Report: 4 in 10 UK Businesses Were Breached by Phishing Last Year
KnowBe4 Blog, Wednesday, May 13th, 2026
43% of UK businesses reported breaches last year, with phishing driving 85% of attacks.
A British government survey found that 43% of UK businesses experienced breaches in 2025, with phishing responsible for 85% of these attacks and growing 6% year-over-year. Phishing remained the most prevalent breach type, affecting 38% of businesses and 25% of charities, and was cited as the most disruptive attack vector.
The report noted that attacks involving only phishing increased significantly, rising from 45% to 51% among businesses and 46% to 57% among charities. Despite increased media coverage of cyberattacks and heightened organizational awareness, staff training and awareness activities remained stagnant, with only 19% of businesses conducting such programs and charities actually decreasing their efforts from 21% to 17%.