Exclaimer has urged organisations to tighten controls over outbound email governance after new UK data showed that 83% of IT leaders had experienced an email-related security incident.

The findings suggest a gap between investment in cloud access security and oversight of what leaves company systems through email. Only 38% of UK enterprises have fully integrated email into their wider security and compliance stack, limiting central control over external communications.

The warning comes as UK businesses continue to face persistent cyber risks. Government survey data cited by Exclaimer shows that 43% of UK businesses reported a cyber breach over the past year, with phishing and other email-borne threats still the most common route in.

While much of the security debate has focused on inbound threats, Exclaimer argued that outbound email has received less scrutiny. Governance, it said, often breaks down at the point of sending, where individual users, manual processes and disconnected tools create inconsistency.

Exclaimer also highlighted the financial impact of cyber incidents, citing research that puts the average cost of a significant cyber attack to a UK business at almost £195,000. Across the UK, that amounts to roughly £14.7 billion a year.

Communication Risk

Karl Bagci, Director of IT and Information Security at Exclaimer, said the main issue for many organisations is no longer basic awareness of email risk, but the ability to apply controls consistently across large volumes of communication.

“World Cloud Security Day is a reminder that most organisations have gotten very good at controlling who gets into their systems, but far fewer are controlling what comes out,” said Bagci. “Email is still one of the most trusted and heavily used business channels, but it remains one of the least consistently governed at scale. What we’re seeing is a shift in risk from infrastructure to behaviour: how people communicate, what they send, and whether those communications are controlled.”

That argument reflects a broader shift in security priorities as businesses adopt more cloud software and spread work across more devices and users. The challenge, according to Exclaimer, is maintaining oversight once communication leaves tightly controlled systems and becomes part of day-to-day staff activity.

This is particularly relevant where disclaimers, branding and compliance messages are handled by individual employees rather than enforced centrally. In those cases, organisations may struggle to ensure that every message meets internal policy or external regulatory requirements.

Blind Spot

Bagci said the weak point often sits at the boundary between secure systems and employee actions.

“This creates a critical blind spot at the point where communication exits the organisation, affecting compliance, brand integrity, and customer trust,” he said. “Without centralised governance, businesses have limited control over how disclaimers are applied, how regulatory requirements are met, or how consistently the organisation is represented across every interaction.”

That concern is likely to be more acute in regulated sectors, where missing or inconsistent information in customer emails can create legal or compliance problems. Even in less tightly regulated industries, inconsistent messaging can still affect customer confidence and corporate reputation.

Exclaimer linked the trend to the growing scale and complexity of business communication. It cited IBM research showing that one in six data breaches now involve AI-driven attacks, underlining how quickly communication volumes and risks are changing.

Real-Time Oversight

Exclaimer argued that managing email risk at scale requires policy-led controls applied in real time, rather than relying on manual action by staff. The issue becomes more pressing as email traffic spreads across users, devices and AI-assisted tools.

Exclaimer, which sells email signature management software for Microsoft 365 and Google Workspace, framed the issue as one of governance rather than simple technical defence. In its view, cloud security efforts have become stronger at controlling access to systems, but less effective at controlling the information that leaves them.

“World Cloud Security Day serves as a timely reminder that cloud security is no longer just about protecting systems. It is about managing the flow of information across them. And that includes looking at how you govern your email communications,” said Bagci.

The Government has confirmed that the National Living Wage has risen by 4.1%, meaning workers aged 21 and over should now receive at least £12.71 per hour.

The increase is expected to benefit around 2.4 million workers, with full-time employees seeing their annual earnings rise by roughly £900.

For those working full-time hours, the changes mean:

• A 40-hour week now equates to around £26,436 per year (before tax)
• A 37.5-hour week brings in about £24,784
• A 35-hour week reaches approximately £23,132 annually

But despite the pay boost, workers are being warned to check their payslips carefully to ensure employers are applying the new rates correctly from the first pay period in April.

Younger workers see biggest increases

The National Minimum Wage for younger workers has also risen sharply:

• 18 to 20-year-olds: up 8.5% to £10.85 per hour, potentially adding £1,500 a year for full-time staff
• 16 to 17-year-olds and apprentices: up 6% to £8 per hour

The Government says the larger increase for 18 to 20-year-olds is part of a longer-term plan to create a single adult wage rate.

Why checking your pay matters

With the new rates taking effect immediately, any underpayment could leave workers out of pocket. Employees are encouraged to:

• Review their hourly rate
• Check recent payslips
• Raise concerns quickly if pay doesn’t match the new legal minimum

Chancellor Rachel Reeves said she had accepted recommendations from the Low Pay Commission so that those on low incomes are “properly rewarded” for their work.

The Chancellor said: “I know that the cost of living is still the number one issue for working people and that the economy isn’t working well enough for those on the lowest incomes.

“Too many people are still struggling to make ends meet, and that has to change.

“That’s why today I’m announcing that we will raise the National Living Wage and also the National Minimum Wage, so that those on low incomes are properly rewarded for their hard work.

“These changes are going to benefit many young people across our country, getting their first job.”

null (Image: Lucy North/PA Wire)

What does the minimum wage increase mean for small businesses?

Kate Underwood, Managing Director and HR Director at Southampton-based Kate Underwood HR and Training says: “It’s good news for workers who’ve been stuck on the lowest rung for too long. £12.71 an hour still won’t stretch far in today’s world, but it’s a start. And closing the gap for younger workers? About time.

“Will it be tough for small businesses? Yep. But so is constant staff turnover, sick days from burnout, and people juggling three jobs just to pay the bills.

“Can the UK afford it? Wrong question. Can we afford not to pay people properly? That’s the real one.”

Prem Raja, head of Trading Floor at Currencies 4 You agrees that it’s good news for workers.

“They need the extra cash and hopefully they spend it locally,” he says. “But we have to be real about the pressure this puts on business owners. It is getting incredibly hard to run a company right now. We’re already dealing with rising National Insurance and a weak Pound. Adding a big wage hike on top, especially that huge jump for younger staff, is squeezing us from every side.

“The brutal truth is that if employing people becomes too expensive, businesses just won’t hire. We’ll see jobs disappear because owners simply can’t afford the payroll, or prices will have to go up, which just fuels inflation further.

“It looks like they want to land some ‘good news’ before the Chancellor likely announces heavy tax burdens tomorrow. Without real help for small businesses, this could be the tipping point that forces many entrepreneurs to shut down.”

UK National Living Wage. Infographic from PA Graphics. (Image: PA Wire)

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But Riz Malik, director at Southend-on-Sea-based R3 Wealth also has concerns.

He says: “The last budget impacted employers view on employment by adding further costs.

“Raising the national living wage will only add to it if you factor in this and the associated employment costs. This is on the eve of the budget, which is likely to make it even more costly to do business in the UK.”

The increases will benefit a total of 2.7 million young and older workers, said the Government, adding that by seeking expert and independent advice, it was able to ensure that the right balance is struck between the needs of workers, the affordability for businesses and the opportunities for employment.

Oxford City Council fully approved plans in March for 100,000 sq ft of lab space for life sciences, innovation and technology.

After the department store chain went into administration, the three-storey branch on the corner of George Street and Magdalen Street closed early in 2021 and did not reopen after the third Covid lockdown. It has remained boarded up ever since.

READ MORE: Derelict Debenhams is being transformed into lab space

Now the building is set for major refurbishment by The Crown Estate, with work due to start to transform the building in the first half of 2027, with a targeted completion in 2029.

Last year, contractors BibbEgan Group started to strip out the former retail unit, in preparation to hand it over to The Crown Estate.

The building at 1-12 Magdalen Street is being developed as part of the estate’s partnership with leading science and innovation developer, Pioneer Group, and Oxford Science Enterprises (OSE).

Alongside a range of labs, the building will also feature dedicated conference and events space, including a ‘showcase lab’ in the heart of the development for OSE companies to make science and innovation more visible and accessible to younger audiences.

Kristy Lansdown, development director at The Crown Estate (Image: The Crown Estate)

Kristy Lansdown, managing director for development at The Crown Estate, said: “1-12 Magdalen Street will deliver world-class science facilities in the heart of the city – a place with not only a rich cultural history, but one that is entrenched in the history of science and progress.

“Alongside our outstanding partners at Pioneer Group and OSE, we are committed to creating a best-in-class lab space for innovative start-ups and scale-ups that will strengthen Oxford’s appeal to the wider sector and contribute meaningfully to economic growth.”

The revamp will help to revitalise the area at the George Street end of Cornmarket.

The Store boutique hotel has replaced the former Boswells department store, and clothing brand Mountain Warehouse is expected to move into William Baker House, the former home of Waterstones, in May.

Harry Pickering, portfolio director and head of UK Real Estate for Pioneer Group, said earlier: “Securing planning permission for 1–12 Magdalen Street is a significant milestone in transforming a prominent Oxford city centre site into a new home for science and innovation.

The former Debenhams in Oxford (Image: Perkins & Will)

“Together with The Crown Estate and Oxford Science Enterprises, we are creating high-quality laboratory space that will support the next generation of breakthrough companies and strengthen Oxford’s position as one of the world’s leading innovation ecosystems.”

Pete Wilder, head of property and operations at Oxford Science Enterprises, said: “Oxford is one of the world’s leading innovation ecosystems, and with that success comes growing demand for high-quality laboratory space in central, well-connected locations.”

The development of 1-12 Magdalen Street represents an initial investment of £125m from The Crown Estate and is part of the organisation’s commitment to invest £1.5 billion into the science, innovation and technology sectors over the next 15 years.