Working in partnership to improve cybersecurity in the social housing sector

In recent months, several large UK retail brands have found themselves in the media spotlight after cyberattacks brought their businesses to a grinding halt.

Not only do breaches like this cost organisations financially. They also cause untold damage to an organisation’s reputation, putting a significant dent in customer confidence and trust that can take years to rebuild. In more serious cases, loss of data can lead to legal consequences and further financial damage.

These cases are a stark reminder of how much damage can be caused when breaches occur to organisations of any size – including those in the social housing sector.

Around one in four UK businesses have been the victim of a cyberattack in the last year according to an article in the Guardian.

We know from member feedback that cybersecurity is a concern. So we worked in partnership with our partners PIB and Phoenix to offer members a tool called CyberPrepare, which helps organisations assess and mitigate cyber risks, which in turn can lead to reduced cyber insurance premiums.

This included 100 free CyberPrepare licenses for our smaller members. There are still free licenses available – take advantage of our offer if you manage less than 2,000 homes. Larger NHF members will be charged a flat rate of £75 plus VAT to use the tool but those who go on to use PIB as their cyber insurance provider will have their quote reduced by £75 plus VAT.

We work with our partners to offer services and benefits that not only offer great value but will help members deliver their social purpose, providing good quality housing that people can afford. By keeping abreast of issues affecting the sector, we aim to source support and services that will help members overcome any challenges they face.

The services our partnerships provide span everything from asset management to business support, sustainability and decarbonisation to resident engagement.

We are always looking for opportunities to enhance and improve our offer to members. For example, we recently extended our bespoke services for smallers with the addition of a dedicated pension helpline, manned by pension advisers at Lane Clark and Peacock.

Our preferred suppliers often run events, workshops and webinars that our members can access at no additional cost to their membership.

If you would like to know more about our partners, are struggling to source a particular product or service, or would like to share details of organisations who are doing a great job in the sector, please get in touch.