Business IT security in the UK - Statistics & Facts

The coronavirus pandemic (COVID-19) has accelerated the global digital transformation and increased the exposure to new cyber threats and system vulnerabilities, making security awareness training more important than ever. The pandemic outbreak in 2020 shifted the work culture from offices to remote and hybrid work setups, leading to a much-needed increase in cyber security spending. In 2021, British companies’ cyber security budgets accounted for 20 percent of the total IT budget, increasing by eight percentage points compared to 2020. At the same time, companies in the United Kingdom invested a total of over one billion British pounds in their cyber security sector, with medium-sized businesses investing the most. Therefore, the goal of cybersecurity investments is not only to protect data from theft and damage but also to make companies more resilient in an increasingly digitized world.

Cyber security professionals

Investing in technologies and cyber security professionals can help mitigate damage by building successful security strategies that protect businesses from attacks before they occur. In 2021, the UK was in the top five countries with the highest number of cyber security professionals globally, after the U.S., Brazil, Mexico, and Germany. It is no surprise that the UK’s cyber security sector has become London-centric. Aside from being the largest city in the country, with a population of more than nine million inhabitants, London is the headquarters of some of the best cyber security companies in the UK, such as: BSI Group, BAE Systems, Framework Security, Risk IQ, Lookout, and many others. Moreover, the highest demand for cyber security professionals is in the greater London area, with the largest population of the country’s full-time employees in the cyber security sector working for large companies.

Cyber security companies

In 2021, there were 1,839 cyber security companies in the UK, with more than one thousand of them being micro firms with up to nine employees. Some of the most common services provided by cyber security businesses were related to network security, endpoint security, as well as threat intelligence, monitoring, detection, and analysis. Despite the increasing importance of the cyber security market and the dependency on cyber security services in a digitalized world, companies in the UK continue to be affected by the uncertainty of the COVID-19 pandemic regarding their long-term goals. Another factor impacting cyber security businesses in the UK in 2022 was related to talent acquisition strategies, with 45 percent of companies currently facing a lack of candidates with the technical cyber security skills needed for the job.

This text provides general information. Statista assumes no liability for the information given being complete or correct. Due to varying update cycles, statistics can display more up-to-date data than referenced in the text.

Cyber security sector revenue UK: 10.5bn GBP

GVA of cyber security sector UK: 6.2bn GBP

Cyber security workforce UK 2022: 339k

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Average cost of cyber incidents to organizations in the United Kingdom (UK) as of 2021, by industry (in U.S. dollars)

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Average cost of cyber incidents in the UK 2021, by industry

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Volume of investment in cyber security by businesses United Kingdom 2022, by size

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Cybersecurity market revenues worldwide 2020-2030

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Overview

Premium Statistic Cybersecurity market revenues worldwide 2020-2030
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Size of the cybersecurity market worldwide from 2020 to 2030 (in billion U.S. dollars)
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Cyber security as a percentage of IT spend among U.S. and European companies from 2020 to 2022, by country
Premium Statistic Estimated revenue of the cyber security sector in the UK 2017-2022
Estimated revenue of the cyber security sector in the UK 2017-2022
Estimated revenue of the cyber security sector in the United Kingdom from 2017 to 2022 (in billion GBP)
Premium Statistic Estimated gross value added (GVA) of the cyber security sector in the UK 2017-2022
Estimated gross value added (GVA) of the cyber security sector in the UK 2017-2022
Estimated gross value added (GVA) of the cyber security sector in the United Kingdom from 2017 to 2022 (in billion GBP)
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Value and number of public contracts awarded to cyber security companies registered in the United Kingdom from 2018 to 2022

Segment: Cyber security professionals

Premium Statistic Number of cybersecurity professionals worldwide 2022, by country
Number of cybersecurity professionals worldwide 2022, by country
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Premium Statistic Employment in the cyber security sector in the UK in 2022
Employment in the cyber security sector in the UK in 2022
Estimated employment in the cyber security sector in the United Kingdom in 2022, by size of firm
Premium Statistic United Kingdom: Cyber job postings by region 2022
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Cyber job postings in the United Kingdom (UK) in 2022, by region
Basic Statistic Role held responsible for successful cyber attacks in the UK 2021
Role held responsible for successful cyber attacks in the UK 2021
Who is ultimately being held responsible internally if a cyber attack is successful?

Companies

Premium Statistic Number of cyber security firms in the UK, by company size 2022
Number of cyber security firms in the UK, by company size 2022
Number of cyber security firms in the United Kingdom, by size of company 2022
Premium Statistic Share of registered cyber security firms in the UK in 2022, by type of service
Share of registered cyber security firms in the UK in 2022, by type of service
Distribution of registered cyber security firms in the United Kingdom in 2022, by service classification*
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Volume of investment in cyber security by businesses United Kingdom 2022, by size
Volume of investment of United Kingdom business in cyber security sector 2022, by business size (in million GBP)
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Money lost by companies in the UK due to cyber breaches 2022
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Consumption

Basic Statistic United Kingdom: Leading cyber security products and services for businesses 2021
United Kingdom: Leading cyber security products and services for businesses 2021
Most commonly provided cyber security products and services for businesses in the United Kingdom (UK) in 2021
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United Kingdom: Main types of provision by cyber security firms 2021
Main types of provision by cyber security firms in the United Kingdom in 2021
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Share of implemented cyber security rules or controls by businesses in the UK 2023
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Premium Statistic Share of cyber security risk identification methods in businesses in the UK 2023
Share of cyber security risk identification methods in businesses in the UK 2023
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Premium Statistic Cyber security policy relaxation in businesses due to telework in the UK 2021
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Premium Statistic Barriers impacting the activity of cyber security companies in the UK 2022
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Most important factors that affect the ability of cyber security companies to meet their goals in the United Kingdom in 2022

Breaches and incidents

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Most common actions following a cyber security breach in the UK 2023
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Premium Statistic Average cost of cyber incidents in the UK 2021, by industry
Average cost of cyber incidents in the UK 2021, by industry
Average cost of cyber incidents to organizations in the United Kingdom (UK) as of 2021, by industry (in U.S. dollars)

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