How much does cyber security cost for UK businesses (10–200 staff)

Short answer: it depends. Longer answer: it depends on what you already have, the value of the data you hold, how many people and devices are on your network, and how much risk you’re willing to tolerate. For a UK business with 10–200 staff the difference between a basic, sensible approach and an enterprise-grade programme can be an order of magnitude — so it pays to be pragmatic and outcome-focused.

Why prices vary so much

Cyber security isn’t a single product you buy off a shelf. It’s a blend of people, processes and tools. Costs differ because of:

• Scope: number of users, endpoints, servers and cloud services to protect.
• Risk profile: are you handling sensitive personal data, financials, or supply-chain access?
• Compliance requirements: GDPR, sector-specific rules or contractual obligations add overhead.
• Existing IT: a tidy, modern estate is cheaper to secure than a messy, legacy environment.
• Response capability: whether you want on-call incident response or just day-to-day monitoring.

Typical cost components explained

Think in components rather than a single price tag. Below are the common items you’ll budget for and what they buy you.

1. Basic software and managed services

This covers things like anti-malware, endpoint detection, firewalls, email filtering and vulnerability scanning. Many suppliers offer these as a bundled managed service charged monthly. For a small-to-medium business you’re usually buying comfort: automated blocking, alerts and basic remediation so your internal team doesn’t have to babysit everything.

2. Professional services and projects

One-off projects include initial network audits, configuration hardening, migration to secure cloud settings and penetration testing. These are typically billed as fixed-fee projects or day rates. They close gaps quickly but are not substitutes for ongoing protection.

3. Staff training and policies

Human error remains the common failure point. Regular staff training, phishing simulations and clear incident procedures are inexpensive relative to the fallout from a breach. Budget for periodic refreshers rather than one-off sessions.

4. Incident response and insurance

Retainer-based incident response gives you rapid access to expertise if something goes wrong — worth its weight if you can’t afford long downtime. Cyber insurance premiums vary by industry and risk, but insurance is increasingly a commercial requirement for suppliers and contracts.

5. Ongoing monitoring and improvement

Security isn’t “set and forget”. Expect ongoing costs for monitoring, patch management and periodic reviews. The alternative is technical debt that gets more expensive over time.

What businesses typically spend (realistic ranges)

Exact figures are unique to each business, but here are practical ranges to help you budget and have meaningful conversations with suppliers.

• Very small, tidy setups (10–20 staff): you might see recurring security costs measured in hundreds per month, plus occasional project fees for audits and improvements.
• Growing SMEs (20–100 staff): recurring security and managed services are commonly in the low thousands per month, with projects (migrations, pentests) from a few thousand up to mid‑five figures depending on scope.
• Larger SMEs (100–200 staff) or higher-risk operations: expect higher recurring costs, more specialised tools, and larger project budgets. Annual security budgets can run into the tens of thousands when you factor training, insurance and retained incident response.

These are broad bands. The important part isn’t the exact number; it’s whether the spend reduces your risk to an acceptable level and protects commercial continuity.

How to decide what to buy

Focus on outcomes: less downtime, reduced likelihood of data breaches, regulatory compliance and preserved customer trust. A sensible approach:

• Identify what must be protected (customer data, invoices, IP) and the business impact if it’s lost or exposed.
• Prioritise the simplest measures with the biggest impact: patching, multifactor authentication, secure backups and staff training.
• Use a risk-based plan to sequence projects — quick wins first, then medium-term investments that reduce recurring risk.
• Compare suppliers by outcome and SLAs, not fancily-named features. Get a couple of written quotes and ask how they measure success.

For a tailored, straightforward breakdown that reflects UK practice and regulatory expectations, see this natural anchor — it’s a useful starting point when you’re budgeting for the year ahead.

Value, not just price

Cheapest is rarely best. A low upfront cost that leaves you exposed can be ruinously expensive when something goes wrong. Instead, judge investments by how they reduce business risk and how quickly they pay back in avoided downtime, regulatory fines or loss of reputation.

How to keep costs under control

• Standardise your estate where possible — fewer platforms mean fewer unique security requirements.
• Automate routine tasks such as patching and backup verification to reduce day-to-day overhead.
• Bundle services with a trusted supplier for predictable monthly costs instead of ad‑hoc emergency spends.
• Negotiate a clear scope and outcomes for any project so you’re not paying for scope creep.

FAQ

Is cyber security worth the cost for a 10–200 person business?

Yes — the question is how you spend your budget. Small improvements (MFA, reliable backups, staff training) have outsized benefits. The cost of a single significant breach — in fines, lost contracts and remediation — can swamp a few years of sensible security spend.

How much should I budget per year?

There’s no single number that fits every business. Use the ranges above as a starting point, then get a risk assessment to convert that into a recommended budget for your specific estate and regulatory needs.

Can I reduce costs by handling security in‑house?

Possibly, but only if you have the right expertise and capacity. Many SMEs find a hybrid approach works best: keep basic hygiene in‑house and outsource monitoring and incident response to specialists for predictable costs and expert coverage.

Do I need cyber insurance?

Insurance is increasingly wise, especially if you handle personal or financial data or supply to larger organisations that require it. It doesn’t replace good security, but it helps manage residual risk and recovery costs.

What’s the quickest way to improve security without huge expense?

Focus on three things: ensure reliable, tested backups; enable multifactor authentication for all critical accounts; and train staff to spot phishing. These are relatively low-cost and significantly reduce common attack vectors.

Want to turn uncertainty about costs into a clear, affordable plan that saves time, money and stress? Start with a short risk review that maps the highest-value improvements — you’ll gain better protection, reduce the chance of expensive disruption and sleep easier knowing you’ve protected your reputation and cashflow.