The 2026 Keytek Locksmithing Census: 350,000 Jobs Analysed
Welcome to the Keytek Locksmiths Insight Hub!
For the first time, we are pulling back the curtain on the UK’s locksmith industry, and by analysing over 350,000 real-world locksmith jobs between 2020 and 2025, we have identified behind how, when and why the British public needs a local locksmith.
From the impact of heat on uPVC doors to the specific hour that human error peak. Our different studies explore locksmith services in the UK today and how it effects home security.
The Forgetfulness Index
Why are 1 in 5 locksmith calls caused by human error? We answer this question and more in our comprehensive study that reveals why often we are our own worst enemy when it comes to security.
The Forgetfulness Index tracks the intersection of human behaviour, lost keys and lock outs – highlighting a specific trend: that we’re not just losing our keys, we are forgetting them during specific times.
- The 7pm Peak: Lockouts peak as the UK returns home from the daily commute
- Lost Key Epidemic: You are 40% more likely to lose a garage or letterbox key than your front door key
- The Sunday Scaries: Emergency lock outs nearly double on Sundays compared to the midweek average
Hull: The Lost Key Capital of the UK
Our data identified Hull as that most forgetful location in the UK, on average Hull residents are 45% more likely to lose their keys than anywhere else in the UK.
While the rest of the UK struggles with mechanical failures, Hull’s locksmiths are kept busy primarily by what we’re calling “The Access Gap” which is keys left on the wrong side of the door.
Why uPVC Doors Fail: The Hidden Lock Crisis
Keytek analysed over 350,000 locksmith jobs and found uPVC doors cause 47.7% of all call-outs, twice the rate of wooden doors.
Most failures stem from hardware faults, not lost keys, with 50.8% of uPVC jobs down to a failed lock. Failures peak twice a year: in summer, when heat expands the frame, and in winter, when cold makes it contract, both misaligning the locking system. Warning signs like a stiff or floppy handle often precede a shattered gearbox, which can deadlock you in or out. Acting early, rather than waiting for total failure, saves an average of £68.20 per repair.
The uPVC Crisis
Why uPVC Doors Fail: The Hidden Lock Crisis
Our Raw Datasets
We believe in transparency and using this data to help people across the UK to better understand home security and preventative measures, so we have made our anonymised datasets available for download.
Methodology
These studies is based on aggregated, anonymised operational data from UK locksmith service callouts between 2020 and 2025. All figures presented are derived from high-level summaries of service categories and do not contain any personal identifiers such as names, exact addresses, full postcodes, or contact details.
Data was grouped at regional level to ensure individual customers cannot be identified, and all results reflect statistical trends rather than case-by-case analysis.
Callout reasons were categorised into standard service types (e.g. lost keys, locked out, break-in repairs) and analysed in aggregate to identify seasonal, weekly, and regional patterns in locksmith demand.
No attempt has been made to identify or profile individual service users, and all outputs are intended to represent population-level behavioural trends only.
These datasets should therefore be considered anonymised statistical information used for research and insight purposes.
