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Eight Million Lone Workers — and Rising Danger
An estimated 8 million people in the UK work alone at some point during their working day. They are district nurses visiting patients, utility workers reading meters, estate agents showing properties, social workers conducting home visits, delivery drivers, security guards, agricultural workers on remote farms, and community wardens. Lone working is not a niche activity — it is one of the most common features of the modern UK workforce.
And it is becoming more dangerous. SoloProtect data covering its customer base — drawn from healthcare, utilities, social care, retail, facilities management, and public sector organisations — documented a 132% increase in physical attacks on lone workers over three years, a 104% rise in weapon-related incidents, and a 136% surge in attacks from the previous year alone.
Key Facts & Figures (Overview)
- An estimated 8 million people in the UK work alone at some point during their working day
- SoloProtect data shows a 132% increase in physical attacks on lone workers over three years (reported February 2025)
- 104% rise in weapon-related incidents against lone workers over the same three-year period
- 136% surge in attacks from the previous year alone — an exceptionally sharp escalation
- 10% increase in verbal abuse directed at lone workers over three years
- The HSE identifies the following workers as at highest risk of lone worker violence: those who work in contact with the public, those who handle valuables or cash, those who work with people in distress, and those who work in isolated or remote locations at evenings or nights
- Violence and aggression is the most acute safety risk for lone workers — but is far from the only one. Medical emergencies, accidents without witnesses, and mental health deterioration also represent specific lone worker risks
- Healthcare community workers — district nurses, health visitors, community mental health workers — are among the most exposed lone worker groups, regularly entering homes alone with unknown occupants
- Estate agents showing properties alone to unknown prospective buyers are a specifically elevated risk group — with several high-profile attacks in recent years driving industry guidance updates
- Agricultural workers on remote farms represent a specific intersection of lone working, physical hazard exposure, and delayed emergency response — farm worker deaths feature prominently in the agricultural fatality statistics
- The British Retail Consortium's 2025 survey documented over 2,000 incidents of violence and abuse per day in retail, many involving workers in roles where they may be alone with an offending customer
- Under the Health and Safety at Work Act 1974 and the Management of Health and Safety at Work Regulations 1999, employers have a legal obligation to assess and manage the specific risks of lone working
The Legal Framework
The HSE is clear: the Health and Safety at Work Act 1974 applies fully to lone workers. Employers cannot simply not assess risk because a worker is alone — the absence of supervision makes the risk assessment more important, not less.
The Management of Health and Safety at Work Regulations 1999 require employers to assess all significant risks — including those arising from lone working. Where lone workers are identified as a high-risk group (for example, community healthcare workers, utility field workers, or social care staff), the risk assessment must be specific and the control measures proportionate.
Key questions in a lone worker risk assessment:
- Can the work be done safely by one person alone?
- What are the specific hazards — violence, accident, medical emergency, environmental?
- How will the lone worker summon help if needed?
- How will the employer know if the worker has not returned as expected?
- Is lone working appropriate for the individual? (Training, experience, health considerations)
Technology and Lone Worker Safety
The market for lone worker safety technology has expanded significantly in the past decade, driven by the combination of rising violence statistics, smartphone capability, and employer liability awareness. Technologies include:
- Personal safety devices (GPS-enabled alarms with two-way audio connection to a monitoring centre)
- Check-in apps — allowing workers to confirm their status at defined intervals, with escalation if check-ins are missed
- Lone worker monitoring software — providing managers with real-time location information and incident history
- Body-worn cameras — increasingly deployed in retail and healthcare to provide both deterrence and post-incident evidence
These technologies do not replace the fundamental risk assessment and preventive measures required by law — but they provide a critical safety net for residual risk that cannot be eliminated by other means.
Written by CPD Experts
This guide was produced by the team at Online CPD Academy, a UK provider of CPD-accredited online training courses. Our lone worker safety and conflict resolution training covers risk assessment, emergency procedures, violence de-escalation, and the legal obligations of employers with lone workers.
Sources & References
- SoloProtect / Facilitate Magazine – Alarming Rise in Attacks on Lone Workers (February 2025) – https://www.facilitatemagazine.com/content/news/2025/02/05/alarming-rise-attacks-lone-workers
- HSE – Working Alone: Health and Safety Guidance – https://www.hse.gov.uk/lone-working/
- HSE – Violence at Work 2024/25 – https://www.hse.gov.uk/statistics/causinj/violence/index.htm
- BRC – Crime and Shrink Benchmark 2025 – https://brc.org.uk/market-intelligence/publications/benchmarks/crime-shrink-benchmark/2025/crime-and-shrink-benchmark-2025-retail-crime-spiralling-out-of-control/
- Health and Safety at Work Act 1974 – https://www.legislation.gov.uk/ukpga/1974/37/contents
