When the clocks go back, your house is in the dark before you are home from work, and an unlit, empty property is exactly what an opportunist looks for. Good winter home security in the UK does not mean a fortress: it means fixing the handful of weak points that account for most break-ins before the long nights arrive.
The short answer: make the house look occupied, lock every door and window every time, upgrade the cheapest weak points first (a five-lever deadlock, window locks and a lit front), and check your insurer’s lock requirements so a claim is not refused. Most of this costs under £100 and takes an afternoon.
Why the dark evenings matter
Burglars favour homes that look empty, are poorly lit and are easy to approach unseen. Police and insurers have long pointed to the darker months as a busier time for residential burglary, with many break-ins happening in the early evening when no lights are on.
You do not need to understand the statistics to act on them. The principle is simple: make the house look lived in, make entry slow and noisy, and leave nothing tempting on view.
Make the house look occupied
Lighting on timers
A lamp coming on at 4:30pm in the front room, with the curtains drawn at dusk, does more than most gadgets. Use plug-in timer switches or smart plugs, set to switch on at dusk and off at a realistic bedtime. Vary the schedule if you can, because a light that clicks on at the exact same minute every night looks automated.
Outside lighting
A porch or front light on a dusk-to-dawn sensor costs very little to run with an LED bulb. Motion-sensor floodlights at the side and back suit the places you cannot see from the road. Fix them out of easy reach, so they cannot be unscrewed or covered.
Do not advertise an empty house
Piled post, a full bin store and an overflowing doormat all say nobody is home. Ask a neighbour to clear the mat and move the bins when you are away, and avoid posting holiday photos publicly until you are back.
Fix the weak points first
If you only have a weekend, work through the house in this order: back door, front door, ground-floor windows, then the outbuildings. The rear of a house is usually hidden from the street, so it is where a burglar has the most time and the least chance of being seen.
Most burglars take the easiest route in, usually a door, a ground-floor window or a rear access point.
Doors
Front and back doors should have a five-lever mortice deadlock to British Standard BS 3621, which many insurers specify, plus a good cylinder lock.
uPVC and composite doors with euro cylinders can be vulnerable to snapping if the cylinder is not a high-security type. A locksmith can fit a 3-star or Sold Secure rated cylinder in minutes.
Patio doors and french windows need extra bolts top and bottom. Fit a security bar or anti-lift device on sliding doors.
Windows
Ground-floor and any easily reached windows need key-operated locks, and you should keep the keys out of sight but accessible for a fire escape. Check that old sash windows have working sash stops or locks. Most window locks cost a few pounds each and take a screwdriver to fit.
Sheds, garages and garden
Your shed holds ladders, tools and bikes that help burglars get into the house and are worth stealing on their own. Fit a closed-shackle padlock, a hasp bolted through rather than screwed to the frame, and a ground anchor for bikes. Lock the ladder away. Marking tools and bikes with your postcode or a registered marker helps the police return recovered items.
Check your insurance before you need it
A policy can be refused or reduced if you did not meet its security conditions. Read the “security” clause in your policy booklet: it commonly names the locks required on external doors and windows and may state that they must be locked when the property is unattended. Our guide to insurer-approved alarms explains what insurers usually accept.
If you are burgled, your claim depends on evidence. Photograph your valuables, keep receipts and note serial numbers now, not afterwards. Our post on home insurance claim evidence lists what to keep.
My view: spend your first £50 on a proper deadlock and window locks, not on a camera. A doorbell camera records a break-in; a good lock stops it. Cameras and alarms are worth having on top, but they are the second layer and never a substitute for the first.
Smart tech: worth it, with limits
Video doorbells, cameras and smart alarms deter some opportunists and give you footage to hand to the police. Their weaknesses are poor Wi-Fi, flat batteries and default passwords. Use a unique password, switch on two-factor authentication, and check where the camera points so it does not film a neighbour’s property. Visible signage helps, but only if the system is working.
If you are away over winter
A few days away in the dark months carries more risk than the same trip in summer, because nobody walking past sees any lights on. Plan for it before you leave rather than the night before.
Cancel or redirect deliveries and ask a neighbour to collect post.
Leave a low background heat on to protect against frozen pipes; see our guide to frost and cold weather protection.
Use timers on lights and a radio, and tell a trusted neighbour how to reach you.
Tell your insurer if the house will be empty for longer than your policy allows.
What to do in the next 30 minutes
Walk round and try every external door and ground-floor window: do they all lock, and are the keys to hand?
Buy two timer plugs and set a living-room lamp for dusk.
Check the front and back door locks for a BS 3621 kite mark.
Photograph your valuables and note serial numbers.
Read the security clause in your home insurance policy.
Once you have checked your locks and alarm, log your alarm details in Home+: the service dates, the insurer’s requirements and the photos in one free place, ready if you ever need to make a claim.
FAQ
Are burglaries really more common in winter? Many police forces and insurers report a rise in the darker months, particularly in the early evening. The practical point is the same year-round: an unlit, empty-looking home is an easier target.
What lock do insurers usually want on a front door? Many policies specify a five-lever mortice deadlock to BS 3621 on external doors, and key-operated locks on accessible windows. Always check your own policy wording, as it varies between insurers.
Do I need a burglar alarm? Not necessarily, but a monitored or insurer-approved alarm can lower premiums and deter some thieves. Locks and lighting matter more, and the alarm should be maintained and used every time you leave.
Is a video doorbell enough? No. It records and may deter, but it does not stop entry. Use it alongside good locks and lighting.
What should I do if I am burgled? Call the police, do not touch the scene, then contact your insurer and give them the crime reference number and your evidence of ownership.
