Quick Answer
Security awareness training platforms for UK businesses cost £1–£5 per user per month. Leading providers include KnowBe4, Proofpoint and Mimecast. An effective programme combines regular training modules with simulated phishing tests.
Connection Technologies includes security awareness training in every managed IT package from £45/user/month.
Last updated: March 2026 | Reviewed by: Connection Technologies team
Best Training Platforms Compared
When choosing a security awareness training platform, focus on these differentiators:
KnowBe4 — the market leader with the largest library of training modules and phishing templates. £1.50–£3/user/month. Best for businesses wanting maximum customisation and reporting depth.
Proofpoint Security Awareness — strong integration with Proofpoint email security. Adaptive training adjusts difficulty based on user behaviour. £2–£4/user/month.
Mimecast Awareness Training — video-based micro-lessons designed for high engagement. Integrates with Mimecast email gateway. £1.50–£3/user/month.
Microsoft Defender for Office 365 — includes attack simulation training in Plan 2. Limited content library but no extra cost for Microsoft 365 E5 customers.
Managed provider (e.g. Connection Technologies) — training platform included in managed IT packages from £45/user/month, with setup, reporting and follow-up handled for you.
Pricing Table
Security awareness training costs depend on the delivery model and platform:
- Self-managed platform — £1–£5 per user/month. You handle setup, campaign scheduling and reporting.
- Managed service — £3–£8 per user/month. Provider configures campaigns, tracks results and follows up with at-risk staff.
- Enterprise (500+ users) — volume discounts typically bring per-user costs below £2/month.
- Bundled with managed IT — included in packages from £45/user/month (Connection Technologies model).
Annual contracts are typically 15–20% cheaper than monthly billing. Most platforms offer a free trial or pilot programme for up to 25 users.
Need help with this? Connection Technologies offers a free technology assessment for UK businesses. Book your free consultation or call 0330 440 4247.
What Training Should Cover
Effective security awareness training should cover these core topics:
- Phishing recognition — identifying suspicious emails, links and attachments. This should cover spear-phishing, CEO fraud and QR code phishing (quishing).
- Password hygiene — strong passwords, password managers and multi-factor authentication (MFA).
- Social engineering — phone-based pretexting, tailgating and impersonation tactics.
- Data handling — classifying, storing and sharing sensitive data in line with GDPR.
- Device security — locking screens, encrypting data, reporting lost or stolen devices.
- Incident reporting — what to do and who to contact if staff suspect a breach.
Training should be delivered in short modules (5–10 minutes) at regular intervals — monthly is the recommended frequency. Annual one-off training sessions have minimal long-term impact.
Simulated Phishing
Simulated phishing is the most effective way to measure and improve staff vigilance. Here is how it works:
- Baseline test — send a realistic phishing email to all staff without warning. Typical UK click rates on first tests are 25–35%.
- Immediate feedback — staff who click are shown a short explanation of what they missed. No public shaming — the goal is learning.
- Regular campaigns — run monthly or quarterly simulations with varying difficulty. Mix email types: fake invoices, password resets, delivery notifications and CEO requests.
- Track progress — monitor click rates, report rates and time-to-report over time. A well-run programme should reduce click rates below 5% within 12 months.
39% of UK businesses reported a cyber attack in the past 12 months (DCMS 2025). Phishing is the entry point for most of them. Regular simulations turn your workforce from the weakest link into your first line of defence.
Measuring Effectiveness
Track these key metrics to prove your training programme is working:
- Phishing click rate — percentage of staff who click simulated phishing links. Target: below 5%.
- Report rate — percentage who report suspicious emails to IT. This is more important than click rate.
- Time to report — how quickly staff flag threats. Faster reporting means faster containment.
- Training completion rate — aim for 95%+ completion within 7 days of assignment.
- Repeat offenders — identify staff who consistently fail simulations for targeted follow-up.
Review metrics quarterly and adjust training content based on results. Share anonymised team-level data with management to maintain executive buy-in.
Compliance Requirements
Security and compliance are non-negotiable for UK businesses in 2026. Here is what you need to know:
GDPR compliance remains the baseline for all UK businesses handling personal data. Training must cover how staff handle, store and share personal data. Your provider should demonstrate encryption, access controls and breach notification support.
Cyber Essentials is the UK government-backed certification covering five key controls: firewalls, secure configuration, access control, malware protection and patch management. Increasingly required for government contracts.
ISO 27001 is the international standard for information security management — more comprehensive than Cyber Essentials. If your provider holds ISO 27001, they take security seriously across their entire operation.
Industry-specific requirements vary by sector. Law firms must meet SRA standards, financial services firms need FCA compliance, healthcare must meet NHS DSPT requirements, and businesses handling card data need PCI DSS.
Your technology provider should help you understand which standards apply to your business and provide the tools and processes to meet them. This should be part of the managed service, not an expensive add-on.
Connection Technologies holds Cyber Essentials Plus certification and helps clients achieve and maintain compliance with GDPR, Cyber Essentials, ISO 27001 and sector-specific standards as part of managed IT packages.
Related Reading
- IT Security Audit UK: What It Costs, What to Expect & How to Prepare
- Cyber Security Services for Business UK: What You Need & Costs
- Cyber Essentials Certification UK: Cost, Process & Is It Worth It?
- Penetration Testing UK: Costs, Types & How to Choose a Provider
- Ransomware Protection for UK Businesses: Prevention & Recovery Guide
Frequently Asked Questions
A comprehensive cyber security package for a UK small business costs £15–£50 per user per month, depending on the services included.
This typically covers endpoint protection, email security, monitoring and training. Connection Technologies bundles security into managed IT packages from £45/user/month.
Phishing remains the most common cyber threat, accounting for over 80% of reported security incidents. Business email compromise (BEC) and ransomware are the most financially damaging. Regular security awareness training is the most cost-effective defence.
Yes. 39% of UK businesses reported a cyber attack in the past 12 months (DCMS 2025), and small businesses are increasingly targeted because they often have weaker defences. The average cost of a breach for an SME is £15,300.
Cyber Essentials is a UK government-backed certification covering five key security controls. It costs £300–£500/year and is increasingly required for government contracts. It is a good baseline for any business and demonstrates basic security hygiene to clients and partners.
Traditional antivirus detects known malware using signature databases. EDR (Endpoint Detection and Response) goes further, using behavioural analysis to detect unknown threats, zero-day attacks and suspicious activity patterns.
In 2026, EDR is the minimum standard for business protection.
Most UK businesses should conduct penetration testing annually, with additional tests after significant infrastructure changes. Regulated industries (finance, healthcare) may require more frequent testing. Costs range from £3,000–£15,000 per engagement.
Why Cyber Security Cannot Be an Afterthought
Too many UK businesses defer security awareness training until “later.” Attackers do not wait for you to be ready.
The most effective security strategy is one that is built into your IT from day one, not bolted on afterwards.
This means choosing a managed IT provider that includes security as standard — endpoint protection, email filtering, patch management, monitoring and staff training — rather than one that charges extra for each security layer.
Connection Technologies includes security awareness training and simulated phishing in every managed IT package from £45/user/month — alongside endpoint protection, email security, patch management and monitoring.
For regulated industries — legal, financial services, healthcare — we provide additional compliance support including audit preparation and evidence gathering for Cyber Essentials, ISO 27001 and sector-specific standards.
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