London: The UK Government announced a major new Cyber Action Plan designed to strengthen the security and resilience of online public services, ensuring citizens can access essential services, such as benefits, tax services and healthcare.
Backed by £210 million and driven by a new Government Cyber Unit, the plan sets out a coordinated approach to tackling rising cyber threats across government, so people can trust that their data and services are protected.
The plan supports the government’s wider digital transformation agenda, which aims to expand access to online services, reduce administrative burdens and unlock up to £45 billion in productivity gains across the public sector.
Ian Murray, Digital Government Minister commented: “Cyber-attacks can take vital public services offline in minutes – disrupting our digital services and our very way of life.”
“This plan sets a new bar to bolster the defences of our public sector, putting cyber-criminals on warning that we are going further and faster to protect the UK’s businesses and public services alike.”
“This is how we keep people safe, services running, and build a government the public can trust in the digital age.”
Cyber risk to the public sector remains high. The plan responds with £210 million to spark a step change in public sector cyber defences, holding organisations to account for fixing vulnerabilities.
Andy Ward, SVP International, Absolute Security, commented: “Our research highlights that 59 per cent of CISOs already view cyber as the single biggest threat facing the UK right now, above AI and other risks, and this is reinforced by the NCSC reporting a 50 per cent rise in highly significant attacks over the past year. "
"Last year, we saw firsthand how high‑level cyberattacks can cause costly operational downtime when defences aren’t strong enough to withstand disruption. This year, resilience should continue to be front and centre. Every organisation needs true cyber resilience at the heart of its operations, enabling them to identify threats, manage disruption effectively, and return to full service with minimal delay.”
Sawan Joshi, Group Director of Information Security at FDM Group, commented: “According to the NCSC, the UK is now experiencing four ‘nationally significant’ cyber-attacks every week. In this escalating threat landscape, it is essential that both Government and business take action to withstand rising risks.
These new measures to ensure public services are more secure are vital. However, true cyber resilience also depends on prioritising continuous training and sustained investment in developing the next generation of cyber talent.”
Cyber resilience is central to the government’s mission of national renewal. Secure, reliable digital public services help protect citizens, support growth and deliver better value for taxpayers, while maintaining trust in the services communities rely on every day.