Is your business ready for the UK’s Cyber Security and Resilience Bill?
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Cybercrime is booming, and the UK government is finally hitting “Install Update.” The Cyber Security and Resilience Bill, announced in July 2024 and detailed in April 2025, represents a major overhaul of the UK’s cybersecurity framework.
The bill aims to strengthen the existing Network and Information Systems Regulations 2018 (NIS), expanding its scope to cover a wider range of sectors, including data centres, managed service providers (MSPs), and critical technology suppliers in supply chains. With the bill expected to pass before the end of 2025, here’s what UK businesses need to know to get ahead of the curve.
What is the Cyber Security and Resilience Bill?
In short: The Cyber Security and Resilience Bill is a potential UK law that strengthens and expands cybersecurity rules for key digital service providers and their supply chains. It requires faster incident reporting, stricter oversight of suppliers, and gives regulators more power to enforce security standards and audits.
Why is it happening?
Cybercrime is at an all time high and this is causing the government to take notice. 50% of UK businesses reported a cyber-attack or breach in the past year, and there were over 7 million incidents in 2024 alone. This surge in risk is why this bill puts businesses under tighter obligations to manage digital threats head-on.
The new rules at a glance
- If a major cyber incident happens, it must be reported within 24 hours.
A full, detailed report must then be submitted within 72 hours. - Organisations must make sure their suppliers and partners follow strong cybersecurity practices.
- Regulators have the right to audit organisations, investigate cyber risks, and recover the cost of doing so.
- Organisations must follow specific technical standards set by the UK’s National Cyber Security Centre (NCSC).
- The government has the power to update these rules in the future without needing to pass a new law.
What the Cyber Security and Resilience Bill means for UK businesses
Broader compliance coverage
If your business is critical to infrastructure or part of a supply chain, such as IT or cloud services, you may fall under the new rules. That could impact over 1,000 organisations, including those previously outside of NIS 2018’s remit.
Incident reporting in two stages
Significant cybersecurity events would need to be reported to authorities and the NCSC within 24 hours, followed by a full report within 72 hours.
Supply chain duty of care
Your partners and suppliers, especially MSPs and data centre operators, are now legally expected to prove they meet strong security standards.
More powerful regulators
Regulators will have stronger audit and enforcement capabilities, including cost recovery powers and proactive vulnerability investigations.
Alignment with international standards
The legislation aligns UK law with EU NIS 2 and echoes broader global moves toward “secure by design” practices, as recommended by the Public Accounts Committee.
Why taking action now matters
Incidents leave lasting effects
Retail, healthcare, and other sectors have been hit hard. Disruptions to NHS hospitals, libraries, or retailers have caused major financial and reputational damage.
Ransomware is a top threat
The government is planning to ban ransomware payments for public and critical services. Private firms must notify authorities before paying any demands. This shift aims to disrupt the ransomware economy, but it also places more pressure on businesses to have strong defences and recovery plans in place before an attack happens.
Cyber insurance is becoming essential
Many UK companies face rising premiums and cost pressures, and insurers now expect evidence of robust governance and preparedness. Without clear security controls and documentation, some businesses may struggle to get cover or find it extremely expensive.
Talent shortages are limiting resilience
Skill gaps in cybersecurity make proactive risk planning and continuous vigilance essential. But with a limited talent pool, even well-intentioned businesses risk falling behind on best practices and response readiness.
How to prepare: a checklist
| Action | Why it matters |
| Conduct a cyber risk audit | Understand your vulnerabilities and defences across systems and supply chains |
| Apply for Cyber Essential or IASME Certification | Gives credible evidence of a secure cybersecurity policy and maps to the bill’s expectations |
| Strengthen incident response procedures | Aligns with 24h/72h reporting expectations |
| Implement supply chain assessments | Holds vendors to comparable security standards |
| Adopt secure-by-design principles | Shifts toward proactive resilience over reactive patching |
| Train leadership in cyber governance | Moves board-level involvement beyond just simple checkbox compliance |
Proactive beats reactive every time
The Cyber Security and Resilience Bill isn’t just for tech teams; it affects every level of business leadership. Risk, audit, compliance, procurement, and legal departments will need to work together to prove governance.
This legislation is a major step toward closing the gap between modern cyber threats and UK businesses’ cyber defences. You don’t want to wait until regulation lands on your desk; preparing proactively prepares your organisation and keeps you trusted in the eyes of customers, partners, and regulators.
Ready for what’s next? Signable helps you stay secure, compliant, and confident
Cyber rules are tightening; your document process shouldn’t be the loose end. As the Cyber Security and Resilience Bill moves forward, one thing is clear: businesses can’t afford to treat cybersecurity as an afterthought. Whether you’re part of a regulated sector or simply want to future-proof your processes, secure document workflows are no longer a nice-to-have; they’re essential.
Our platform is designed with security and compliance at its core. From encrypted document handling to detailed audit trails and legally binding digital signatures, we help businesses manage sensitive files with confidence.
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Cyber resilience doesn’t have to be complicated. With Signable, it’s built in.