{"id":23418,"date":"2026-05-18T14:05:58","date_gmt":"2026-05-18T13:05:58","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.policybee.co.uk\/blog\/?p=23418"},"modified":"2026-05-28T11:34:15","modified_gmt":"2026-05-28T10:34:15","slug":"average-cost-of-data-breach-for-small-business","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.policybee.co.uk\/blog\/average-cost-of-data-breach-for-small-business","title":{"rendered":"The average cost of a data breach for a small business"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

<\/p>\n\n\n

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\"A<\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\n

Cybercrime is a big problem for the UK. In 2025, it cost the UK economy an\u202festimated \u00a314.7 billion<\/a>. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

One of the most high-profile and impactful areas of cybercrime is data breaches. You know those stories where a company or government organisation is hacked<\/a>\u202fand their data is either held ransom, leaked to the world, or sold? That\u2019s a data breach. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

<\/p>\n\n\n\n

What impact do data breaches have on small businesses?<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

At worst, the average cost of a data breach for businesses can be devastating. At best, they\u2019re an expensive nuisance that forces you to stay on your toes. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Larger businesses are targeted the most<\/a>. Their data is the most valuable for cybercriminals, but also difficult to get. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Why? Well, they have more budget to spend on cybersecurity and experts. So, they can set up tough defences around their data. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

These criminals will go after smaller businesses too<\/a>. The rewards are smaller but the data’s easier for them to get their hands on. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Cyber insurance is one way of reducing the impact of data breaches on your business. Take a look at how we can support you with <\/em>advice and guidance on what you need<\/em><\/a>.<\/em> <\/p>\n\n\n\n

<\/p>\n\n\n\n

How many UK businesses have experienced some kind of data breach?<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

The government\u2019s latest Cyber Security Breaches Survey reveals that\u202f43% of all UK businesses experienced some form of cybersecurity breach<\/a>\u202fin the last 12 months. For large businesses, this rises to 74%. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

That\u2019s over a third of all UK businesses and nearly three-quarters of bigger organisations. Not forgetting many smaller businesses have no way of detecting cyber-attacks. So, there are potentially thousands of attacks going unrecorded. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Of the recorded attacks, the UK government estimates that UK businesses experienced 8.58 million cybercrimes in 2025<\/a>. That\u2019s over 24,000 per day. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

The continuing evolution of AI is also having an impact on the world of cybercrime. The\u202fNational Cyber Security Centre (NCSC) has highlighted the importance of properly protecting your business<\/a>, as cybercriminals begin to utilise AI to improve the speed and impact of cyber-attacks. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

But just what is the average cost of a data breach for UK businesses? And what sort of impact can data breaches have on businesses? <\/p>\n\n\n

\n
\"A<\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\n

<\/p>\n\n\n\n

What is the average cost of a data breach for UK businesses?<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n

It\u2019s difficult to put a firm number on the cost of a data breach in the UK. It depends on the size of your company, how much data you store, what your business does, and much more. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

There are a few ways we can measure it, though. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

First, we can look at the average cost of a data breach around the world. According to technology giant IBM, which looked at data from 16 different countries and regions, it was $4.44 million<\/a> (or \u00a33.6 million)\u202fin 2025. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

It\u2019s worth mentioning that this stat doesn\u2019t include very small or very large breaches. For huge companies that have vast amounts of data, a breach will cost them a lot more. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Likewise for small businesses, the cost will be a lot lower as they store much less data. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

So, let\u2019s look at it another way. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

In 2025,\u202fthe average cost of cybercrime on a UK business was around \u00a3990<\/a>. Looks a lot lower than $4.44 million, doesn\u2019t it? Well, this stat includes forms of cybercrime which will be much cheaper to sort out. Especially those that don\u2019t involve stolen data. The government\u2019s calculation also included cyber-attacks that didn\u2019t result in any financial loss. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

This stat also takes into account all businesses, including very small businesses, which IBM didn\u2019t do in their study. Thousands of small businesses are affected by cybercrime every year. But naturally, their clean-up costs are a lot lower. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

When you consider that small businesses make up around\u202f99% of our business population in the UK<\/a>, it makes sense that including them would drive down the average cost. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Regardless, this amount of money can cause real problems for small and micro-businesses. But there are other, less measurable issues that they might have to face\u2026 <\/p>\n\n\n\n

<\/p>\n\n\n\n

How often are small businesses hit by cyber-attacks?<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n

We won\u2019t mince words. A successful data breach of a small business can cause chaos. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Why? Well, it comes down to investment in cybersecurity. A small business doesn\u2019t have as much budget to spend on defending themselves from cybercriminals. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

They also don\u2019t have as much access to experts who can monitor and log attacks. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

A report by Hiscox in 2018 estimated that UK small businesses were targeted with\u202f65,000 cyber-attacks per day<\/a>. And that over 4,500 of those attacks were successful. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

This means that a small business was successfully breached every 19 seconds. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Other global and UK-based data we\u2019ve highlighted in this blog shows us that post-pandemic, it\u2019s highly likely that this number of attacks will have risen significantly. Especially with the increasing use of AI in cybercrime. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

<\/p>\n\n\n\n

How much do data breaches cost small businesses<\/strong>?<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

What does being breached actually mean for a small business? Hiscox found\u202fit costs them about \u00a325,700 in clean-up costs<\/a>, on average. This includes restoring systems, paying ransoms, replacing hardware, and investing in better security after they\u2019ve been breached. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

The increasing use of AI in cyber-attacks, higher hardware costs, and cost of living increases will have undoubtedly added to these costs since their report was published. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

The second big hurdle they have to face is less measurable. Business interruption, damage to their reputation, difficulty getting customers in the future. These problems are far more likely to lead to a small business closing after a data breach. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Hiscox\u2019s 2025 Cyber Readiness report<\/a> highlighted some other, less obvious costs that are byproducts of a data breach. 87% of businesses that experienced a cyber-attack reported spending more of their budget on adapting to new and updated data protection regulation. And 33% reported receiving a significant fine after an attack. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Proactive spending after an attack, whether to improve cybersecurity, update processes, or pay fines from regulators like the ICO (Information Commissioner\u2019s Office)<\/a>, is another area that small businesses have to bear in mind. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

With challenges like these in mind, it\u2019s easy to see how a small business could struggle to keep its doors open. Especially if they were faced with a particularly damaging data breach. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

<\/p>\n\n\n\n

What are the different kinds of data breaches?<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n

There are many different kinds of data breaches. Some of which are complex and nuanced, while others are about as subtle as throwing a brick through a window. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

The main ones you need to watch out for involve exploiting human error. Stanford University research found that around 88% of all data breaches are caused by human error<\/a>. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

That\u2019s why training your staff is so important. So, they can avoid the tricks and tactics that cybercriminals love to use. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

These include phishing emails<\/a>, where a fake email is used to gain access to a system. Or ransomware<\/a>, where someone inadvertently installs malware on your network, allowing a cybercriminal to hold your data hostage in exchange for a ransom payment. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Outside of human error, there are physical breaches. A criminal might steal an employee\u2019s laptop or phone, or break into your office and rip a hard drive out of a computer. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

These are just a few examples of data breaches. In reality, there are\u202fnumerous techniques that cybercriminals use<\/a>. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

The most important thing is that you have some kind of cybersecurity in place. It\u2019s all about prevention<\/a>. <\/p>\n\n\n

\n
\"A<\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\n

<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Where does UK GDPR come in?<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n

You\u2019ve probably heard a lot of talk about UK GDPR over the last few years. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

It stands for\u202fUK General Data Protection Regulation<\/a>. It\u2019s a set of rules that makes sure personal data is used responsibly by businesses. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

You\u2019ll often hear about it when companies are fined for failing to follow the rules. Usually in connection to a data breach. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

When a company is breached, it might be found that it didn\u2019t protect its data properly. This is a big no-no when it comes to UK GDPR. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

So much so that they can be investigated by the regulator (the Information Commissioner\u2019s Office) and\u202ffined up to \u00a317.5 million, or 4% of their annual global turnover<\/a>. Whichever is greater. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Smaller businesses probably wouldn\u2019t see a fine anywhere near this level.\u202fBut they can still be fined thousands of pounds<\/a>. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Putting up the right defences<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Don\u2019t want to be on the receiving end of a data breach? We don\u2019t blame you. Because the average cost of a data breach for small businesses in the UK can be crippling. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

The best way to stop them is by prevention. Investing whatever budget you can afford into cybersecurity will make a huge difference. The\u202fNational Cyber Security Centre (NCSC)<\/a>\u202fis a great resource for actionable advice. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Following their advice can help you mitigate the chances of being hit by a cyber-attack. And make it way harder for cybercriminals to sneak in and cause havoc, if they choose you as a target. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Chances are, though, that you will be breached at some point. Being prepared for it can help you get ahead of the problems you\u2019ll face. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Cyber insurance is a great way to do this<\/a>. It\u2019ll pay your recovery costs. Help you manage any PR difficulties you might face. And bring the average cost of a data breach down. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Some policies even offer online cybersecurity training for your staff. So, you can avoid common pitfalls that can lead to data breaches. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

You can also add on extra cover for social engineering<\/a> and financial cybercrime \u2013 two of the most common forms of cybercrime. Or patch on financial relief if your business isn’t able to trade due to a cyber-attack. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

We’ve written an in-depth guide on\u202fwhat cyber insurance is and what it covers<\/a>. Or you can give us a ring on\u202f0345 222 5391\u202f<\/strong>and talk with one of our friendly advisers. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Image used under licence from iStock.<\/em> <\/p>\n\n\n\n

<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Cybercrime is a big problem for the UK. In 2025, it cost the UK economy an\u202festimated \u00a314.7 billion.  One of the most high-profile and impactful areas of cybercrime is data breaches. You know those stories where a company or government organisation is … Continue reading →<\/span><\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":15,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[288,291,136],"tags":[300,158,284,150,265],"class_list":["post-23418","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-cyber-insurance","category-facts-and-figures","category-news","tag-cyber-insurance-2","tag-cyber-insurance","tag-gdpr","tag-managing-risk","tag-statistics"],"acf":[],"yoast_head":"\r\nThe average cost of a data breach for small businesses<\/title>\r\n<meta name=\"description\" content=\"Find out how much a data breach can cost small businesses. 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