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nid 92473
May 12, 2026
csoo@vixio.com
United Kingdom
Competition and Markets Authority
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1867 charsUnited Kingdom Government Strengthens Cyber Defences as Sector Revenue Grows to £14.7 Billion
On May 12, 2026, the UK Department for Science, Innovation and Technology announced a comprehensive push to strengthen the nation's cyber defences against fast-evolving artificial intelligence (AI)-enabled threats. The government is urging UK businesses to sign the Cyber Resilience Pledge, which launches later in 2026 and sets out three concrete actions to improve cyber security: establishing cyber security as a board-level responsibility, signing up to the National Cyber Security Centre's free Early Warning Service, and requiring Cyber Essentials certification across supply chains.
The initiative is backed by £90 million in government funding to improve cyber resilience across the economy. Recent figures demonstrate the strength of the UK cyber security sector, which grew 11 percent to £14.7 billion in revenue, with the number of firms rising 20 percent to 2,603. The sector created 2,300 jobs in the past year. However, 43 percent of UK businesses experienced a cyber breach or attack in the past year, highlighting the urgency of action. The government has warned that AI models are lowering barriers for cyber criminals, enabling attacks at unprecedented speed and scale.
The Cyber Security and Resilience Bill will continue its passage through Parliament following the King's Speech, demonstrating the government's long-term commitment to protect critical national infrastructure including energy, water, healthcare, and data centres. The National Cyber Security Centre, part of GCHQ, continues to publish practical guidance for businesses. Additionally, UK firms offering cyber security products or services for AI increased 68 percent in 2025 compared to the previous year, reinforcing the UK's position as a leader in cyber innovation.
Organisations are encouraged to review the Cyber Resilience Pledge requirements and commit to participation.
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2340 charsUK Government Calls on Firms to Sign Cyber Resilience Pledge
On May 12, 2026, the UK Department for Science, Innovation and Technology (DSIT) announced a comprehensive push to strengthen the nation's cyber defences, calling on businesses to sign the Cyber Resilience Pledge and highlighting the draft Cyber Security and Resilience Bill , which continues through parliament following the King’s Speech.
The Cyber Resilience Pledge , which launches later in 2026 and sets out three concrete actions to improve cybersecurity:
Establishing cybersecurity as a board-level responsibility
Signing up to the National Cyber Security Centre's free Early Warning Service.
Requiring Cyber Essentials certification across supply chains.
Organisations are encouraged to review the Cyber Resilience Pledge requirements and commit to participation. The initiative is backed by £90m in government funding to improve cyber resilience across the economy.
The proposed Cyber Security and Resilience Bill will reform and add to the existing Network and Information Systems (NIS) Regulations 2018 , to increase UK defences against cyber attacks, introducing key measures such as:
Expanding the scope of the services relied on across the economy, e.g., to data centres, managed service providers and other critical infrastructure.
Introducing a sector specific framework, with 12 regulators responsible for implementing resulting rules and creating consistency across enforcement, data sharing and incident reporting.
Allowing the government to make changes to the regime in secondary legislation, such as bringing more sectors into scope, or updating and introducing new security and resilience requirements.
Providing the government with powers of direction; drawing from similar national security regimes in the UK. The government will be able to direct regulators or regulated entities to take targeted and proportionate action in response to imminent threats that risk UK national security.
This announcement highlights that 43 percent of UK businesses experienced a cyber breach or attack in the past year, stressing the urgency of action. The government has warned that AI models are lowering barriers for cyber criminals, enabling attacks at unprecedented speed and scale. In addition to these ongoing initiatives, the National Cyber Security Centre continues to publish practical guidance for businesses.