Counter and reception security screens

What are counter and reception security screens?

A counter security screen is a framed glass screen fitted along a counter or reception desk, with a speech panel and a transaction tray, so staff can serve people face to face while separated from them by laminated, anti-bandit or bullet-resistant glass. The protection level is set by a risk assessment of the site.

Screens range from simple laminated screens that stop people leaning over or throwing things, through anti-bandit screens that resist a sustained attack with tools, to bullet-resistant screens tested to BS EN 1063 for cash-handling sites. The right level comes from your own risk assessment, your head office's standards or your insurer, and the screen is only as strong as its weakest part: the frame, the joints, the tray, the counter front below and the wall at each end all need to match.

Good screens also have to work for the people using them. Speech panels let conversation pass without a gap, transaction trays and document drawers let money and papers through, and a hearing loop can be built in. We survey the counter, check what it is made of and whether it can carry the glass, and design the screen to suit the way staff actually work at it.

How much do counter and reception security screens cost?

Our guide range is £1,295 to £6,995 plus VAT (£1,554 to £8,394 inc VAT) per counter, supplied and fitted. The exact figure depends on size, glass makeup, frame condition and access, and your fixed price is confirmed in writing after the free survey. See all glass prices.

Specification and options

Laminated, anti-bandit or BS EN 1063 bullet-resistant glass
Stainless steel or aluminium framing
Speech panels set into the glass
Transaction trays and document drawers
Counter-front and end-wall protection to match
Hearing loop and lighting provision
Screens for single desks or long counters
Built to the level set by your risk assessment

Where counter and reception security screens are used

Bank, building society and post office counters
Pharmacy dispensaries and controlled-drug areas
Council and housing office receptions
Bureaux de change and pawnbrokers
Hospital, GP and police front desks

What to decide before you order

Protection level

Choose laminated for deterrence, anti-bandit for tool attack or bullet-resistant where a threat assessment calls for it. Everything else is built to match.

Continuity

Rated glass next to an unrated counter front or plasterboard wall leaves a gap. We protect the whole line.

Speech and accessibility

Speech panels, low-level sections and hearing loops make the counter usable for everyone.

Counter structure

Heavy glass needs a strong counter top and fixings. We check before quoting and include strengthening if needed.

Rules across the UK

Safety glazing, building regulations, planning and listed building rules differ between England, Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland. These are the points most relevant to counter and reception security screens; local pages show the version for your nation.

England (similar principles apply in Wales, Scotland and NI)

Glazing in workplaces

Regulation 14 of the Workplace (Health, Safety and Welfare) Regulations 1992 requires windows and transparent surfaces in walls, partitions, doors and gates to be of safety material or protected against breakage where health or safety makes that necessary, and to be marked so people notice them. The employer or the person in control of the premises decides what is needed through their risk assessment.

Insurer requirements

Insurers set their own conditions for shops, offices, stock and cash, and some name a glazing class such as BS EN 356 P6B in the policy wording. Ask for that wording in writing before you order. The insurer decides whether the glass meets their policy; we provide the glass manufacturer's test evidence with the quote.

Listed buildings and conservation areas

In England, listed building consent from the council may be needed to replace historic glass such as crown or cylinder glass, or to alter glazing bars, sashes and frames. Historic England publishes guidance on traditional windows. Secondary glazing and window film are often easier to agree because they can be removed later, but the council's conservation officer makes the decision.

How it works

Tell us what needs securing

Use the guide price tool or form, or call. Pane sizes and a few photos help us give a guide figure straight away.

Free survey

A surveyor measures each pane, checks the existing glass, frame and beads, and talks through the rating that suits the risk.

Fixed price in writing

You get a written quote listing each pane, the glass type and class, the price and the lead time. Nothing is ordered until you accept.

Made to measure and fitted

Glass is made to order and fitted by glaziers working under our contract with you, then cleaned, checked and explained.

Counter and reception security screens: questions

How much does a counter security screen cost?

Counter and reception screens usually cost from £1,295 to £6,995 plus VAT (£1,554 to £8,394 inc VAT) per counter supplied and fitted, depending on length, glass level and trays. Bullet-resistant systems cost more. Your fixed price follows a free survey.

What level of screen do we need?

That comes from your risk assessment, head office standards or insurer. Many receptions need laminated screens; cash-handling sites may need anti-bandit or bullet-resistant screens.

Can staff still hear customers through the screen?

Yes. Speech panels let sound pass while keeping the screen closed, and hearing loops help customers with hearing aids.

Can you add a screen to our existing counter?

Usually, if the counter is strong enough. We check its construction and include strengthening where needed.

Do the trays weaken the screen?

They should not. Transaction trays are designed so there is no straight path through, and their level should match the glass.

Do counter screens need planning permission?

Internal screens do not normally need planning permission. In listed buildings, listed building consent may be needed for fixings into historic fabric.

Find counter and reception security screens near you

Choose your county or region for local information and the rules that apply where you are.