Most break-ins across Greater Manchester aren't clever. A screwdriver in a tired window frame. A snapped euro cylinder on a uPVC door. A catch someone forgot to lock and a passer-by clocked from the pavement. That's good news, oddly enough, because the features that stop opportunists are well understood, independently tested, and built into any decent modern window or door as standard.
So what do the badges on the brochure actually mean? And which features earn their keep? Let's go through it.
PAS 24: the test, not a promise
PAS 24 is the British security standard for windows and doors, and it's no marketing sticker. It's a laboratory assault. Test rigs load the product with sustained mechanical force, batter it with impacts, then a person with tools gets a timed manual attack on the locks, hinges, beads and glazing. If anything gives way inside the test period, the product fails. Simple as that.
Since 2015, building regulations (Approved Document Q) have required PAS 24 windows and doors on every new-build home in England. Replacements are a different story. It's not mandatory there, which is exactly why cheap replacement windows so often leave it out without mentioning it. Every window and door we manufacture is built to PAS 24 specification.
Secured by Design: the police layer
Secured by Design (SBD) is the accreditation backed by UK police. An SBD window is a PAS 24 window whose maker has also had the product and the factory audited by the police scheme. Insurers recognise it, some knock money off premiums for it, and housing associations frequently insist on it. Think of PAS 24 as the exam, and SBD as the exam plus an inspection of the school.
The features that actually stop break-ins
- Multi-point locking. The sash locks at several points along the frame with hooks, bolts and cams, so there's no single weak spot to lever against. Standard on all our frames.
- Anti-snap (3-star) cylinders. Lock snapping, where the protruding barrel of a euro cylinder gets broken off, is the most common uPVC door attack in the North West. A TS 007 3-star or Sold Secure Diamond cylinder has sacrificial sections and a hardened core, and it defeats the technique outright. If you upgrade one thing on an existing door, make it this.
- Internal glazing beads. Older windows held the glass in with external beads a burglar could pop out. Modern frames bead from the inside, so the glass can't be removed from outdoors.
- Laminated glass. Toughened glass is a safety product; it shatters safely, but it shatters fast. Laminated glass stays bonded to a plastic interlayer, like a windscreen, which kills the smash-and-reach attack on door glazing and ground-floor windows.
- Hinge-side protection. Security claws and dog bolts lock the hinge side of the sash into the frame, closing off a prying attack most people never think about.
Where homes are actually vulnerable
| Weak point | Typical attack | Fix |
|---|---|---|
| Old uPVC door cylinder | Lock snapping | 3-star anti-snap cylinder |
| Tired window with single-point lock | Levering with screwdriver | PAS 24 window, multi-point lock |
| Door/side panel glass | Smash and reach in | Laminated glazing |
| Rear/side windows out of view | Unhurried prying | Laminated glass + hinge bolts |
| French doors | Forcing the floating leaf | Shoot bolts top and bottom |
Speed matters after a break-in, almost as much as spec. An opening left insecure invites a repeat visit. Our 24/7 boarding-up and emergency locksmith teams secure properties across Greater Manchester day and night, and we can usually swap cylinders and locks on the same visit.
Balancing security with escape
One warning before you lock everything down: security must never trap you inside. Bedroom windows that double as fire escapes have to open fully from the inside without a key. The regulations are specific on this, and we've covered them in our fire escape windows guide. Done properly, you get key-locked security against the outside world and instant egress from within. Modern hardware handles both without fuss.
A realistic security checklist for your home
- Walk round the outside of your house like a burglar would. Which opening looks oldest and least overlooked?
- Check every uPVC door cylinder. If it sticks out more than 3mm or carries no star rating, upgrade it this week
- Test that window locks actually engage; worn keeps often mean the handle turns but nothing locks
- Put laminated glass first on hidden ground-floor windows and door glazing
- Replacing windows anyway? Specify PAS 24. The cost difference is small. The difference in the test lab isn't
What your insurer expects (and rewards)
Home insurance policies quietly assume a minimum level of security. Most specify key-operated locks on accessible windows and five-lever mortice or multi-point locking on final exit doors, and a claim can be reduced if entry came through an opening that didn't meet the policy's stated requirements. Or one that was simply left unlocked. Spend five minutes checking the endorsements section of your schedule against the hardware you actually have. There's an upside too: documented PAS 24 or Secured by Design products, along with alarms and doorbell cameras, can earn premium discounts with several insurers. After any upgrade, file the specification sheet and the installer's invoice with your policy documents. Should the worst happen, those papers turn a fraught claim into a smooth one.
Frequently asked questions
What is PAS 24 in simple terms?
It's the British standard security test for windows and doors. Products face laboratory rigs and a timed human attack with tools, so anything certified to PAS 24 has physically stood up to the methods that defeat ordinary windows and doors.
Are uPVC or aluminium windows more secure?
Either can meet PAS 24. Security comes from the locking hardware, the glazing and the construction far more than the frame material. Aluminium's extra stiffness helps resist prying, but a certified uPVC window beats an uncertified aluminium one.
What is an anti-snap lock and do I need one?
It's a euro cylinder built with sacrificial ends and a hardened core so it can't be snapped and turned, which is the most common uPVC door attack in the UK. If your door cylinder isn't 3-star rated, this is the highest-value security upgrade you can make, usually for under £100.
Does laminated glass stop burglars?
It stops the quick smash-and-reach attack. The pane cracks but stays bonded to its interlayer, so there's no opening to reach through. A determined attacker faces loud, slow minutes, and opportunists won't spend them.
Do security windows cost much more?
Not much. PAS 24 specification typically adds a small percentage to a made-to-measure window, mostly hardware and beading. Buy from a fabricator rather than through a sales chain and the saving usually covers the difference on its own.
Are sash jammers a good security upgrade for uPVC?
As a cheap secondary measure on an older door or window, yes. Fit them in pairs and pick the lockable type. They're a patch rather than a cure, though: they do nothing about a snappable cylinder or a single-point lock, and on escape windows they must never need a key from the inside.
Secure the weakest opening first
Send us photos of your windows and doors and we'll point out where the vulnerabilities are, whether the answer is a £90 cylinder upgrade or full PAS 24 windows made in our Manchester factory with a 10-year guarantee.
Call 07533 830717, WhatsApp us a photo for a fast quote, or request a free quote online.