The government’s Cyber Security and Resilience Bill is coming, here’s why it matters

Cyber threats are evolving faster than ever, and the UK government is responding with one of the most significant cybersecurity reforms in recent years, the Cyber Security and Resilience Bill.

This new legislation will modernise the UK’s approach to digital resilience, expanding and strengthening the framework that currently protects the country’s Critical National Infrastructure (CNI) and essential digital services.

The Bill will raise cybersecurity standards across both public and private sectors, impacting not only large enterprises but also Small to Medium Sized Businesses (SMBs) including managed service providers (MSPs) – like us. For most businesses today, the Bill represents both a challenge and an opportunity to enhance trust, compliance, and resilience.

What the bill proposes

The Bill builds on the existing Network and Information Systems (NIS) Regulations 2018, aiming to bring them up to date with today’s constantly changing threat landscape. It also aligns with the EU’s NIS 2 Directive, to ensure British organisations adhere to international standards.

The Bill’s key proposed changes include:

Expanded Scope: The new framework will cover more organisations, including Managed Service Providers (MSPs) and other critical suppliers who play an essential role in delivering digital and operational services. This is designed to close security gaps between interdependent companies.

Sharper Incident Reporting: Businesses will be required to report cyber incidents more quickly and transparently, so regulators can respond rapidly and reduce the likelihood of further risks.

Stronger Powers for Regulators: Regulators will have greater authority to enforce compliance, conduct audits, and impose penalties where necessary, ensuring businesses take cybersecurity seriously at every level.

Supplier and Vendor Obligations: The Bill introduces greater accountability across supply chains, requiring organisations to assess, manage, and report risks linked to their suppliers, distributors and partners.

The impact on us (and other IT support providers)

The Bill directly affects Managed Service Providers (MSPs) like us, as we will be included within the regulations. That means more scrutiny, stricter compliance expectations, and a greater focus on data protection, monitoring, and incident response.

This shift represents a shift for providers in both responsibility and opportunity:

• Increased Oversight: MSPs will need to demonstrate strong security controls, documentation, and compliance reporting.
• Operational Maturity: Providers will need to offer trusted cybersecurity processes, such as 24/7 monitoring, endpoint protection, and threat detection.
• Market Differentiation: Being compliant will help distinguish providers apart from their competitors as trusted, regulation-ready partners.
• Rising Demand: As more companies seek to comply with the new rules, providers will be able to support them by helping to implement the right safeguards and reporting processes.

Since we already utilise a comprehensive range of trusted cybersecurity tools and compliant reporting processes, we are well-positioned to meet the upcoming requirements. Our steadfast commitment to the enhancement of cybersecurity and support standards was also demonstrated in October 2025, when we became a proud Assurix Founding 50 member.

Assurix is the UK’s first live evidence trustmark for managed service providers that demonstrates whether specific standards of operation are being met, such as: cybersecurity maturity, operational reliability, client trust, strategic input and business resilience.

Since it’s based on live evidence, all businesses with the trustmark are regularly monitored, proving that they’re maintaining their standards over time. If these standards aren’t met for over 30 days, the trustmark is removed.

As an Assurix member, we’ll be demonstrating our high standards of cybersecurity and support in real time, giving companies a much greater insight into the level of service that they can expect.

Impact on businesses

For SMBs and larger organisations alike, the Bill will encourage higher standards of cybersecurity and resilience across the UK economy.

Key benefits include:

• Stronger Baseline Security: All regulated businesses will need to adopt proven best practices, improving cyber hygiene and resilience across the board.
• Clearer Accountability: Vendors, partners, and service providers will have shared responsibility for protecting systems and data.
• Improved Incident Response: Faster detection and compulsory reporting will help reduce the scale and impact of cyber incidents.
• Greater Confidence: Businesses that meet the compliance requirements will demonstrate trustworthiness to investors, regulators, and customers.

Ultimately, the Bill aims to reduce cyber risk at all levels, ensuring that critical services remain operational even under threat.

How to prepare

Preparing for the new Bill doesn’t have to be complex, but it does require a bit of preparation. We recommend these key steps to ensure you’re prepared:

Conduct Security & Compliance Audits: Identify where your existing security measures fall short of the upcoming requirements and bring them up to standard. If you need help with this, contact our team about a our security and compliance audits.

Communicate with Supply Chain & Strengthen Contracts: Communicate with your supply chain members about strengthening any weak areas and update your current contracts to reflect your security obligations.

Train Your Teams & Update Response Plans: Regular cybersecurity awareness training and well-tested incident response plans are essential.

Partnering with Fusion for Cyber Resilience

The Cyber Security and Resilience Bill marks a major step forward for UK cybersecurity. It will challenge organisations to strengthen their defences, but it also provides a clear path to building trust, resilience, and long-term value.

With Fusion as your partner, you can stay ahead of the curve. From 24/7 monitoring and managed security services to compliance support and strategic guidance, we help businesses prepare for the future of cybersecurity regulation with confidence.

Take control of your compliance journey today. Call 01245 455510 to speak to our team.