The extra front door security that makes the biggest difference in a UK home is usually simple: a properly rated anti-snap cylinder, a door brace or frame reinforcement suited to your door, protection for the hinge side and letterbox, and a way to see who’s there before you open up. None of it needs to be expensive or complicated, but it does need to match the door you actually have.
Here are six upgrades that genuinely help, what each one protects against and which doors they suit.
Start with the basics
Before adding anything, make sure you’re getting the most from what you have:
- Lock it properly. On a uPVC or composite door, lift the handle and turn the key every time. Otherwise only the latch may be holding the door.
- Keep keys out of reach. Don’t leave keys in the lock or on a hook visible or reachable from the letterbox.
- Check alignment. If you have to force the handle or key, the door has probably dropped, and the locking points may not be engaging fully.
Our guide on how to secure a front door covers these basics in more detail.
1. An anti-snap euro cylinder (TS 007 3-star or Sold Secure Diamond)
Protects against: lock snapping and other attacks on the cylinder.
Suits: uPVC and composite doors with a euro cylinder.
On most uPVC and composite front doors, the euro cylinder is the obvious target. Older and basic cylinders can be vulnerable to lock snapping. West Yorkshire Police say a 3-star solution is the minimum to aim for when upgrading. That can be a TS 007 3-star cylinder on its own, or a 1-star cylinder with 2-star security handles. They also recognise cylinders tested to the Sold Secure Diamond standard (SS312).
What to check:
- The kitemark and star rating on the cylinder face, or the Sold Secure Diamond mark.
- The right length for your door. Police advice is that the cylinder must not stick out from the door or handle.
- If you’re not confident measuring and fitting it, use a Master Locksmiths Association approved locksmith.
2. A floor-braced door bar for uPVC doors
Protects against: the door being forced open even if the lock is defeated.
Suits: single, inward-opening uPVC doors, while you’re at home.
A good cylinder makes the lock harder to beat. A floor-braced bar adds a layer that doesn’t rely on the lock at all. The Door Jammer – HOLDOOR hooks under the inside handle and braces the door against the floor, so the door stays shut even if the lock is snapped, bumped or picked.
- Sold Secure Bronze rated and Secured by Design accredited (Police Preferred Specification)
- Adjusts from 70cm to 120cm; fits most UK single-handle uPVC doors, handle on the left or right
- No drilling, no tools, fits in about a minute, purely mechanical
- Made in Britain from British steel; £90 with free UK delivery, 30-day returns and a 2-year warranty
Because it’s fitted from inside, it’s designed for when someone is home, such as overnight. It isn’t for sliding, French, double or patio doors.
In a fire: find the key, lift the Door Jammer off (or unlock and remove the Door Handle Guard), unlock the door and leave the building.
3. Frame reinforcement for timber doors (London and Birmingham bars)
Protects against: the frame splitting when a timber door is kicked or forced.
Suits: timber doors and frames.
On a wooden front door, the weak point is often the frame around the lock rather than the lock itself. The Metropolitan Police recommend door bars such as a London bar or Birmingham bar to reinforce the door frame and resist forced entry and kicking. A London bar is a steel strip fitted along the lock side of the frame; a Birmingham bar reinforces the frame around the lock keep.
Pair frame reinforcement with a good lock. For wooden doors, West Yorkshire Police recommend a 5-lever mortice lock tested to BS 3621, which they note insurers often require.
4. Hinge bolts and sash jammers
Protects against: attacks on the hinge side and levering at the opening edge.
Suits: hinge bolts for outward-opening and timber doors; sash jammers for uPVC doors.
If your front door opens outwards, the hinges are on the outside. West Yorkshire Police suggest fitting hinge bolts or security hinges to reinforce the hinge side of outward-opening doors. Hinge bolts are steel pins in the door edge that locate in the frame when the door is shut.
A sash jammer is a small lever screwed to the frame that swings across the door’s opening edge. It’s an inexpensive extra for uPVC doors, but because it’s screwed into the profile, police advice is to check your door’s warranty first.
5. A TS 008 letterbox guard
Protects against: someone reaching or “fishing” through the letterbox for keys, or for the handle inside.
Suits: any front door with a letterbox.
Letterbox fishing uses a tool pushed through the letter plate to hook keys or work the inside handle. West Yorkshire Police advise fitting a security deflector made to TS008 on the inside of your letterbox. TS 008 is a Door & Hardware Federation specification for letter plates; the current version is TS 008:2022, which strengthened the test for resistance to key fishing.
If you’d rather stop the inside handle being pressed down at all, the Door Handle Guard – HOLDOOR is a lockable steel cover that drops over the inside lever handle of a single uPVC door and locates in a keeper screwed to the frame. It’s on pre-order and is being submitted for independent testing, so it doesn’t have a rating yet.
6. A door viewer, chain or video doorbell
Protects against: opening the door to the wrong person.
Suits: any front door.
Many incidents start with someone simply opening the door. West Yorkshire Police suggest fitting a door viewer so you can identify callers before opening the door, if you don’t have a suitable window. They also make an important point: door chains can be used to talk to callers but will not help secure a locked door against burglary.
A video doorbell does a similar job and lets you see and speak to callers when you’re not in. Think about where the camera points, keep it focused on your own property, and secure the app account with a strong password.
Which upgrades suit your door?
| Door type | Priority upgrades |
|---|---|
| uPVC, opens inwards | 3-star cylinder, floor-braced door bar, TS 008 letterbox guard, viewer |
| Composite | 3-star cylinder, TS 008 letterbox guard, viewer |
| Timber | BS 3621 mortice lock, London or Birmingham bar, hinge bolts, letterbox guard |
| Opens outwards | Hinge bolts or security hinges, good lock, viewer |
Replacing the whole door? Police advice is to buy a complete doorset certified to PAS 24 rather than a door on its own.
Frequently asked questions
What’s the single best upgrade for a uPVC front door?
For most people, checking the euro cylinder comes first. If it isn’t 3-star or Diamond rated, upgrade it. Then consider a door bar for when you’re home.
Does a door chain stop burglars?
No. Police advice is that chains help you talk to callers but won’t secure a locked door against burglary.
I rent. What can I add without drilling?
A freestanding floor-braced door bar needs no drilling. Anything screwed to the door or frame, such as sash jammers, needs your landlord’s agreement. See our renter’s guide to securing your door without drilling.
Do I need all six?
No. Pick the ones that fit your door and how you use it. A rated cylinder plus one layer of physical reinforcement is a strong start.
Next steps
- Check your cylinder for a TS 007 3-star or Sold Secure Diamond mark.
- Look at your letterbox and fit a TS 008 guard if it has none.
- Choose reinforcement that suits your door: frame bars for timber, a floor brace for uPVC.
- For a single uPVC front or back door, see the Door Jammer – HOLDOOR.
Want the hard numbers? The Dark Side has the latest official burglary figures for England, Wales and Greater Manchester, checked every quarter.
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