Cybersecurity Statistics

Perceived Importance of Cybersecurity UK

Three-quarters of businesses (75%) and over six in ten charities (63%) identify cyber security as a high priority for their senior management.

It’s important to note that in smaller organizations, the respondents to this survey often include senior management themselves, thereby reflecting their personal viewpoints on cyber security. In contrast, in larger organizations, the individuals filling out the survey may not be part of the senior management, so their responses reflect their perception of how senior management views cyber security.

Among businesses, there has been a noticeable shift in the percentage viewing cyber security as “fairly” high priority—from 35% last year to 40% this year. The proportion considering it “very high” has remained consistent (36% last year and 35% this year). In 2023, some businesses, particularly those with fewer resources, felt cyber security had become less of a priority. However, this year’s qualitative findings indicate a growing awareness of the risks of not prioritizing cyber security, which may explain the increased prioritization.

Larger businesses more commonly regard cyber security as a high priority (93% of medium and 98% of large businesses, versus 75% overall). This trend also holds true for high-income charities, with 93% of those earning £500,000 or more considering it a high priority, compared to 63% overall.

Certain sectors tend to prioritize cyber security more highly than others:

Information and communications: 65% regard it as “very high.”
Finance and insurance: 61% regard it as “very high.”
Health, social care, and social work: 62% regard it as “very high.”

Conversely, businesses in agriculture generally view cyber security as less of a priority (59% high priority, versus 75% overall). However, in 2024, businesses in the North West showed the highest prioritization of cyber security compared to other UK regions (83% high priority versus 75% overall).

The focus on cyber security remains robust across all business sizes:

Micro businesses: 73% consider it a high priority (up from 68% in 2023).
Small businesses: 84% consider it a high priority (slightly up from 83% in 2023).
Medium businesses: 93% consider it a high priority (up from 91% in 2023).
Large businesses: 98% consider it a high priority (up from 96% in 2023).

Qualitative Insights

Despite challenging economic conditions, many organizations have maintained or increased their investment in cyber security over the past year. The qualitative interviews reveal that cyber security remains a critical priority, with its importance even growing in some sectors.