finally, review your insurance cover. Being broken into is bad enough; finding out you're not properly insured is far worse. Check your policy wording for requirements such as:
- Alarm systems installed and maintained by approved providers (e.g. SSAIB /NSI).
- Monitored systems with documented testing.
- Safe ratings for cash and valuables.
If you’re not sure, your insurer and your security provider can help you close any gaps.
Logs, maintenance records and monitoring contracts
- Keep paperwork for your system, such as the specification and SSAIB certificates of conformity as your insurance company may require these.
- File monitoring contracts and response instructions so they’re easy to find after an incident.
Winter security audits and risk assessments
A short annual winter audit will:
- Confirm that your systems still meet your needs
- Highlight areas where your business has changed (more staff, more stock, new areas)
- Give you a clear plan for upgrades and improvements
MES Systems can provide a structured winter security survey for your site, covering physical security, systems, monitoring and key operational risks.
Quick Christmas Break Checklist:
- Ensure your festive décor doesn’t block or interfere with your detectors, causing false alarms.
- Before your final working day, make sure your closing-up procedures are fully agreed and that everyone who needs to know is properly briefed.
- If neighbouring businesses will be open over Christmas, ask them to watch out for any unusual activity.
- If you’re holding cash on the premises during the festive period, keep it in an approved, insurance-rated safe that’s suitable for the amount stored.
- Make sure high-value items are not visible from ground-floor windows.
- If any vehicles are being left at work, remove all tools and other valuables, and either lock the keys in the safe or store them securely off-site.
- If you have staff keyholders, then make sure their details are correct and they have the ARC telephone number saved. Draw up a rota depending on availability if necessary.
- If your site is remotely monitored and will be operating at different hours over the festive break, update your CCTV monitoring centre with the new dates/schedule.
When Should You Use a Professional Security Partner?
You should definitely speak to a specialist if:
- You’ve had a recent break-in, attempted break-in or suspicious activity.
- CCTV footage is too poor to be useful at night.
- Your alarm is old, unreliable or not monitored 24/7.
- Your business has grown, and your security hasn’t kept up.
At MES Systems, we can:
- Walk through your site and highlight practical improvements
- Advice on CCTV, intruder alarms, access control, fire integration and safes
- Explain the benefits of remote monitoring for both CCTV and alarms
- Set up service & maintenance plans to keep everything performing at its best all year round
Get Winter-Ready with MES Systems
With over 35 years of experience protecting commercial premises across the Midlands, MES Systems understands the real-world challenges businesses face during winter.
Book your winter security review
If you’d like a fresh pair of eyes on your premises before winter fully sets in, our team is here to help.
Put a robust winter plan in place now, and you can focus on running your business with complete peace of mind.
FAQ
Is winter really more dangerous for business security?
Yes. Insurance data shows a higher proportion of theft claims in winter. Longer nights and seasonal closures create ideal conditions for opportunistic crime.
How often should I test my intruder alarm in winter?
At a minimum, you should have a professional annual service, plus regular in-house tests (e.g. monthly) to ensure that sensors, signalling and monitoring are all working correctly.
Does CCTV work in heavy rain or snow?
Quality cameras with appropriate housings and lighting will still perform well in bad weather, but cheap or poorly installed systems can struggle. That’s why winter checks and correct positioning are crucial.
Can a monitored alarm reduce my insurance premium?
Many insurers look favourably on NSI/SSAIB-approved monitored alarms and CCTV, particularly for higher-risk or higher-value premises. Always check with your insurer.
