Government presses on with plans to address ransomware threat

The Government has published their response to the consultation on proposed ransomware legislation aimed at reducing payments to cyber criminals and increasing incident reporting.

The consultation, which ran for 12 weeks from January 2025, sought views on three proposals:

Key themes

Nearly 72% of respondents supported a targeted ban on ransomware payments for public sector bodies and critical national infrastructure (CNI) operators. Respondents broadly agreed that a ban would reduce criminals and deter attacks.

However, concerns were raised around the scope of the ban – particularly whether supply chains would be included. Respondents also highlighted the need for clear guidance, financial support and incident response mechanisms to ensure the measure is effectively implemented. There were also calls for carefully defined exemptions in life-threatening or critical scenarios.

These concerns reflect many of the points raised in techUK’s consultation response.

The proposal for a broader, economy-wide ransomware payment prevention regime received mixed feedback. The introduction of an economy-wide payment prevention regime for organisations and individuals not covered by the targeted ban received marginally more support than other measures, with 47% in favour.

Respondents again echoed issues highlighted by techUK, including the potential for displacing attacks to those not covered, robust support which is upheld by consistent and coordinated information with well-defined timelines for reporting incidents. There was also scepticism about the effectiveness of the regime in enabling law enforcement to intervene and investigate ransomware threats.

There was clear support for a mandatory incident reporting regime, with 63% of respondents backing economy-wide mandatory reporting within 72 hours (with a follow-up within 28 days). In contrast, fewer than half of respondents supported maintaining the existing voluntary system.

Concerns focused on potential administrative burdens, particularly for SMEs and the need for alignment with existing regulatory frameworks. There were also calls for clarification on the inclusions of individuals within the regime.

Cross-Cutting Themes

Several issues emerged across all three proposals, reinforcing the importance of ongoing engagement between government and industry. Key themes include:

Scope of the proposals: Respondents called for further clarity on the scope of the measures, including how CNI operators are defined, the role of supply chains and the extraterritorial application of the legislation. Responses also called for clarity on the threshold requirements for compliance.

Penalties: While there was broad support for the use of penalties, respondents urged caution around proportionality and warned against criminalising or revictimizing ransomware victims. There was also discussion on whether penalties should be civil, criminal or tailored.

Guidance and support: Respondents emphasised the need for sector-specific, accessible guidance to support implementation, especially for smaller organisations.

Cyber awareness and resilience: The consultation highlighted a broader need to address the UK’s cyber resilience through improved awareness, modernised IT infrastructure, effective backup strategies and strengthened incident response.

Next Steps:

The government plans to move forward with the proposed measures to tackle the threat of ransomware and is continuing to explore their development. The immediate priorities will include refining the scope of the proposals, clarifying the legal definitions and considering how they will impose appropriate penalties. Additional guidance will be developed in parallel with the Cyber Security and Resilience Bill.

Government has also confirmed it will continue to work with industry with a focus on the implementation and resource requirements that these proposals will need.

techUK Reaction:

techUK commends the government’s ambition to ensure the UK is better protected against ransomware threats, however, there is continued concern about the practical application of the Home Office’s proposals. In particular, there is still concern that the proposed ban on ransomware payments for the public sector and CNI, and the payment prevention regime, do not take account of the nuance present in this area and could have unintended consequences, as outlined in our response to the original consultation.

techUK is eager to work with government to close the gap between cyber threats like ransomware and the UK’s exposure to it. We look forward to further engagement with the Home Office as it continues to develop these proposals and ensures that the right support mechanisms are in place to allow organisations to understand, implement and comply with the new measures.

Cyber Resilience Programme activities

techUK brings together key players across the cyber security sector to promote leading-edge UK capabilities, build networks and grow the sector. techUK members have the opportunity to network, share ideas and collaborate, enabling the industry as a whole to address common challenges and opportunities together. Visit the programme page here.

Upcoming events

Latest news and insights

Learn more and get involved

Cyber Resilience updates

Sign-up to get the latest updates and opportunities from our Cyber Resilience programme.

Meet the team

Jill Broom

Head of Cyber Resilience, techUK

Jill leads the techUK Cyber Resilience programme, having originally joined techUK in October 2020 as a Programme Manager for the Cyber and Central Government programmes. She is responsible for managing techUK's work across the cyber security ecosystem, bringing industry together with key stakeholders across the public and private sectors. Jill also provides the industry secretariat for the Cyber Growth Partnership, the industry and government conduit for supporting the growth of the sector. A key focus of her work is to strengthen the public–private partnership across cyber to support further development of UK cyber security and resilience policy.

Before joining techUK, Jill worked as a Senior Caseworker for an MP, advocating for local communities, businesses and individuals, so she is particularly committed to techUK’s vision of harnessing the power of technology to improve people’s lives. Jill is also an experienced editorial professional and has delivered copyediting and writing services for public-body and SME clients as well as publishers.

Email:: [email protected]
Website:: www.techuk.org/
LinkedIn:: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jill-broom-19aa824

Read lessmore

Annie Collings

Programme Manager, Cyber Resilience, techUK

Annie is the Programme Manager for Cyber Resilience at techUK. She first joined as the Programme Manager for Cyber Security and Central Government in September 2023.

In her role, Annie supports the Cyber Security SME Forum, engaging regularly with key government and industry stakeholders to advance the growth and development of SMEs in the cyber sector. Annie also coordinates events, engages with policy makers and represents techUK at a number of cyber security events.

Before joining techUK, Annie was an Account Manager at a specialist healthcare agency, where she provided public affairs support to a wide range of medical technology clients. She also gained experience as an intern in both an MP’s constituency office and with the Association of Independent Professionals and the Self-Employed. Annie holds a degree in International Relations from Nottingham Trent University.

Email:: [email protected]
Twitter:: anniecollings24
LinkedIn:: https://www.linkedin.com/in/annie-collings-270150158/

Read lessmore

Olivia Staples

Junior Programme Manager - Cyber Resilience, techUK

Olivia Staples joined techUK in May 2025 as a Junior Programme Manager in the Cyber Resilience team.

She supports the programs mission to promote cyber resilience by engaging key commercial and government stakeholders to shape the cyber resilience policy towards increased security and industry growth. Olivia assists in member engagement, event facilitation and communications support.

Before joining techUK, Olivia gained experience in research, advocacy, and strategic communications across several international organisations. At the Munich Security Conference, she supported stakeholder engagement and contributed to strategic communications. She also worked closely with local and national government stakeholders in Spain and Italy, where she was involved in policy monitoring and advocacy for both public and private sector clients.

Olivia holds an MSc in Political Science (Comparative Politics and Conflict Studies) from the London School of Economics (LSE) and a BA in Spanish and Latin American Studies from University College London (UCL).

Outside of tech, Olivia enjoys volunteering with local charities and learning Norwegian.

Email:: [email protected]

Read lessmore

Francesca Richiusa

Programme Team Assistant for Public Sector Markets, techUK

Fran serves as the Programme Team Assistant within techUK’s Public Sector Market Programmes, where she is responsible for delivering comprehensive team support, managing administrative functions, and fostering strong relationships with members.

Prior to joining techUK in May 2025, Fran built a meaningful career in the charitable and local government sectors. She worked extensively with both victims and perpetrators of crime, and notably led the coordination of Domestic Homicide Reviews across Surrey—an initiative aimed at identifying lessons and preventing future incidents of domestic abuse.

Outside of work, Fran is an avid traveller and a proud cat mum who enjoys unwinding with her feline companions.

Email:: [email protected]
Website:: www.techuk.org/
LinkedIn:: https://www.linkedin.com/in/francesca-richiusa/

Read lessmore

Government presses on with plans to address ransomware threat

Key themes

Strong Support for a Targeted Ban on Ransomware Payments.

Mixed Views on a Wider Ransomware Payment Prevention Regime.

Strong Support for Mandatory Incident Reporting

Cross-Cutting Themes

Next Steps:

techUK Reaction:

Annie Collings