Internal Briefing: The UK Cyber Security and Resilience Bill

Date: January 23, 2026

Subject: Upcoming Legislative Changes to Cyber Security Requirements

1. Overview

The UK Government has introduced the Cyber Security and Resilience Bill, which is expected to become law within the next 18 months. This legislation marks a significant shift in how national security and business resilience are regulated, moving from voluntary guidelines to strict legal obligations.

2. Key Changes & Impact

A. Expanded Definition of "Critical Infrastructure"

The Bill widens the net of who is considered "critical." It is no longer limited to energy or water companies.

Who is affected? It now explicitly includes Managed Service Providers (MSPs), data centers, and key supply chain partners.
Implication: If we use third-party IT providers, they will face stricter regulations, which may impact our contracts and service level agreements (SLAs).

B. Mandatory Breach Reporting

        The Change: We will be legally required to report cyber security breaches to regulators.
The Goal: To give intelligence agencies and insurers a clear picture of the national threat landscape.
Action Required: Our internal incident response plans must be updated to ensure rapid detection and reporting mechanisms are in place. Hiding or ignoring breaches will no longer be an option.

    

C. Supply Chain Accountability

Regulators are focusing on the "soft underbelly" of business—our suppliers.

We must audit our supply chain to ensure our partners (especially IT and software vendors) are compliant.
Security can no longer be outsourced without oversight; we remain accountable for the risks introduced by our vendors.

3. Strategic Priorities for Leadership

Board-Level Engagement: Cyber security must be a standing agenda item for the Board. It is a strategic risk, not just a technical support issue.
Education & Culture: We must move beyond "tick-box" exercises. Staff at all levels need to understand why security protocols exist, as human error remains a primary vulnerability.
Resourcing: We need to assess if our current IT and security teams (or external partners) are sufficiently resourced to handle these new compliance burdens.

4. Next Steps

Audit current MSPs: Verify that our IT service providers are aware of this Bill and are preparing for compliance.
Review Incident Protocols: Ensure our breach reporting channels are clear and efficient.
Monitor Progress: The Bill is expected to take ~18 months to pass. We will provide further updates as amendments are made in Parliament.