Lone Worker Safety Statistics UK: Incidents and Risks

SoloProtect customer incident trends

SoloProtect’s 2024 Impact Report findings, published in February 2025, describe a 132% rise in physical attack alerts, a 104% rise in weapon-related incidents and a 10% rise in verbal abuse over its stated three-year comparison. The most recent annual comparison showed a 136% increase in weapon-related incidents.

These are changes in incidents recorded across the provider’s customer base. Customer numbers, device use and reporting behaviour can affect alert volumes alongside changes in the underlying risk. The figures are not adjusted national rates.

Who counts as a lone worker?

HSE defines lone workers as people who work without close or direct supervision. This can include employees, contractors and self-employed people, whether they work alone for a full shift or for part of a task.

An occasional home visit and an entire isolated shift involve different exposure. The sources used here do not provide a current official national headcount measured against one consistent definition.

Wider workplace violence

HSE estimates 689,000 assaults and threats at work in England and Wales in 2024/25. The survey includes people working alongside colleagues as well as those working alone; it does not isolate lone-worker incidents.

This wider evidence helps identify public-facing aggression as a workplace concern. Assessing the additional risk of working alone requires knowing whether assistance was available and how quickly the worker could obtain help.

Assessing tasks carried out alone

Start by deciding whether one person can do the work safely. Consider the location, contact with the public, equipment, worker competence and foreseeable emergencies. Some high-risk tasks require another person to be present.

A practical policy sets out when workers should stop, leave or request help. Incident records become more useful when they consistently identify lone-working status, task, location and outcome, alongside exposure such as hours worked or visits completed.

Monitoring and emergency response

HSE advises employers to train, supervise and monitor lone workers, maintain contact and arrange a response to incidents. Check-ins and alarms need a named person or service responsible for acting when help is requested or contact is missed.

Test the whole response in realistic conditions, including communication coverage and the information responders need to find the worker. Technology supports the system; the task assessment determines the controls required.

Frequently asked questions

What does the 132% increase in attacks measure?

It is the increase in physical attack alerts reported by SoloProtect across the three-year comparison in its 2024 Impact Report. It describes the provider’s customer data rather than all UK lone workers.

What does the 136% annual rise measure?

SoloProtect applies this figure specifically to weapon-related incidents in the report’s latest annual comparison.

What should employers put in place for lone workers?

HSE advises assessment of the task and worker, suitable training and supervision, monitoring, contact arrangements and a workable emergency response. Some activities may require another person to be present.