Why the Beacon data breach reinforces the call for charities to have cyber cover
The recent Beacon data breach has served as an important reminder that cyber incidents can affect organisations of any size, including charities and not-for-profit organisations.
Unfortunately, cyber incidents are becoming increasingly common. According to the UK Government’s Cyber Security Breaches Survey 2025:
- 30% of charities reported experiencing a cyber breach or attack in the last 12 months*.
- Around 14% of charities reported being victims of cybercrime, representing approximately 29,000 organisations*.
- UK charities are estimated to have experienced around 453,000 cybercrimes in the last year*.
For charities, the impact of a cyber-attack can extend far beyond the immediate financial cost. Service disruption, loss of sensitive data, regulatory scrutiny and damage to stakeholder trust can all have significant consequences.
The specialist charity team at One Broker, part of Jensten group, has been actively discussing cyber cover with charities for years, and have seen around 70% of their current client base opt to take out a cyber policy.
Cyber insurance can provide valuable support in the event of an incident, helping with areas such as forensic investigations, legal and notification costs, data recovery, business interruption and crisis management.
A cyber incident like the recent Beacon data breach could interrupt frontline support, expose confidential information about people who are already vulnerable, and create serious regulatory obligations almost overnight. Even if an organisation has an experienced IT provider to help get systems back up and running after an attack, that IT provider cannot help recover costs. Cyber insurance is typically what helps with the wider costs of responding to the incident.
With extensive knowledge in the charity sector, One Broker can provide a review of your current insurance programme and help identify any potential gaps in protection.
If you would like to discuss your existing arrangements or explore your cyber insurance options, please get in touch with them on 01206 986695.
