CCTV Monitoring Costs UK: What 24/7 Professional Monitoring Really Buys
By the DC Fire & Security engineering team — installing and maintaining fire and security systems since 2010. Updated June 2026.
Quick answer
Professional 24/7 CCTV monitoring by a station typically costs £200–£500 per month per site, with event-triggered (detection-activated) monitoring from around £75–£200 monthly for out-of-hours cover. Self-monitoring by app is free. The buying question is response: monitoring pays where premises stand empty with assets that walk — yards, sites, warehouses — not as a default add-on.
The monitoring tiers and what each costs
| Tier | How it works | Typical cost | Right for |
|---|---|---|---|
| Self-monitoring (app) | Notifications to your phone; you respond | £0 | Homes, occupied premises |
| Event-triggered monitoring | Detections out-of-hours route to ARC; operators view, challenge, escalate | £75–£200/month | Yards, compounds, closed premises overnight |
| 24/7 station monitoring | Continuous professional watch + response plan | £200–£500/month | High-value/high-risk sites, large estates |
| Monitored tower/site packages | Bundled with hire | Included in £150–£400/wk | Construction, temporary compounds |
What a good monitored response actually does
The sequence that justifies the fee: analytics or detectors flag an event → ARC operator views live video within seconds → genuine intrusion gets an audio challenge over site speakers (which ends a large share of incidents on the spot) → keyholders notified and, with visually confirmed crime in progress, police informed with the credibility that brings response. Everything is time-stamped and logged for insurers. Contrast self-monitoring at 3am: a notification on a silent phone. The delta is what you're buying — so buy it where that delta has value.
How to buy it well
- Match tier to risk hours: most businesses need event-triggered cover for the closed 16 hours, not 24/7 — price both
- Demand the SLA in writing: time-to-view, challenge procedure, escalation order
- Analytics quality drives cost-effectiveness: AI human/vehicle filtering keeps operator events (and your bill) sane — old PIR-only setups generate noise charges
- Check per-event pricing models: some contracts bill beyond an event quota; perimeter-heavy sites should model a windy autumn month
- Confirm audio challenge hardware is included where it matters — it's the active ingredient
- Annual system maintenance keeps false events down; bundled monitoring+maintenance contracts usually price best
Frequently Asked Questions
Is monitored CCTV cheaper than a guard?
Will insurers discount for monitored CCTV?
Can my existing cameras be monitored?
Police response — guaranteed?
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