Tag: Department for Science Innovation and Technology

The press release issued by the Department for Science, Innovation and Technology on 1 June 2026.

Mayors in England to be given more power to fuel innovation and boost jobs in their region through Local Innovation Partnerships Fund.

• Mayors in England to be given more power to fuel innovation and boost jobs in their region through Local Innovation Partnerships Fund 
• The Fund helps local leaders target R&D investments to support opportunities for growth and support innovations which improve people’s lives, from new medical technology to cleaner energy 
• This comes alongside the announcement today of two projects in Liverpool set to receive £23.7 million in Local Innovation Partnerships funding

Mayors in areas including Liverpool City Region, West Yorkshire, Greater Manchester, and Greater London will be handed control of Local Innovation Partnership funding designed to boost the new industries and technologies that will drive the growth, jobs and businesses of the future. 

After the next Spending Review, Mayors of Established Mayoral Strategic Authorities will be given the ability to decide how and where to target regional R&D investment through the Local Innovation Partnerships Fund on their own doorstep.   

This decision is driven by the government’s commitment to empower local leaders to make the right funding decisions for their communities and unlock investment in their region.  

The Local Innovation Partnerships Fund supports partnerships of local leaders, businesses and universities to turn existing research breakthroughs into practical solutions that back local businesses, create jobs and improve people’s lives. 

Joining mayors and local officials on a visit to Liverpool today (Monday 1st June), Technology Secretary Liz Kendall has confirmed plans to pass future control of the Local Innovation Partnership Fund in England to regional leaders, with the change expected to kick in during the next Spending Review period. 

Science and Technology Secretary Liz Kendall said: 

Science and technology is the ultimate driver of growth, and this Government is determined to ensure every region shares in the prosperity brought about by innovation. 

Through the future devolution of Local Innovation Partnerships Fund, we are putting money and power into the hands of regional leaders that know the strengths of their communities best, allowing them to back local businesses, encourage innovation and create the high-quality jobs that will drive the growth these regions need now and in the future.

Steve Rotheram, Mayor of the Liverpool City Region, said: 

The projects being backed in our region today show exactly what can happen when you trust places like ours to lead from the front. We’ve got world-class expertise here in the Liverpool City Region and this investment will help turn that innovation into good jobs, new industries and real opportunities for local people. 

But the really important part of today’s announcement is about what comes next. For too long, decisions about funding and investment have been made in Whitehall by people too far removed from the strengths and challenges of our communities. Giving mayors greater control over future innovation funding is another important step towards putting those decisions in local hands. 

Whether it’s life sciences, AI, advanced manufacturing or clean energy, we’ve shown time and again that our region can compete with anyone when we’re given the tools to do it. This is about backing our strengths, growing the economy and making sure the benefits are felt by the people who live here.

The £500 million committed last year for the Local Innovation Partnerships Fund between 2026-31 will power innovative businesses in 17 regions across the country.  

Today, the local partnership in Liverpool City Region has announced that two projects led by the University of Liverpool are set to receive £23.7m of the £30 million Local Innovation Partnership Funding for the region.  

One project, AIM HI, will accelerate the application of artificial intelligence and robotics in materials chemistry, to increase productivity and new business growth. The other project, NBIC LIVE, will establish the world’s first centre of innovation excellence dedicated to AI-enabled rapid innovation of antimicrobial, anti-viral, and anti-biofilm surfaces and materials. 

The Local Innovation Partnerships Fund builds on the success and knowledge gained by previous regional innovation funding programmes, which have generated hundreds of high-quality jobs and hundreds of millions of pounds worth of private co-investment.  

This will ensure that the decisions on how the fund’s future support will be even more locally led than before, helping them to be directly targeted to the businesses, researchers and projects with the most potential in their communities. 

The Local Innovation Partnerships Fund is part of the government’s record £86 billion R&D settlement until 2030. The level of funding delivered through the Local Innovation Partnerships Fund in future will be subject to affordability to be determined at future Spending Reviews. 

The Department for Science, Innovation, and Technology and UKRI will now work closely with mayors over the coming months to determine the best way to deliver this commitment to devolution.  

Tracy Brabin, Mayor of West Yorkshire, said: 

For the UK’s Modern Industrial Strategy to succeed, it needs to empower the local leaders who know their communities, businesses and universities best. 

From financial services and health technology to advanced manufacturing and clean energy, West Yorkshire is a world leader in the sectors that are growing the UK economy fastest. 

With local control of public innovation funding, we’ll target investment where it has the greatest potential to create good jobs, boost economic growth, and create a stronger, better off West Yorkshire.

Richard Parker, Mayor of the West Midlands, said:  

The West Midlands has always been a powerhouse for innovation. Its strengths in science and technology are at the very heart of my plans to drive new growth and prosperity across our region. We know better than anyone the massive potential our communities offer. By putting funding directly into local hands, we’re giving our people the tools they need to spearhead breakthroughs, create new jobs, and power the wider UK economy. 

Professor Tim Jones, Vice-Chancellor of the University of Liverpool said:

This new funding recognises the power of partnership between universities, industry and civic leaders. Through AIM-HI and NBIC-LIVE, the University of Liverpool will help accelerate world-leading advances in AI-enabled materials chemistry and life science, while creating new opportunities for businesses, researchers and the LCR workforce.

The projects have been developed through strong partnership working with the Liverpool City Region Combined Authority and our industry partners The LCR LIPF projects will foster long-term economic growth and support high-value jobs whilst securing our region’s reputation as a global centre for scientific and technological innovation.

The press release issued by the Department for Science, Innovation and Technology on 29 May 2026.

G7 Digital Ministers have agreed a common approach to shielding children and young people from harm online for the first time.

• Strongest-ever G7 collective commitments see partner nations commit to a shared approach to protecting children online
• Collaborative approach to promoting children’s online safety complements UK ambition to be the safest place in the world to be online
• Tool created to support small businesses in G7 to adopt AI at pace

Following talks at the G7 Digital Ministers in Paris today (Friday 29 May), the UK and G7 partners have for the first time agreed a common approach to shielding children and young people from harm online.

G7 countries have agreed to a set of new shared principles to help tackle the growing risks children face in a digital world, from harmful content to exploitation. These are centred around promoting digital literacy, addressing risks to children from AI chatbots, and pushing digital services providers to take a robust approach to online safety.

The landmark G7 agreement sets clear expectations that children’s safety should not be an afterthought, but built into digital services from the start, underpinned by effective age assurance. There is also a commitment to closer cooperation between digital service providers and children, parents and guardians.

The agreement comes just a few days after the UK’s consultation on protecting children from online harms closed, which asked for views on measures including potential bans or curfews for under-16s, restrictions on harmful app features like infinite scrolling, and stronger parental controls. The consultation received thousands of responses from children, parents and experts alike, with the Government intending to respond in the very near future.

As part of the discussions at the G7, countries also agreed that data sharing between online platforms, parents and researchers should be improved, to better understand how digital services impact children’s wellbeing.

Science and Technology Secretary Liz Kendall said:

AI and other technologies have the power to transform our economies and create prosperity for people across all our nations.

But ordinary citizens and businesses will only see those benefits when they have trust that these technologies are being developed safely and responsibly — and when children can grow up in a digital world designed with their wellbeing in mind.

The agreements we have reached today are an important step on that journey: outlining a shared approach to protecting our children, backing our small businesses to adopt AI, and ensuring AI is developed safely and responsibly.

While much of today’s discussions in Paris focused on online safety, they also recognised the immense potential for emerging technologies like AI to unlock economic growth and improvements to the everyday lives of citizens.

G7 countries reaffirmed their commitment to ensuring AI is developed and used in ways that people can trust, all while recognising the transformative benefits of the technology.

Ministers highlighted the importance of staying ahead of a range of threats such as cyberattacks, and the development of chemical and biological capabilities. Under France’s Presidency, G7 countries agreed to further discussions on a mutual understanding of AI risk assessment frameworks, to ultimately boost public trust in the technology and ensure innovation can flourish.

To ensure the benefits of AI are felt more widely across society, Ministers agreed small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) will be supported to adopt the technology with a tool developed in partnership with the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development that will also help small businesses better their AI-readiness and identify areas where they can improve their workforce’s knowledge to speed up AI adoption. G7 leaders also agreed a Vision on AI Openness, recognising that AI models play a key part in supporting innovation, scientific discovery, and economic growth.

Taken together, these steps will help ensure AI delivers real improvements to people’s lives and that people can trust that these technologies are being developed with their safety in mind. G7 members will now take forward these commitments in partnership with international organisations, industry and academia.

Notes to editors:

• Elsewhere, Ministers highlighted the importance of improving detection of AI-generated content, helping users – including children – identify misleading or deceptive material online.
• The agreement stressed the need to ensure AI systems are secure, guarding against misuse and vulnerabilities that could harm individuals or society.
• Ministers reiterated the importance of trust in data as a foundation for innovation, committing to enable cross-border data flows while maintaining strong protections for privacy, security and intellectual property.
• They also agreed to continue work to ensure the digital and AI sector is resilient and resource-efficient, recognising growing pressures on energy and infrastructure as AI adoption increases and the role AI and wider digital technologies can play in the solution by improving efficiency and optimising energy systems.

The press release issued by the Department of Science, Innovation and Technology on 29 May 2026.

Government to propose tougher fines and prison sentences for those who damage subsea infrastructure essential for UK internet access.

• Government to propose tougher fines and prison sentences for those who damage subsea infrastructure essential for UK internet access, with consultation planned later this year 
• New obligations on subsea cable operators to secure their infrastructure and new emergency powers for government to also be proposed, following rise in suspicious activity by Russian vessels 
• Plans set out in speech by UK telecoms minister Liz Lloyd at the Royal United Services Institute. 

Ship owners and operators that recklessly damage subsea internet cables will face tougher penalties under new proposals to strengthen national security and deter Russia and other hostile states from sabotaging the UK’s critical national infrastructure.

Subsea telecoms cables carry the data that underpins the economy, with £1.4 trillion in daily UK transactions reliant on the subsea cable industry. They enable everyday communications like calls, instant messaging and social media as well as critical services vital for supply chains, emergency services, the military and key British industries such as finance.  

The UK already has a highly resilient system, underpinned by around 64 cables. When cables break, a repair vessel is at the scene within eight days, a world-leading response time. Faults are rare and the overwhelming majority are not malicious, with up to 97%* arising from fishing activity or vessels dragging anchors, and most aren’t noticed by the public. Suspicious activity near subsea cables is, however, being increasingly observed. 

In April the British Armed Forces exposed a covert Russian submarine operation carrying out nefarious activity over critical undersea infrastructure in and around UK waters. With the geopolitical environment growing ever more challenging, the government has been rightly reviewing whether the UK’s security and resilience arrangements remain strong enough. 

Speaking at the Royal United Services Institute (RUSI) on Friday (29 May), telecoms minister Liz Lloyd set out plans to consult on replacing 140-year-old legislation to make the law clearer, and much harder to evade – with tougher fines and prison sentences for vessel owners and operators that intentionally or recklessly damage cables.  

She also highlighted that Government is considering new security obligations on cable owners and operators, ensuring they take the necessary steps to prevent, detect and respond to security compromises in a consistent and timely manner. 

New emergency powers to direct businesses to protect this infrastructure will also be included in the proposals, which would strengthen government’s ability to respond to major subsea cable incidents and minimise disruption to UK connectivity. The proposals will be set out in detail through a white paper later this year.   

Telecoms minister Liz Lloyd said: 

The UK already has strong protections in place for our subsea cables, but in a more uncertain world we cannot stand still. 

As hostile activity by Russia and others grows, protecting these cables matters more than ever for our economy, security and daily lives. That is why we plan to go further with tougher penalties for reckless damage, stronger security obligations and new powers to respond quickly when incidents happen. 

True resilience depends on having a healthy thriving telecoms sector, and government must play an active role in creating the conditions for commercial success. By building a strong domestic industry we don’t just protect infrastructure, we strengthen the UK’s position as a global centre for digital trade.” 

For acts of sabotage clearly linked to a hostile state, UK laws already carry life imprisonment for the most serious cases. However, malicious activity below the ocean surface doesn’t always present itself clearly – operating in a ”grey zone” – ambiguous in intent, hard to prove and difficult to prosecute. 

In her speech, Minister Lloyd explained how the legal system needed to keep pace with the threat, and that planned legislative proposals for consultation would modernise and strengthen the criminal framework around subsea cables. She said the changes would “send a clear message that if you act recklessly, or if you deliberately target our cables, there will be serious consequences.” 

Minister Lloyd also pointed to existing plans to support next-generation of investment in cable upgrades through “common-sense regulation” that “supports growth rather than holds it back” – pointing to exemptions on environmental red tape for the laying, maintenance and removal of subsea cables in deep waters, where impact on marine life is extremely limited. 

The press release issued by the Department for Science, Innovation and Technology on 25 May 2026.

• The UK and Australia agree deeper ties to tackle AI risks, with new partnership between the UK AI Security Institute and the Australian AI Safety Institute.
• Institutes to share information on frontier AI capabilities, collaborate on best practices in AI evaluation, and share research findings.
• Agreement comes as latest research shows AI cybersecurity capabilities are advancing faster than ever before.

The UK and Australia will deepen cooperation on AI security and safety when Ministers meet in Canberra later today (Monday 25 May), as both nations move to stay ahead of emerging threats from powerful AI systems.

Under a new Memorandum of Understanding (MoU), the UK AI Security Institute and Australian Safety Institute will work together to track the latest developments in frontier AI – including how these systems could be used in cyber-attacks, as well as how they can strengthen defences.

The partnership will see both countries share insights on AI capabilities, carry out research into emerging risks, and work together to develop international best practice for testing and evaluating AI systems – principles to help guide those working to ensure AI behaves as intended.

It will also open the door to staff exchanges between the two institutes, strengthening day to day collaboration. The agreement builds on the strong and deep ties that the UK and Australia already share, bringing that cooperation into the AI era at a moment when the technology is evolving at pace. Working closely with key allies will be critical managing these risks, while ensuring AI can be harnessed to safely drive growth and improve lives.

The UK’s AI Minister Kanishka Narayan will sign the agreement alongside Australia’s Assistant Minister for Science, Technology and the Digital Economy, Dr Andrew Charlton, when they meet in Canberra later today.

UK AI Minister, Kanishka Narayan, said:

Australia and the UK have always worked closely to keep our people safe – and that partnership matters more than ever in the age of AI.

This technology is moving fast, and so are the risks that come with it – particularly in areas like cyber security. No country can tackle that alone.

By working hand in hand with trusted partners such as Australia, we can stay ahead of the risks, strengthen our defences and make sure AI is used to improve lives for Brits and Aussies alike.

AISI’s agreement with its Australian counterpart adds to the wealth of work the Institute conducts with international partners. AISI shares best practice with AI research bodies across the world’s major economies, developed through the International Network for Advanced AI Measurement, Evaluation and Science and through its bilateral partnerships.

New research from the UK’s AI Security Institute underlines the urgency of this work, showing that advanced AI systems are rapidly improving their ability to carry out complex cyber-attacks, in particular – with opportunities for both attackers and defenders. AISI’s world-leading frontier AI research continues to inform UK policymaking, to help keep British businesses, critical infrastructure and the public safe.

The press release issued by the Department for Science, Innovation and Technology on 12 May 2026.

Isomorphic Labs – a company using frontier AI for drug design and development – is the latest to receive investment from Sovereign AI.

• Isomorphic Labs – a company using frontier AI for drug design and development – is the latest to receive investment from Sovereign AI. 
• Investment forms part of a raise by London-based scale-up as Britain’s AI sector continues to accelerate. 
• Isomorphic Labs is founded by AI pioneer Sir Demis Hassabis, whose breakthroughs have been honoured with accolades including the Nobel Prize and Breakthrough Prize. 

Isomorphic Labs, a London-founded and headquartered company, using AI to design and develop new medicines, has been named as the latest firm to receive investment from the UK Government’s Sovereign AI Fund today (Tuesday 12 May). 

The investment forms part of a fundraise announced by Isomorphic Labs today, as it scales up its work to tackle some of the world’s most serious diseases. 

The company, founded by Nobel Prize-winner Sir Demis Hassabis, is reimagining drug discovery, with AI at its core.

Launched just last month, Sovereign AI is the government’s big bet on promising early-stage AI companies to help them grow, scale and succeed from Britain, offering a range of backing to high-potential AI businesses that are starting out here in the UK.  

It is a venture capital fund with the muscle of the state behind it – moving fast, backing ambition and cutting through the red tape that so often holds brilliant ideas back, so they can go on to succeed globally. 

Science and Technology Secretary Liz Kendall said: 

Isomorphic Labs’ ground-breaking work has the potential to reshape completely how medicines are discovered – cutting years off development and giving real hope to people living with devastating diseases. This is AI at its very best – pushing the boundaries of innovation to improve people’s lives. 

Britain has a proud history of world-changing medical breakthroughs – from penicillin to MRI scanners. Now in the AI era, we are backing a brilliant UK firm working on another huge jump forward in science to the benefit of people across the country and around the world.

Isomorphic’s work builds on the breakthrough success of AlphaFold: the AI model developed by DeepMind that sent shockwaves through the world of science through its ability to accurately predict the structures of proteins –  which are the chemical building blocks of all life on Earth.  

Isomorphic Labs is going beyond AlphaFold, developing a number of proprietary breakthrough AI models that together form its unified drug design engine, across multiple therapeutic areas and drug modalities.

This backing brings the number of startups receiving equity investment from Sovereign AI to 3 since it launched, and the overall number of startups receiving Sovereign AI backing – including support accessing compute –  to 9. 

Sovereign AI Head of Ventures Joséphine Kant said: 

Isomorphic is one of the most consequential companies being built anywhere in the world today, and it’s being built in Britain. Sovereign AI exists to invest in the companies that will shape what this country becomes next. Sir Demis Hassabis, Max Jaderberg, and the team they have built deserve a country willing to match their ambition with its own, and we intend to make sure it does.

AI is the defining technology of our era. For Britain to shape its own future in the years ahead, the UK needs to strong, homegrown AI capability. That means backing the very best AI innovators, founders and entrepreneurs to bring their ideas to life here – and grow and succeed from the UK. With the third largest AI market in the world and more AI startups than anywhere else in Europe, the UK is starting from a position of strength but we know we need to go further and faster.  Sovereign AI is the government doing exactly that: making sure the next wave of AI breakthroughs are built in Britain so the benefits – jobs, growth and innovation –  remain on our shores.  

All of the companies Sovereign AI supports have a meaningful presence here in the UK, and are set to create jobs and contribute to the economy here. 

The press release issued by the Department for Science, Innovation and Technology on 12 May 2026.

Primary school children and teachers set to gain AI and digital skills as North East AI Growth Zone Taskforce meets to drive local opportunity.

• 30,000 local primary school children to gain AI and digital tech skills thanks to new funding from North East mayor
• 1,000 teachers backed to teach AI and 150 work placements to keep talent in North East
• Technology Secretary praises ‘strong partnerships’ driving AI Growth Zone Taskforce as billions of pounds invested and further support pledged to upskill women

Tens of thousands of young people and workers across the North East will gain new skills and career opportunities as a result of investment unlocked by the region’s AI Growth Zone, helping residents secure good jobs and local businesses grow.

Announced today (Tuesday 12 May) at the second meeting of the North East AI Growth Zone Taskforce, the package shows how the AI Growth Zone is delivering real benefits for communities – turning AI investment into skills, jobs and opportunity on the ground.

The North East mayor will back the effort with a new £750,000 investment in the government’s TechFirst programme, that will specifically ensure 30,000 primary school children benefit from early AI and digital skills. This will include ‘discovery days’ and local businesses engaging with schools to outline career paths and explain the wider benefits of AI – so children who will grow up with the technology as it develops are given a solid grounding to apply it in their lives.

This follows £1.5 million invested by the government in the North East through the programme, as part of a wider ambition to help 1 million young people from across the UK to benefit directly from the growth of AI, rather than being left behind.

For the first time, the mayor and government have also agreed a regional target – with 80,000 local students in the North East to benefit from the training until 2029.

This will be further complemented by commitments to support 1,000 local teachers to confidently teach AI while the Authority will deliver 150 local work placements, giving young people real experience and reasons to stay and work in the North East.

Speaking at the meeting today, Technology Secretary Liz Kendall said the AI Growth Zone is about more than technology – it is about ensuring growth reaches every part of the region. She praised the ‘stronger partnerships, new opportunities for local communities, and shared sense of purpose’ developing in the area since the Taskforce’s launch in September.

Meanwhile the North East Mayor Kim McGuinness has published the North East AI Growth Zone Prospectus for consultation, which sets out how it will build on the AI Growth Zone to support skills, adoption and innovation.

This includes proposals for creating good jobs, backing local talent, helping businesses adopt new technologies with confidence, and making sure the advantages of AI are not locked up in a few places, but spread across our towns, cities and communities.

As one part of this SAGE, Accenture and other leading businesses will come together to provide mentoring and leadership to help more women build long term careers in tech.

The AI Growth Zone has attracted major private investment, including £10 billion committed by QTS/Blackstone to build its new data centre with the potential to support up to 5,000 high‑quality jobs rooted in the North East.

Elsewhere the team behind Sovereign AI – a £500 million first-of-its-kind national effort to back Britain’s smartest founders and keep the future of AI built on British shores –  are hosting an event in Newcastle today, inviting some of the North East’s most ambitious AI startups to share their growth plans and ambitions, helping government support those driving growth and innovation in the region.

Science and Technology Secretary Liz Kendall said:

The North East is already showing how AI can deliver for working people, with billions of pounds invested and thousands of new jobs on the way, as businesses and government work together to make the region a leader in Britain’s AI future.

We’re investing in that progress for the long term. By giving young people the AI skills they need, supporting start-ups and acting to bring more women into tech we can keep talent and opportunity in the North East.

North East Mayor Kim McGuinness said:

The North East is the one to watch when it comes to cutting-edge tech and AI as we work to make sure everyone benefits from our AI growth zone.     

We’re already working closely with local employers, training providers and schools to make the North East the best place to live, work and thrive when it comes to tech.

But we know we need to go further to make sure local people really benefit from more opportunities than ever before. That’s why we’re investing in training so our young people can make the most of the exciting opportunities around AI and working with some of the region’s brightest companies to support more women and girls in the tech sector.

Leading software company Sage is also boosting its work to widen access to AI skills and supporting innovation led by women across the region through 2 new partnerships. Working with Empowering You, as the founding partner of Empowering Women to Lead AI in Northern England, it will support women in the region to develop leadership skills in AI through workshops, coaching and group presentations.

In partnership with Techbible, an AI company focused on helping businesses manage their AI tools, it will host a hackathon at its headquarters in June, which will bring together women from businesses across the region to build and deploy AI agents, with no prior coding experience required.

Jonathan Cowan, EVP Product at Sage, said:

The North East has everything it needs to become the UK’s next major tech cluster, combining world‑class academic institutions, deep technical talent and a growing community of innovative businesses.

Through the AI Growth Zone, we have a real opportunity to support small businesses and strengthen the region’s role on the global AI stage. Sage is proud to play its part in our home region, including through partnerships that widen access to AI skills.

Notes to editors

• NECA are investing £750,000 each to expand TechFirst. It builds on £1.5m committed to the programme in the North East by the government over 3 years.
• The Sovereign AI roadshow will be in Newcastle on 12 May for an afternoon event hosted at Atom Bank, as part of its UK-wide engagement tour connecting with AI founders and ecosystems across the country.

The press release issued by the Department for Science, Innovation and Technology on 12 May 2026.

UK businesses are being urged to strengthen their cyber defences against fast-evolving AI-enabled threats.

• Businesses encouraged to sign Cyber Resilience Pledge to strengthen defences against fast-evolving AI-enabled threats 
• New figures show UK cyber security sector revenue has risen 11% to £14.7 billion, with firms up 20% to 2,603 
• Cyber Security and Resilience Bill to continue through Parliament following the King’s Speech, demonstrating the government’s long-term commitment to strengthen Britain’s foundations and build a more resilient country 

Businesses across the UK are being urged to strengthen their cyber defences, as the government takes action to protect the economy and essential services people rely on every day from fast-evolving cyber threats. 

As part of a wider push to shore up the UK’s cyber defences, ministers are urging organisations across the economy to boost their resilience by signing up to a Cyber Resilience Pledge. 

The pledge, launching later this year, sets out 3 concrete actions organisations can take to improve their cyber security: 

• making cyber security a board-level responsibility 
• signing up to the National Cyber Security Centre’s free Early Warning Service 
• require Cyber Essentials certification across their supply chains – the UK government-backed cyber security standard that blocks the most common cyber threats.

Together, these steps help businesses reduce risk, protect customers and build confidence across the wider economy. 

Ministers have written directly to some of the UK’s leading companies inviting them to sign up to the Cyber Resilience Pledge, and organisations are now encouraged to review the requirements and commit. The government is backing this shift with £90 million towards improving cyber resilience across the economy. 

The push comes as the Cyber Security and Resilience Bill will continue its passage through Parliament following the King’s Speech, demonstrating the government’s long-term commitment to protect critical national infrastructure, support economic growth and reduce the risk of disruption to essential services such as energy, water, healthcare and data centres. 

New figures published today also show the strength of the UK’s cyber security sector, which grew 11% last year to £14.7 billion, with the number of firms rising by 20% to 2,603 – underlining the UK’s position as a global cyber security leader and a fast‑growing engine of the economy. 

The sector created 2,300 jobs in the past year alone, reflecting rising demand for British cyber expertise as businesses and public services invest in stronger protection against increasingly sophisticated threats, including those enabled by AI. 

Ministers have warned that the threats businesses face in cyber space are changing, and the way they respond must change with it. A new generation of AI models is lowering the barrier for cyber criminals, enabling them to find vulnerabilities and carry out attacks at a speed and scale that would have been impossible even a year ago. Recent figures show 43% of UK businesses experienced a cyber breach or attack in the past year, underlining the urgency of action. 

The importance of taking action has been highlighted by recent research by the AI Security Institute, looking at frontier models like Mythos and GPT 5.5. Ministers are warning that traditional cyber protections alone are no longer enough. As AI accelerates the pace and scale of cyber attacks, organisations must now invest in smarter, more resilient systems that can limit the impact of breaches and keep ahead of attackers – rather than constantly reacting after the damage is done. 

The UK is not standing still in response to this threat. We have built the AI Security Institute, the most advanced capability of any government in the world for understanding frontier AI systems. This ensures that your government can have an independently verified, robust assessment of current capabilities.  

More broadly, the National Cyber Security Centre, part of GCHQ, is world-leading in defending the UK online, and continues to publish practical guidance every business can use.   

Cyber Security Minister Baroness Lloyd said: 

Cyber security is now fundamental to economic growth, job creation and the resilience of the services people rely on every day. 

The UK has a world‑class cyber sector that is creating skilled jobs and protecting our economy – and government is doing more by investing in its own defences, legislating to require more of essential services and setting clear national standards. 

As threats evolve, businesses of all sizes need to step up and take practical action now. The Cyber Resilience Pledge is a clear call for companies to strengthen their defences, protect their customers and play their part in keeping the UK secure and competitive.

CEOs are urged to harness the expertise and innovation of UK cyber startups, building partnerships that drive the development and adoption of advanced solutions, such as memory-safe systems that are significantly less vulnerable, to keep our economy ahead of adversaries. 

Cyber security for AI is itself also an emerging growth area, with the number of UK firms offering cyber security products or services for AI up 68% in 2025 compared to the previous year – reinforcing the UK’s position as both a leader in innovation and a responder to new threats.

The press release issued by the Department for Science, Innovation and Technology on 11 May 2026.

• An extra 9,500 homes and businesses in Essex to receive faster, reliable internet as part of the government’s Project Gigabit roll out.  
• Expansion of gigabit rollout to cover full fibre blackspots in urban areas, as well as the countryside.  
• Openreach will extend its broadband rollout to additional homes, supported by £8.3 million government funding.  

More than 9,500 more homes and businesses in Essex burdened with older broadband will be upgraded to fast and reliable internet as the government expands its Project Gigabit rollout. 

Building on the success of upgrades in rural Essex – where over 10,000 premises are already set to benefit from this agreement and 500 have been completed already – this marks the first Project Gigabit contract to target pockets of poor connectivity in towns and cities as well as the countryside. 

Backed by an extra £8.3 million in government funding, Openreach is extending its broadband rollout to more homes and businesses in Essex – connecting communities that would have otherwise missed out in earlier commercial plans. This latest investment builds on the £1.2 billion originally earmarked for the provider to build in disconnected areas.  

Work to connect the premises will begin immediately, covering areas including, Brentwood, Chelmsford, Basildon, Clacton and Ardleigh. 

UK Telecoms Minister Liz Lloyd said: 

“Project Gigabit is bringing better internet to more blackspots across the UK, thanks to government backing. This is the very first contract that’s focusing on urban areas, not just the countryside.  

“Pockets of our towns and cities are still left disconnected. To reach our 99% coverage target, it is vital no urban neighbourhood slips through the net. 

“We’ve already got the ball rolling to connect areas of Essex missing out, and now we’re extending our efforts so that even more residents can access the digital opportunities they deserve.”  

Kieran Wines, Openreach Partnership Director for London and the South East, said:  

“As well as reaching rural communities, it’s vital we keep strengthening connectivity in towns and cities. This Project Gigabit contract helps us extend full fibre broadband into more urban neighbourhoods across Essex, adding to the almost 575,000 homes and businesses across the county that we’ve already reached through our own rollout.” 

While much of Essex can be quickly upgraded through existing underground ducting that avoids the need for digging up roads, some areas – including housing estates, business parks and blocks of flats – are currently connected via underground cables without it, making them too costly for providers to reach via commercial rollout due to the additional engineering works.  

Over 1.3 million premises across the UK have been upgraded thanks to government support to date, largely in rural areas where gigabit coverage is lower. Connecting hard-to-reach premises in urban areas will be vital to achieving the government’s target of full gigabit coverage by 2030 and the government’s mission to break down the barriers to opportunity across the country.

The press release issued by the Department for Science, Innovation and Technology on 10 April 2026.

The UK government is considering tougher measures against criminals exploiting gadgets designed to hack doorbells and vehicle tracking systems.

• UK government investigates rising misuse of radiofrequency jammers to commit crime, from hacking video doorbells to enable burglaries to bringing airports to a halt
• Devices, disguised as everyday tech like digital watches, are being used by criminals to commit theft and disrupt public services people rely on daily.
• Possessing a jamming device could be made illegal as part of crackdown, subject to public and industry views in new call for evidence launched today

A crackdown of radio frequency jammers, which are designed or modified to block or interfere with wireless communications, is on the cards under government action outlined today.

From blocking GPS signals in vehicles to aid theft, to compromising positions during military operations, misuse of these gadgets happens at all levels of criminal activity, posing a real and growing risk to people and critical national infrastructure. 

Criminals often disguise radiofrequency jammers as everyday objects to break into homes by disabling security systems, such as video doorbells, or break into vehicles bypassing security systems and quickly emptying vans of tools. These devices are also used in shoplifting to block wireless security tags, preventing alarms and making theft easier. Additionally, jammers can interfere with mobile coverage and emergency radio networks – hindering how emergency services respond to incidents.

Just one week of disruption to the UK’s vital positioning, navigation and timing infrastructure could cost the UK economy up to £7.64 billion – threatening jobs, businesses and ways of life. 

In response, the government is seeking views from the public and key industry stakeholders across the country, including mobile network operators, law enforcement agencies and specialists from the transport and infrastructure sectors, on the current regulations and enforcement for the jammers. 

UK Telecoms Minister, Liz Lloyd, said: 

We are stepping up efforts to stop the illegal use of jamming devices which are threatening not only our daily lives, but also our vital public services across the country.

This is an opportunity for the public and industry experts to have their say on how we safeguard our homes, businesses, transport networks and more from those seeking to exploit these technologies.

By gathering a broad range of informed opinions, we can make sure any future measures we introduce are rooted in evidence and address the real issues people area facing.

The Wireless Telegraphy Act 2006 bans the use and possession of non-compliant equipment, but proving a person used a jammer to cause interference can be difficult to evidence. The Crime and Policing Bill will make it illegal to possess or share electronic devices used to steal cars and could lead up to 5 years in prison.  

The insights from this call for evidence could inform legislation on the possession of all other types of jamming. It will clarify the legitimate uses of radiofrequency jammers, like in secure environments such as in prisons to prevent inmates from using contraband mobile phones or military exercises in combat, and how current regulations could be improved. 

Feedback from this call for evidence will inform any future legislation so that any new measures are based on evidence and proportionate, while effectively protecting critical national infrastructure from illegal threats.