UK cyber-security support for Charities

Cyber Security support available to UK Charities

UK charities can access a broad range of cyber-security support, from completely free and pro-bono advice to specialist paid services. Organisations such as Secure Pathway, CyXcel, Actionable, CyberSafe Foundation and ICCSO provide free or subsidised support covering areas including cyber-security advice, phishing awareness, threat assessments, cyber hygiene, incident response and staff/trustee cyber security training.

Specialist providers such as SecureBridge Solutions, Smartdesc, Coreitech, Qlic IT, Keybridge IT, IT Champion and MetaDefenceLabs offer more comprehensive managed IT and cyber-security services, including Microsoft 365 security, governance, GDPR compliance, Cyber Essentials and technical control implementation tailored to charities' budgets and needs.

The IASME Consortium supports smaller charities with Cyber Essentials and IASME Cyber Assurance certification, while Superhighways and Charity IT Association (CITA) help charities identify and access technology volunteers and other pro-bono support.

Charities should therefore consider their level of cyber security awareness, available budget and specific risks when choosing between free advisory support, certification-focused programmes and ongoing managed cyber-security services.

UK cyber-security companies that support charities, either via pro-bono work, discounted services, charity-of-the-year partnerships, grants, or skilled volunteering.

Some particularly relevant ones I found:

Secure Pathway has a formal Giving Back Programme, providing one charity each year with ongoing cyber-security advice and hands-on support at no cost. 

CyXcel has provided 50 hours of pro-bono cyber-security support to Dreams Come True, including phishing training, threat assessment and cyber-hygiene work. 

Actionable commits to providing pro-bono cyber-security advisory support to registered UK charities connected with defence and national-security causes. 

SecureBridge Solutions A UK social enterprise providing IT, cyber-security and digital-safety services specifically to charities, NGOs and SMEs, with profits partly reinvested into social impact. 

CyberSafe Foundation / CyberSafe Coach provides a free platform-access programme for charities and community organisations, funded through contributions from subscribers. 

ICCSO A UK community-interest organisation offering free/low-cost cyber support to nonprofits, including cyber awareness, phishing simulations, trustee briefings and incident-response resources. 

There are also larger UK technology companies with substantial charity/non-profit involvement, including BT, Deloitte, IBM, Microsoft, Accenture and QinetiQ. They're among the organisations participating in the NCSC's CyberFirst programme, although that doesn't necessarily mean they'll provide free cyber-security services to an individual charity. 

Superhighways maintains a useful directory of organisations offering pro-bono technology support to charities, including Charity IT Association (CITA), which matches charities with technology volunteers for advice and hands-on projects. 

And the NCSC/Charity Commission have free cyber-security resources specifically for charities, including the Cyber Action Toolkit and guidance for small charities. 

If you are looking for companies who are willing to sponsor/provide free cyber-security services to a particular UK charity.

There are several specialised UK managed service providers, official schemes, and not-for-profit specialists offer cyber security support tailored specifically for charities, focusing heavily on frameworks like Cyber Essentials and Microsoft non-profit grants.

Key organisations and providers include:

Smartdesc: A specialized IT and cyber security partner for non-profits and major charities (like Mind and WWF) providing governance, GDPR compliance, and Microsoft security implementation.

The IASME Consortium: The official delivery partner for government-backed schemes that helps small charities and organisations achieve IASME Cyber Assurance and Cyber Essentials certification.

Coreitech: Provides regional and London-based IT and security support, helping charities navigate Microsoft 365 non-profit licensing security tools and Cyber Essentials compliance.