Security information

Security information

What to expect when coming to the Supreme Court of the United Kingdom and the Judicial Committee of the Privy Council (UKSC)

COVID 19

We ask all building users to follow the latest government guidance on Covid–19. Please do not attend the UKSC building if you are testing positive for Covid–19 or have symptoms.

Safety for those using the UKSC building

We are committed to ensuring the visitors to the UKSC are not affected by the acts and omissions of our business. To ensure this we have completed a visitor risk assessment.

Going through security at the UKSC building

You must pass through security every time you enter the UKSC building. We advise that all visitors allow extra time to go through security. You may have to queue between 09:30am and 10:30am and between 13:45 and 14:15 on weekdays.

Your bags and pockets will be checked like they would be at an airport. This may include:

• Emptying your pockets into a tray
• Taking off your coat, gloves, hat or belt
• Walking through an archway detector or being checked with a handheld scanner

Some examples of a good search can be found in our Court Search Process document.

If you are wearing a head covering for religious or cultural reasons, such as a turban, hijab, skullcap etc you will not be asked to remove it, instead it will be checked with a handheld scanner.

Security staff will ask you to remove any head covering that they reasonably believe is not a commonly identified religious head covering.

There are rules on what items visitors can take in.

Items you’re not allowed to take in

You cannot take guns, firearms, knives, or other weapons into the building. Any individual trying to bring a weapon into the UKSC will be reported to the police. You also cannot take in items that could be considered a weapon such as:

• blades – such as scissors, penknives, and razors
• other sharps items such as knitting needles and darts
• glass – for example bottles
• metal cutlery
• syringes (unless you have a prescription)
• toy guns and other things that look like guns
• tools – for example screwdrivers, hammers, and nails
• ropes and chains
• alcohol
• liquids that are not drinks or prescription medicine
• crash helmets

Items you can take in

You can take in phones or cameras, but photos or videos should not be taken during a live case or when passing through security.

You can bring in hand sanitiser. You will be asked to use it in front of security staff to prove it is not harmful.

Drinks

You can take water into the Court but will be asked to undertake a sip test to ensure that the liquid isn’t harmful.

Medicines

You can take in prescription medicines to the Court. They must have the pharmacist label with your name and the date they were issued. Security staff will check the label. They will not record or share the information.

If you cannot take your items in with you

Any items that are confiscated by Security will be kept for up to 30 days. When the item is confiscated the security officer will provide you with a numbered ticket. You can then choose to collect the item when leaving the building. If you forget to collect on the day, you can email enquiries@supremecourt.uk and request to collect the item on an alternative date. All requests must be made within 30 days of the item being confiscated.

Any weapons that are removed from you will not be returned and will be handed over to the police.