The UK government has launched a major new initiative to enhance the security and resilience of digital public services, backed by more than £210 million in funding.
The Government Cyber Action Plan aims to protect citizens’ data and ensure uninterrupted access to essential online services such as applying for benefits, paying taxes, and booking healthcare appointments. Driven by a newly established Government Cyber Unit, the plan seeks to address escalating cyber threats that could disrupt daily life in minutes.
Digital Government Minister Ian Murray emphasised the urgency of the measures: “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.
The plan supports broader ambitions to digitise public services, potentially unlocking up to £45 billion in productivity savings by reducing paperwork, phone queues, and duplicated information across departments. However, officials stressed that these gains hinge on public trust, which requires robust protections against cyber disruptions.
Released alongside the second reading of the Cyber Security and Resilience Bill in the House of Commons, the initiative also extends stronger cyber requirements to suppliers in critical sectors like energy, water, healthcare, and data centres – aiming to fortify supply chains against attacks that could “grind our country to a halt.”
In a complementary move, the government announced the launch of a new Software Security Ambassador Scheme to promote the adoption of a voluntary Software Security Code of Practice. Designed to combat software supply chain attacks – which affected 59% of organisations last year – the scheme enlists major firms including Cisco, Palo Alto Networks, Sage, Santander, and NCC Group as ambassadors to champion best practices and inform future policies.
Thomas Harvey, Chief Information Security Officer at Santander UK, welcomed the role: “We are pleased to be an ambassador for the UK government’s Software Security Code of Practice and it reflects our broader commitment to collective resilience. By advocating for these standards we’re not just protecting Santander and our customers, we are helping to build a more secure digital economy for everyone.”
The £210 million investment will fund minimum cyber standards, enhanced incident response, and targeted support across government departments and the public sector. Officials described cyber resilience as “central to the government’s mission of national renewal,” enabling secure digital services that protect citizens, drive growth, and deliver value for taxpayers.
