‘Cyber Action Plan’ can unlock £45bn in nationwide productivity gains
The UK Government has unveiled a £210 million “Cyber Action Plan” to strengthen online public services and unlock up to £45bn in productivity.
The objective is to guard against growing threats, including AI-driven criminality, and ensure greater security for users accessing benefits, taxes, healthcare and other services.
Led by the new Government Cyber Unit, the plan aims to enhance cyber defences across departments and the public sector.
It supports ambitions to digitise services, potentially unlocking £45 billion in productivity savings by reducing paperwork and queues.
Released alongside the Cyber Security and Resilience Bill’s Second Reading in the Commons, the measures set higher standards for suppliers in energy, water, healthcare, and data centres to protect critical infrastructure.
The plan promises clearer risk visibility, coordinated action on complex threats, faster incident responses, and scaled-up resilience.
Digital Government Minister, Ian Murray, said: “Cyberattacks 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.”
A new Software Security Ambassador Scheme, backed by firms including Santander, will promote secure coding practices to counter supply chain vulnerabilities.
‘Rise of AI is both a threat and an opportunity’ – West Midlands IT firm boss
Neil Bayliss, CEO of Hubtel IT, the IT consultancy services provider with nearly 400 customers across the West Midlands region, said: “In 2025 many businesses, including big brands like JLR and M&S, fell victim to cyberattacks. While organisations continue strengthening their system defences, the rise of AI-driven social engineering means individuals are increasingly being targeted, so each of us must be vigilant.
“Cybersecurity is as much about culture and awareness as it is about tech, and AI is the key risk as well as the key opportunity. It’s being used by cyber criminals, but it can also be harnessed by many businesses to drive growth, improve productivity and create more efficient ways of working.”
He added: “Traditional processes can only take you so far. Now is the time for AI to elevate those processes to a higher level of automation, giving businesses and their employees the opportunity to focus more on strategy, efficiency and long-term growth.”
