UK Charity Sector Cyber Attack Statistics: How Big Is the Threat in 2024?
The UK government's Cyber Security Breaches Survey consistently shows charities experiencing significantly higher breach rates than similar-sized businesses — with limited resources and high sensitivity data creating an attractive target profile. Understanding the scale and nature of the charity cybersecurity threat is the starting point for a proportionate response.
38% of UK charities reported a cybersecurity breach or attack in the last 12 months — higher than the 32% rate for UK businesses of equivalent size.
Key Statistics on Charity Cybersecurity in the UK
The government's 2024 Cyber Security Breaches Survey data on charities shows: 38% of charities experienced a cybersecurity breach or attack in the last 12 months; phishing attacks were the most common type, experienced by 83% of charities that identified a breach; only 24% of charities have a formal incident response plan; 40% have no cybersecurity policies in place; 15% have sought external cybersecurity advice in the last year; and the proportion of charities with senior management prioritising cybersecurity has increased — from 56% in 2022 to 64% in 2024 — but remains lower than the business sector. Large charities (income over £500,000) experience significantly higher breach rates than smaller charities — reflecting both greater attack surface and greater attractiveness as a target.
The Financial and Operational Cost of Charity Cyberattacks
The average cost of a charity cybersecurity incident is difficult to measure precisely — many charities do not report or do not quantify the full cost. The NCSC and insurance data suggest: ransomware incidents cost charities between £5,000 and £150,000 depending on scale; business email compromise fraud causes average losses of £45,000 per successful attack; data breach response (ICO notification, legal costs, communication) typically costs £8,000–£25,000 for a mid-sized charity; and reputational damage, measured in donor churn and grant suspension, can represent multiples of the direct incident cost. The comparison that matters: the average cost of basic cybersecurity controls for a 50-person charity is £3,000–£8,000 per year — a fraction of the expected cost of a single incident. The investment case is clear.
Kyanite Blue specialises in cybersecurity for iGaming operators. MGA-licensed operators across Malta trust our stack.
Get in touchReady to secure your iGaming operation?
MGA-licensed operators across Malta trust Kyanite Blue.