£400k Cyber Drive for Yorkshire Manufacturers

A government-backed programme is offering Yorkshire’s SME manufacturers fully funded cyber security support, from basic awareness to internationally recognised accreditation

Yorkshire manufacturers are being offered fully funded cyber security support to guard against attacks that can bring production to a halt. Made Smarter Yorkshire, the government-backed technology adoption programme, has launched a £400,000 initiative to help smaller manufacturers protect their people, systems and operations as factories become more digital and connected. Delivered with Sheffield Hallam University and launching in September, it offers four levels of free support from basic awareness, through to internationally recognised ISO 27001 accreditation. The Yorkshire pilot could shape how the scheme is rolled out across England.

Why This Matters For Leeds

Manufacturing is a mainstay of the Leeds and wider Yorkshire economy and cyber resilience is a production issue, not just an IT one. A single attack can stop a factory line, delay orders and push up costs, and smaller firms are least equipped to cope. Free support to build defences, and the skills to maintain them, protects jobs, output and the supply chains larger businesses depend on.

Why Yorkshire Manufacturers Are Being Targeted for Support

The programme responds to a fast-growing threat. The National Cyber Security Centre, part of GCHQ, has warned that nationally significant incidents more than doubled in its latest annual figures, and government research puts the average cost of a cyber attack on a UK business at around £190,000, contributing to an annual economic cost of £14.7bn. Manufacturers are especially exposed because digital technology now links everything from machinery and production systems to suppliers and customers, so an incident quickly becomes more than a computer problem. Research by Make UK, the manufacturers’ organisation, found nearly one in three manufacturers had suffered a serious cyber incident, directly or through their supply chain, in the past year. It identified cost and a lack of awareness of available help as the biggest barriers to improving resilience, which is the gap this fully funded programme is designed to close.

“Cyber attacks are no longer something manufacturers can afford to think will happen to somebody else. This isn’t simply an IT problem — an attack can stop production, delay orders and increase costs.”

— Jessica Armitage, Programme Manager, Made Smarter Yorkshire

Four Levels of Free Support

The support is designed so businesses can start wherever they are. The first level, a 2.5-hour online Cyber Security Awareness session is open to all SME manufacturers in the region and helps firms create Cyber Security Champions who can spot threats like phishing and weak passwords. Those who register can then access three further levels: Cyber Essentials and Cyber Essentials Plus, working towards the government-backed certification. The most advanced Cyber ISO 27001 is aimed at internationally recognised accreditation. Support is delivered online, at Sheffield Hallam University and for advanced help, at manufacturers’ own sites. Connecting firms into the wider Made Smarter offer of digital roadmaps, skills development and technology grants, it is a practical route for Yorkshire manufacturers to turn a daunting risk into a manageable plan.