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Premier Security Ballistic & Blast Ltd
LPS 1175 Security Ratings Explained: Certified Doors, Windows and Gates for UK Buildings
LPS 1175 Security Ratings Explained: Certified Doors, Windows and Gates for UK Buildings
Premier Security Ballistic & Blast Ltd is an LPCB-certified manufacturer of LPS 1175 security doors, windows, gates and curtain walling systems, independently tested from SR2 (B3) to SR5 (E10). As one of the UK's only certified Secured by Design engineers supplying bespoke high-security products, we work with architects, main contractors and security consultants to ensure every product meets the rated performance required by the specification. With over 30 years of experience, our LPS 1175 certified range is trusted by government, defence, critical infrastructure and commercial clients across the UK and internationally.
Our LPS 1175 Certified Products
Browse our range of LPCB certified LPS 1175 security products. Each product page covers available security ratings, specifications and application guidance.
What Is LPS 1175?
LPS 1175 (Loss Prevention Standard 1175) is the UK's leading standard for testing and certifying the forced entry resistance of physical security products. It is developed and maintained by the Loss Prevention Certification Board (LPCB), part of BRE Global (the Building Research Establishment), and is widely regarded as the most rigorous and comprehensive forced entry standard in the world.
The standard tests how long a certified security product, including the door, frame, glazing, locks, hinges and fixings as a complete installed assembly, can resist a determined attack using defined categories of tools and techniques. Products must withstand the attack for a specified minimum delay period without an attacker breaking through an elliptical opening of 400mm x 225mm (the minimum size required for a person to pass through). The test is conducted in the locked state and simulates real-world attack conditions rather than theoretical material resistance.
Fewer than 5% of products submitted for LPS 1175 testing pass on the first attempt. Every product listed in the LPCB RedBook Live database has been independently tested, certified and is subject to ongoing audit surveillance to confirm continued compliance. This level of rigour is what makes LPS 1175 the standard of choice for architects, security consultants, insurers and government bodies specifying protection for high-value and high-risk environments.
Issue 7 vs Issue 8: LPS 1175 is currently on Issue 8, which uses a two-part classification combining a tool category letter (A to H) with a delay time in minutes (for example, B3 or E10). Issue 7 used SR1 to SR8 ratings. Both formats remain in common use and are directly equivalent. This page uses both notations throughout for clarity.
LPS 1175 Security Ratings: SR1 to SR8 Explained
Each LPS 1175 rating combines two elements: the tool category used in the attack (which determines the letter in Issue 8, or the SR number in Issue 7) and the minimum delay time the product must achieve. Together these define both the sophistication of the assumed attacker and how long the product buys before a determined intruder could breach it. Higher ratings do not simply mean stronger materials. They mean the product has been tested and proven against increasingly powerful, specialist tools by increasingly experienced attackers.
| Issue 7 | Issue 8 | Tool Category | Delay Time | Attacker Profile | Typical Application |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| SR1 | A1 | A: Concealed hand tools only | 1 minute | Opportunist, low noise, basic tools concealed on person | Low-risk domestic, basic deterrent |
| SR2 | B3 | B: Bolt cutters, claw hammer, cordless drill | 3 minutes | Determined opportunist, some noise accepted | Communal entrances, residential, low-risk commercial |
| SR3 | C5 | C: Axe, crowbar, lump hammer, gas torch | 5 minutes | Deliberate attack, disregard for noise, planned approach | Commercial premises, schools, healthcare, retail |
| SR4 | D10 | D: 18V cordless disc grinders, reciprocating saws, sledgehammer | 10 minutes | Experienced criminal, professional toolkit | High-value commercial, industrial, utilities |
| SR5 | E10 | E: 36V cordless tools, circular saws, high-power reciprocating saws | 10 minutes | Sophisticated attack, high-end battery tools | Critical national infrastructure, government, secure facilities |
| SR6 | F10 | F: Mains-powered saws and grinders (2000W+), oxyacetylene cutting | 10 minutes | Professional attack, mains power required, multiple attackers | High-security government, specialist installations |
| SR7 | G10 | G: Concrete chainsaws, hydraulic jacks, diamond-core drills | 10 minutes | Extreme threat, heavy professional equipment | Specialist high-security (no products currently certified) |
| SR8 | H20 | H: Maximum threat, most powerful tools short of explosives | 20 minutes | Maximum resilience requirement | Specialist high-security (no products currently certified) |
Important note on SR7 and SR8: No building products are currently certified to SR7 (G10) or SR8 (H20). If a product or manufacturer claims SR7 or SR8 certification, this should be verified directly against the LPCB RedBook Live database before specifying.
Premier Security's Certified LPS 1175 Range
Premier Security Ballistic & Blast Ltd holds LPCB certification (certificate 1097) for a range of security door systems, confirmed in the LPCB RedBook Live database. The following ratings are independently certified and available across the product range.
One of Premier Security's most significant achievements is the simultaneous certification of products across multiple threat disciplines. The bullet resistant door system holds LPS 1175 E10 (SR5) forced entry alongside EN 1522 FB7 ballistic resistance, confirmed by independent testing at D J Goode of Suffolk. The glazed curtain wall and modular walling system holds LPS 1175 E10 (SR5) alongside EXV10 blast resistance to ISO 16933 and FB7 ballistic performance, with a U-value of 0.5 — making it one of the most comprehensively certified combined-threat facade systems manufactured in the UK.
LPS 1175 Tool Categories: What Each Rating Really Means
The tool category is the most important factor in understanding what a security rating actually protects against. A higher tool category does not simply mean a harder material; it means the product has been physically attacked with progressively more powerful and specialist equipment and has resisted that attack for the required delay period. Understanding the tools defines the threat scenario.
| Category | Key Tools Included | Attack Profile | Noise Level |
|---|---|---|---|
| A | Screwdrivers, pliers, knives, small spanners, lock picks, fishing line, traction screws | Opportunist, relies on tools already on their person. Stealthy, low-effort approach. | Minimal |
| B | All Category A tools plus bolt cutters, claw hammer (up to 1kg), cordless drill, steel tube, shears | Determined opportunist. Carries additional tools but still relatively low-tech. | Some noise |
| C | All previous plus axe (up to 900mm), cold chisels, brick bolsters, crowbar, lump hammer, gas torch | Planned deliberate attack. Fully prepared, no concern for noise. Gas cutting equipment available. | High |
| D | All previous plus 18V cordless disc grinders, reciprocating saws, jigsaws, circular saws, sledgehammers | Experienced criminal with professional cordless toolkit. Capable of cutting through significant structural elements. | High, up to 10 mins active |
| E | All previous plus 36V cordless tools, 750W reciprocating saws, high-power circular saws | Sophisticated, well-resourced attacker with the highest-rated battery tools commercially available. | High, up to 10 mins active |
| F | All previous plus mains-powered saws and grinders over 2000W, oxyacetylene Saffire Portapak cutting kit (50 l/min oxygen) | Professional team attack requiring mains power access. Multiple attackers assumed. High-resource operation. | Very high, up to 10 mins active |
| G | All previous plus concrete chainsaws, hydraulic jacks, pneumatic impact tools, 2000W drills with diamond-core bits, petrol-driven disc grinders | Extreme threat. Construction-grade demolition equipment deployed against a security product. | Extreme, up to 20 mins active |
| H | The most powerful tools available short of explosives and firearms | Maximum resilience scenario. No products currently certified to this level. | Extreme, up to 20 mins active |
The delay time is measured as the time for which the product resists the opening being made, not the time until the attack stops. An attacker using Category D tools against a D10-rated product must work continuously for a minimum of 10 active minutes before a person-sized breach can be achieved. This delay is the window in which a response can be mounted, whether by security personnel, police or automated response systems.
How LPS 1175 Testing Works
LPS 1175 testing is conducted by LPCB-accredited test laboratories under controlled conditions. The product is installed as it would be in a real building, including the frame, fixings, locking hardware and threshold. It is then attacked by trained testers using the tool category defined for the target rating, aiming to create a breach that a person of a specified size could pass through.
The target breach is an ellipse measuring 400mm x 225mm, which represents the minimum opening a person needs to pass through. This is deliberately conservative and represents an adult in a crouched position rather than standing. The test is conducted with the product in its locked and secured state. No attack point is excluded; attackers may target glazing, frames, hinges, locks, thresholds or any part of the assembly.
The pass criterion is straightforward: the product must resist the breach being made for the full delay period defined by the target rating. If a 400mm x 225mm opening is achieved before the delay period expires, the product fails. Partial damage, bent frames or cracked glass do not constitute a failure unless the target opening is achieved. This means a product can sustain significant surface damage and still pass, provided it holds the line.
What LPCB Certification Covers
- Initial type testing of the complete product assembly including frame, glazing, locks, hinges and fixings
- Assessment and surveillance of the manufacturer's quality management system to ISO 9001
- Assessment and surveillance of the manufacturer's factory production control procedures
- Periodic audit testing of products taken from production
- Listing on the LPCB RedBook Live public database
- The right to apply the LPCB certification mark to certified products
Specifier note: LPCB certification covers the product as tested in a specific configuration. Changing the frame dimensions, glazing specification, locking hardware or fixing substrate beyond the certified scope can invalidate the rating. Always confirm with the manufacturer that the as-specified configuration is covered by the certificate, and request the certificate reference and RedBook Live listing before specifying.
Secured by Design and LPS 1175
Secured by Design (SBD) is a UK police initiative that awards a licence to manufacturers whose security products have passed standards nominated by the police service. It represents the Police Preferred Specification and is widely specified for residential and communal developments, particularly those built under planning conditions requiring SBD compliance.
For doors, the minimum requirement for Secured by Design compliance is testing to PAS 24:2012 (enhanced security performance for external doorsets) or LPS 1175. Products holding SBD status appear on the Secured by Design member products database and may carry the SBD logo.
Premier Security Ballistic & Blast Ltd is one of the UK's only certified Secured by Design engineers. The communal steel doorset range holds Secured by Design status across multiple configurations, covering single and double leaf doors in fully glazed, half glazed and louvre styles. This combination of Secured by Design and LPCB certification allows specifiers to satisfy both police preferred specification requirements and the more stringent LPS 1175 performance criteria from a single product range.
Planning conditions and Secured by Design: Many local authorities and registered providers of social housing require Secured by Design compliance as a planning condition or procurement requirement. Premier Security can provide the relevant SBD documentation and product listings to support planning submissions and compliance sign-off.
Related Security Standards: LPS 2081 and LPS 1673
In addition to LPS 1175, Premier Security manufactures products certified to two related LPCB standards that are specified alongside or instead of LPS 1175 in certain project contexts.
LPS 2081
LPS 2081 is the LPCB standard for attack resistant building components specifically tested for the SRB (Security Rating for Buildings) classification. Premier Security's LPS 2081 SRB swing security doors provide a certified performance level suited to residential and communal applications where the LPS 2081 SRB classification is specified rather than LPS 1175 SR2. The two standards address overlapping but not identical performance requirements.
LPS 1673
LPS 1673 is an LPCB standard for the assessment of attack resistance of physical security components used in building elements. Premier Security manufactures LPS 1673 swing security doors, providing independently certified performance for applications where LPS 1673 is the specified standard rather than LPS 1175. This is relevant for certain planning requirements and registered provider specifications.
PAS 24:2012
PAS 24 is the BSI Publicly Available Specification for enhanced security performance of external doorsets in the UK. It sits below LPS 1175 in terms of rigour but is the standard referenced by Secured by Design for communal residential applications. Premier Security's communal steel door range holds PAS 24 certification (BSI VC618904 and VC631094) across the full range of single and double leaf configurations.
Who Specifies LPS 1175 Products?
LPS 1175 is specified across a broad range of building types and risk levels. The standard's eight-rating scale means it covers applications from basic communal entrance deterrence at SR2 through to critical infrastructure protection at SR5 and above.
- Residential & Housing Associations
- Commercial Offices & Retail
- Schools & Education
- Healthcare Facilities
- Industrial & Utilities
- Data Centres
- Government & Public Buildings
- Embassies & Diplomatic Missions
- Military Installations
- Critical National Infrastructure
- Police & Custody
- Courts & Justice Buildings
The appropriate rating for any given project is determined by a risk assessment that considers the asset value, the likelihood and capability of an attack, and the response time available. NPSA (National Protective Security Authority) guidance documents provide a framework for that assessment in high-risk and CNI contexts. For commercial and residential projects, insurance requirements and planning conditions are often the primary drivers of the specified rating.
LPS 1175 vs EN 1627: What Is the Difference?
EN 1627 is the European standard for burglar-resistant building elements and is the most common alternative to LPS 1175 encountered in specifications from European manufacturers. Both standards test forced entry resistance, but they differ significantly in scope, test methodology and the rigour of certification.
| Criteria | LPS 1175 | EN 1627 |
|---|---|---|
| Governing body | LPCB / BRE Global (UK) | CEN (European Committee for Standardisation) |
| Rating scale | SR1–SR8 (Issue 7) / A1–H20 (Issue 8) | RC1–RC6 (Resistance Classes) |
| Number of attack angles | All faces and components of the product | Front face only (rear attack not tested) |
| Lock and hardware testing | Included as part of the complete assembly test | Hardware tested separately, not always as installed |
| Ongoing certification | Mandatory factory surveillance and audit testing | Initial certification only in many schemes |
| Certification database | LPCB RedBook Live (publicly accessible) | No equivalent central public database |
| UK government recognition | Specified by NPSA and government guidance | Not referenced in UK government security guidance |
For projects in the UK, particularly those involving government clients, critical infrastructure, or NPSA-aligned threat assessments, LPS 1175 is the appropriate standard to specify. EN 1627 products from European manufacturers may meet LPS 1175 performance levels in practice, but without independent LPCB certification there is no means of verifying this. Where a specification requires LPCB certification, only products listed in the RedBook Live database can satisfy that requirement.
LPS 1175, Ballistic and Blast: Combined Certified Protection
LPS 1175 certifies resistance to forced entry only. It does not imply ballistic resistance (protection against firearms) or blast resistance (protection against explosive pressure). Each discipline must be independently tested and certified. This is a critical distinction for specifiers working on projects where all three threats are present, such as embassies, military installations and critical national infrastructure.
Premier Security Ballistic & Blast Ltd is the UK's leading manufacturer of products independently certified across all three disciplines simultaneously. The following combined certifications are confirmed through independent testing:
- LPS 1175 E10 (SR5) + EN 1522 FB7 ballistic: Bullet resistant door systems independently tested at D J Goode of Suffolk and LPCB, confirming forced entry and armour-piercing ballistic resistance in a single product.
- LPS 1175 E10 (SR5) + ISO 16933 EXV10 blast + EN 1522 FB7 ballistic: Glazed curtain wall and modular walling system certified to all three disciplines simultaneously, with a U-value of 0.5 and certification to 20 metres high with unlimited screen width.
- LPS 1175 SR2 (B3) + fire rating (EI 60 and E90): Thermally broken steel door systems combining forced entry resistance and fire performance in a single independently certified product.
For further information on ballistic ratings, see our Ballistic Resistance guide. For blast ratings, see our Blast Resistance guide.
Frequently Asked Questions: LPS 1175 Security Products
What is the difference between LPS 1175 Issue 7 and Issue 8?
Issue 7 used SR1 to SR8 ratings as a single number. Issue 8 replaced this with a two-part system combining a tool category letter (A to H) and a delay time in minutes, for example B3 or E10. The performance levels are directly equivalent: B3 = SR2, C5 = SR3, D10 = SR4, E10 = SR5. Both notations remain in common use and you will encounter both in specifications and product literature. Premier Security's product documentation and LPCB certificates reference both for clarity.
How do I choose the right LPS 1175 rating for my project?
The appropriate rating is determined by a security risk assessment considering the asset value, the credible attacker capability and the response time available after a breach alert. As a general guide, SR2 (B3) suits communal residential and low-risk commercial applications. SR3 (C5) suits commercial premises and schools. SR4 (D10) suits high-value commercial and industrial. SR5 (E10) and above are appropriate for critical infrastructure, government and high-security environments. For CNI projects, NPSA guidance documents provide the formal framework. Premier Security's consultancy team can advise on the appropriate specification for your project.
What does LPCB certification mean and why does it matter?
LPCB certification means the product has been independently tested by BRE Global's accredited test laboratories, passed the attack resistance test for the claimed rating, and is subject to ongoing factory surveillance and audit testing to confirm consistent production quality. It is not a one-off test. The product's listing is maintained on the LPCB RedBook Live public database, which can be checked by any specifier, insurer or building control officer. Products that claim LPS 1175 ratings without LPCB certification cannot offer the same assurance and cannot be verified in the same way.
Does LPS 1175 certification cover the full installation including the frame and wall?
LPS 1175 certification covers the complete product assembly as tested, including the door or window, its frame, glazing, locking hardware and hinges. It does not cover the connection between the certified frame and the wall substrate into which it is installed. The fixing specification and substrate must be detailed separately by the installer in accordance with the manufacturer's installation instructions. Inadequate fixings or an unsuitable substrate can undermine the certified performance, regardless of the product's rating. Always request the manufacturer's installation guidance and confirm the substrate is compatible with the certified specification.
Can LPS 1175 products also achieve fire ratings?
Yes, when independently tested and certified for fire performance as a separate exercise. Premier Security manufactures thermally broken steel door systems that hold both LPS 1175 SR2 (B3) and LPS 2081 SRB forced entry certification alongside fire ratings of EI 60 and E90. Fire certification is obtained through separate fire testing and does not follow automatically from a security rating. Always verify that a dual-certified product holds formal fire test reports in addition to its LPS 1175 certificate.
What is Secured by Design and how does it relate to LPS 1175?
Secured by Design is a police initiative that awards a licence to products meeting standards nominated by the police service, representing the Police Preferred Specification. For doors, this is typically PAS 24:2012 or LPS 1175. Products holding SBD status are listed on the Secured by Design database and may carry the SBD logo. Premier Security is one of the UK's only certified Secured by Design engineers and holds SBD status across its communal door range. Secured by Design compliance is frequently required by planning conditions on residential and social housing developments.
Do LPS 1175 security doors look different from standard doors?
Not necessarily. Modern LPS 1175 certified doors are designed to be fully customisable in terms of size, colour, material finish and glazing configuration. Premier Security's range includes fully glazed, part glazed, louvred and solid steel options across all certified rating levels. The security performance is built into the engineering of the frame, glazing build-up, locking system and fixings rather than being determined purely by appearance. Products can be finished to match architectural requirements and are available with thermally broken profiles for energy efficiency compliance.
Specify LPS 1175 Certified Security Products with Confidence
Premier Security Ballistic & Blast Ltd manufactures the UK's most comprehensive range of LPCB certified security doors, windows, gates and curtain walling, from SR2 Secured by Design communal entrances to SR5 critical infrastructure systems with combined ballistic and blast certification. All products are independently tested and listed on LPCB RedBook Live.
Contact our technical team to discuss your project requirements, request a certificate reference, or arrange a specification consultation.
Get in Touch with Our TeamRelated Premier Security Ballistic & Blast Resources
- LPS 1175 Security Doors — SR2 to SR5 certified steel doorsets
- LPS 1175 Security Windows — certified security glazing systems
- Thermally Broken Doors — LPS 1175 SR2 and LPS 2081 SRB with fire rating
- Security Gates — LPS 1175 SR2 to SR4 Secured by Design gates
- Security Curtain Walling — LPS 1175 E10, EXV10 blast and FB7 ballistic
- LPS 2081 SRB Swing Security Doors
- LPS 1673 Swing Security Doors
- Ballistic Resistance — EN 1522 FB ratings explained
- Blast Resistance — ISO 16933 EXV and GSA-TS01 ratings explained
- Contact Premier Security Ballistic & Blast — technical consultation and project enquiries