If you’re planning to work as a door supervisor, security guard, or in any role that leads to an SIA licence, you’ve probably come across the term EFAW more than once. You may have also seen course prices that vary wildly — some providers charge £150, others charge £60, and some, like Betrained’s course, sit right in the middle at £89. Naturally, the question on your mind is simple: is a £89 EFAW course actually any good, or are you better off paying more (or less) somewhere else?
This guide walks you through everything you need to know about Emergency First Aid at Work training in London, what the qualification actually involves, why it matters for your SIA badge application, and how to judge whether a £89 price tag represents genuine value or a corner being cut. By the end, you’ll have a clear, honest answer — no sales pitch, just the facts you need to make a smart decision about your training budget.
What Is EFAW, Exactly?
EFAW stands for Emergency First Aid at Work. It’s a Level 3 regulated qualification, recognised across the UK, that teaches people the essential skills needed to respond to a medical emergency in a workplace setting. Unlike the longer, three-day First Aid at Work (FAW) course, EFAW is designed to be completed in a single day, which makes it far more practical for people who need to get qualified quickly without taking a week off work.
The course is built around the kind of incidents that happen most often in day-to-day settings: someone collapsing, someone choking, someone cutting themselves badly, or someone going into shock. It’s not designed to turn you into a paramedic. It’s designed to make sure that in the crucial first few minutes before professional help arrives, someone on site knows exactly what to do.
Because it’s a regulated qualification (usually Ofqual-accredited), an EFAW certificate isn’t just a piece of paper from a private company. It follows a set syllabus, is assessed by a qualified trainer, and results in a certificate that’s recognised by employers, awarding bodies, and — importantly for many readers — the Security Industry Authority (SIA).
Why EFAW Matters So Much for Your SIA Badge
This is the part that catches a lot of people out. Many assume the SIA badge process only involves the licence-linked training course itself — the Door Supervisor or Security Guard qualification. In reality, since rule changes introduced in 2021 and tightened further in 2024 and 2025, you cannot even start your SIA licence-linked training unless you already hold a valid first aid qualification, and EFAW is the minimum standard accepted.
Here’s what that means in practice:
- If you’re applying for a Door Supervisor licence, you must hold a valid EFAW (or higher) certificate before you can begin your Door Supervisor course.
- If you’re applying for a Security Guard licence, the same rule applies.
- Your EFAW certificate must have at least 12 months of validity remaining on the day your SIA-linked training starts. A certificate that’s about to expire won’t be accepted.
- Since October 2024, the accepted EFAW syllabus must explicitly cover how to respond to life-threatening bleeding and how to open an airway — so not every old-style course automatically qualifies. It’s worth checking that any provider you use, including a £89 one, has updated its course content to reflect this.
- As of 2025, even people renewing an existing Door Supervisor or Security Guard licence need to hold a current EFAW certificate before starting their refresher training.
In short, EFAW isn’t an optional add-on to your security career — it’s a locked gate you have to pass through first. No valid EFAW certificate means no SIA training provider will let you sit your Door Supervisor or Security Guard course, no matter how ready you feel.
This is exactly why the target search people run — Emergency First Aid at Work training London — has become so common among aspiring door supervisors and security guards based in the capital. London has a huge concentration of nightlife venues, retail sites, and corporate premises that all need licensed security staff, which means a steady stream of people searching for a fast, affordable, and compliant EFAW course before they can even think about applying for their badge.
What a £89 EFAW Course Should Include
Price alone tells you very little. What matters is what’s actually inside that price. A properly run EFAW course, regardless of what it costs, should cover the same core ground because it follows a regulated syllabus. Here’s what you should expect to see on the day:
1. The First Aider’s Role and Responsibilities
Before touching any practical skills, a good course explains what you’re actually allowed and expected to do as a first aider. This includes assessing a scene for danger, deciding when to call 999 or 111, and understanding the legal and ethical boundaries of first aid — you’re there to stabilise, not to diagnose or treat like a doctor.
2. CPR and AED Use
This is the centrepiece of almost every EFAW course. You’ll practise chest compressions on a training manikin, learn the correct compression-to-breath ratio, and get hands-on time with an Automated External Defibrillator (AED) — the devices you now see mounted in shopping centres, offices, and train stations. Confidence with an AED can genuinely be the difference between life and death in a cardiac arrest, so this section should never be rushed.
3. Choking Emergencies
You’ll learn to recognise mild versus severe choking, and how to respond in both conscious and unconscious casualties, including back blows and abdominal thrusts.
4. The Recovery Position
A simple but critical skill — how to safely position someone who is unconscious but still breathing, to keep their airway clear until help arrives.
5. Bleeding, Wounds, and Shock
Since the 2024 syllabus update, this section has grown in importance. You should be taught how to control severe or life-threatening bleeding, apply direct pressure and dressings correctly, and recognise the signs of shock developing in a casualty.
6. Burns and Scalds
Basic but essential — how to cool a burn safely, what not to do, and when a burn needs emergency medical attention rather than first aid alone.
7. Assessment
At the end of the day, most EFAW courses include a practical assessment (sometimes combined with a short written or verbal knowledge check) to confirm you can apply what you’ve learned. Passing this is what triggers your certificate.
If a £89 course covers all seven of these areas properly, with genuine hands-on practice rather than just a slideshow, then the price is doing exactly what it should — delivering a full, compliant qualification without unnecessary extras that bump up the cost.
Comparing £89 Against the Wider Market
EFAW pricing across the UK, and specifically for Emergency First Aid at Work training London, tends to fall into a fairly wide range. At the lower end, you’ll find heavily discounted or bundled online-plus-practical hybrid courses. At the higher end, private one-to-one sessions or courses run by large corporate training firms can charge considerably more, often because of central London venue costs, smaller class sizes, or added extras like laminated wallet cards and printed manuals.
A £89 price point for a full one-day, face-to-face, classroom-based EFAW course in London sits comfortably in the middle of the market — not suspiciously cheap, but not inflated either. A few things are worth checking before you assume a price is a bargain or a rip-off:
- Is it fully face-to-face, or partly online? The SIA and HSE both require practical elements to be taught and assessed in person. A £40 course that’s mostly video content with a short practical top-up isn’t necessarily meeting that bar.
- Is the certificate Ofqual-regulated? A non-regulated “first aid awareness” certificate might look similar but won’t satisfy SIA requirements.
- Does the price include the certificate itself, or is that an extra fee? Some cheaper courses advertise a low headline price and then charge separately for certification, pushing the real cost above £89 anyway.
- Is the provider genuinely delivering the updated 2024 syllabus covering life-threatening bleeding and airway management?
When you check these boxes, £89 for a genuine, fully compliant, in-person EFAW course is generally considered fair value — not the cheapest possible option on the internet, but a realistic, honest price for a full day of expert-led training in London, where venue and instructor costs are naturally higher than in smaller towns.
Is It Worth It? Weighing Up the Real Value
Let’s answer the question directly: yes, a £89 EFAW course is generally worth it, provided it’s delivered properly — and here’s the reasoning behind that.
It’s a Legal Prerequisite, Not a Nice-to-Have
You cannot skip this step. Whether you pay £60, £89, or £150, you need a valid EFAW certificate before an SIA training provider will even let you register for your Door Supervisor or Security Guard course. Given that it’s mandatory, the real comparison isn’t “EFAW vs no EFAW” — it’s “which EFAW course gives me the best combination of price, quality, and convenience.”
One Day, Three Years of Coverage
Your EFAW certificate stays valid for three years. Spread across that period, £89 works out to under £30 a year for a qualification that underpins your entire ability to work in the security industry — plus, it’s a genuinely useful life skill outside of work too.
London Convenience Has Value
Training in London means shorter travel time, more available course dates, and access to instructors who are used to training people specifically heading into security, hospitality, and door supervision roles — professions with particular risk profiles (alcohol-related incidents, crowd management injuries, late-night medical emergencies). A course tailored to this context, at a fair London price, adds real value compared to a generic first aid session aimed purely at office workers.
The Alternative Cost of Getting It Wrong
If you book the cheapest possible course and it turns out not to meet the updated SIA/HSE syllabus requirements, or the certificate isn’t properly regulated, you could be turned away from your Door Supervisor training and forced to redo the whole thing — wasting both the original fee and extra time. In that light, paying a fair, mid-range price like £89 for a provider that’s confirmed as compliant is often the more cost-effective decision in the long run.
What You’re Actually Buying
You’re not just buying a certificate — you’re buying:
- A recognised, regulated Level 3 qualification
- Practical, hands-on CPR, AED, and bleeding-control training
- The specific green light needed to start your SIA-linked Door Supervisor or Security Guard course
- Genuinely useful, transferable life-saving skills
- Three years of validity before you need to think about it again
When you break it down that way, £89 for one intensive day of training in London — training that unlocks your entire route to an SIA badge — represents solid value rather than a cost to be minimised at all costs.
Who Should Book This Course?
While the SIA badge angle is the biggest driver of demand, EFAW training in London is genuinely useful for a much wider group of people, including:
- Aspiring door supervisors and security guards who need the certificate before starting their SIA-linked training
- Existing licence holders approaching their renewal, who now need a current EFAW certificate before their refresher course
- Office managers and small business owners who are legally required under HSE guidance to have a trained first aider on site
- Construction site supervisors working in environments where injuries are more likely
- School staff, hospitality workers, and retail team leaders who deal with the public daily and want the confidence to respond if something goes wrong
- Anyone who simply wants a genuinely useful, practical skill that could help them save a life, whether at work, at home, or out in public
What to Expect on the Day
A typical one-day EFAW course in London runs for around six to seven hours, usually starting mid-morning and finishing mid-to-late afternoon. Expect a mix of short theory sessions and much longer stretches of hands-on practice — this isn’t a course where you sit and passively watch a presentation all day. You’ll be kneeling next to training manikins, practising compressions, working through choking and bleeding scenarios with a partner, and getting real feedback from your instructor.
Most providers keep class sizes reasonably small so everyone gets proper individual attention and enough time on the manikins — something worth asking about before you book, since a course with 30 people and one manikin will feel very different from one with a dozen learners and several practice stations.
No prior first aid knowledge is expected or required. The course is built from the ground up for complete beginners, and instructors are generally used to training people with zero medical background who simply need to walk away confident and competent.
Booking Your EFAW Course
If you’ve decided a £89, fully compliant, face-to-face Emergency First Aid at Work training London course is the right move for your SIA badge journey, the process is straightforward:
- Pick a date that works for you. Providers running regular London classroom sessions, such as Betrained’s EFAW course, typically offer both weekday and weekend dates, which helps if you’re currently working another job while you transition into security.
- Confirm the details before you book. Check that the course is Ofqual-regulated, covers the updated 2024 bleeding and airway content, and that the certificate is issued promptly after you pass.
- Attend, participate, and pass your assessment. Show up ready to get hands-on — the more you engage with the practical exercises, the more useful the skills will be if you ever need them for real.
- Use your certificate to move forward. Once you have your EFAW certificate in hand, you’re clear to book your Door Supervisor or Security Guard licence-linked training and continue your path toward an SIA badge.
If you’re specifically training with your SIA badge in mind, it’s worth booking with a provider that understands the SIA’s exact requirements rather than a generic first aid training company that may not be across the latest rule changes. A provider like Betrained, which runs its EFAW course specifically with SIA applicants in mind, can save you the hassle of double-checking compliance yourself.
Common Mistakes to Avoid
- Leaving it too late. Remember, your certificate needs at least 12 months of remaining validity when your SIA training starts. Don’t get your EFAW certificate three years before you plan to apply for your badge — time it sensibly.
- Assuming any first aid certificate will do. Basic “first aid awareness” certificates, workplace induction first aid talks, or unregulated online-only courses generally won’t satisfy SIA requirements. It needs to be a proper EFAW (or higher) qualification.
- Not checking for the updated syllabus. Since October 2024, courses must cover life-threatening bleeding and airway management. If a provider’s course description doesn’t mention this, ask before you book.
- Choosing purely on price without checking delivery format. The cheapest option isn’t always compliant. A fully face-to-face, properly assessed £89 course is generally a safer bet than an ultra-cheap course that cuts corners on practical training time.
- Forgetting to plan your renewal. Your EFAW certificate lasts three years. Mark your renewal date well in advance so you’re never caught out with an expired certificate right before a licence renewal deadline.
Final Verdict: Is £89 Worth It?
For anyone working toward an SIA badge, EFAW isn’t optional — it’s the very first step, and it has to be done properly before you can move on to your Door Supervisor or Security Guard training. Given that reality, the real question isn’t whether to get certified, but which course offers the best combination of compliance, quality, and price.
A £89 EFAW course that’s delivered fully face-to-face, taught by a qualified instructor, includes genuine hands-on CPR, AED, choking, bleeding, and burns training, and is based on the updated syllabus, represents fair, sensible value in the London market. It sits neither at the rock-bottom end (where compliance risks creep in) nor at the inflated end (where you’re often paying for extras you don’t need). For roughly £30 a year across its three-year validity, it buys you the mandatory green light for your entire SIA career path — plus a genuinely valuable, potentially life-saving skill set you’ll carry with you well beyond your working life.
If you’re searching for Emergency First Aid at Work training London with your SIA badge in mind, a well-run £89 course is a smart, cost-effective place to start.
Frequently Asked Questions
1. Do I need EFAW before I can apply for my SIA badge?
Yes. Since 2021, anyone applying for a Door Supervisor or Security Guard SIA licence must hold a valid Emergency First Aid at Work (EFAW) certificate, or an equivalent or higher qualification, before they can begin their licence-linked training. You cannot start the SIA course itself without it.
2. How long does an EFAW course take to complete?
An EFAW course is designed to be completed in a single day, usually around six to seven hours including breaks. This makes it far quicker than the three-day First Aid at Work (FAW) qualification, which is aimed at higher-risk workplaces.
3. How long is an EFAW certificate valid for?
Your EFAW certificate is valid for three years from the date you pass the course. After that, you’ll need to complete a refresher or full requalification course to keep your certificate current, especially if you plan to renew an SIA licence.
4. Is a £89 EFAW course in London good value?
Yes, provided the course is fully face-to-face, Ofqual-regulated, and covers the updated syllabus including life-threatening bleeding and airway management. £89 sits in the mid-range of London pricing and generally reflects a fair balance between cost and quality, without the risk of corners being cut that can come with much cheaper, non-compliant alternatives.
5. What topics are covered in an EFAW course?
A typical EFAW course covers the first aider’s role and responsibilities, CPR and AED use, choking emergencies, the recovery position, control of severe bleeding and shock, and treatment of burns and scalds. Since 2024, courses must also explicitly cover how to respond to life-threatening bleeding and how to open an airway.
6. Can I take my SIA training the same week as my EFAW course?
Generally, yes, as long as your EFAW certificate has at least 12 months of validity remaining on the day your SIA licence-linked training begins. Many people complete their EFAW course and then move directly into booking their Door Supervisor or Security Guard training shortly afterwards.
7. Do I need any first aid experience before booking an EFAW course?
No. EFAW courses are designed for complete beginners with no prior first aid knowledge. Instructors take you through every skill step-by-step, from basic theory through to hands-on practice with training manikins and equipment.
8. What happens if I don’t pass my EFAW assessment?
Reputable training providers build in support throughout the day to help you succeed, and most offer a resit opportunity if you don’t pass on your first attempt. It’s worth checking a provider’s resit policy before you book, particularly if you’re nervous about assessments.
9. Is EFAW the same qualification for everyone, or does it vary by industry?
The core EFAW syllabus is standardised because it’s a regulated Level 3 qualification, so the essential content is the same everywhere. However, some providers tailor examples and scenarios to specific industries, such as door supervision, hospitality, or construction, which can make the training feel more relevant without changing the underlying certified content.
10. Where can I book Emergency First Aid at Work training in London?
Several providers run in-person EFAW courses across London, including classroom-based and in-house options for teams. For example, Betrained’s Emergency First Aid at Work course offers a one-day, £89, HSE-compliant course specifically geared toward people who need the qualification for their SIA Door Supervisor or Security Guard licence, alongside options for businesses and organisations needing to train multiple staff at once.
