• Government funds new independent body to set standards and define career and learning paths for the cyber security sector
• UK Cyber Security Council to be a simple one-stop shop for information for people looking to enter or further their career
• The Council will actively pursue opportunities to attract more talent and increase diversity in the cyber security workforce

The new DCMS-funded UK Cyber Security Council will provide a single governing voice for the industry to establish the knowledge, skills and experience required for a range of cyber security jobs, bringing it in line with other professions such as law, medicine and engineering.

The Council will boost skilled job prospects around the country by giving budding and existing workers a clear roadmap for building a career in cyber security and focus on increasing the number and diversity of people entering the profession.

The body will work with training providers to accredit courses and qualifications, and give employers the information and confidence they need to recruit effectively to ensure their cyber capability.

Digital Infrastructure Minister Matt Warman makes the announcement on Safer Internet Day which promotes more responsible use of online technology around the world and comes as the £8.3 billion cyber security sector continues to grow despite the pandemic and with it the demand for more talent, particularly from underrepresented groups.

Digital Infrastructure Minister Matt Warman said:

The fact we are launching an independent professional body for cyber security shows just how vital this area has become – it makes a huge contribution to our thriving digital economy by safeguarding our critical national infrastructure, commerce and other online spaces.

The UK Cyber Security Council will ensure anyone interested in an exciting career tackling online threats has access to world-class training and guidance. It will also champion diversity and inclusion, driving up standards while helping the nation to build back better and safer.

This latest move comes after a feedback from a 2018 DCMS public consultation looking at the issues facing the profession, which showed overwhelming support for a new body.

Working closely with the National Cyber Security Centre (NCSC), the Council will strongly support the Government’s £1.9 billion National Cyber Security Strategy to make the UK the safest place to live and work online.

Chris Ensor, the NCSC’s Deputy Director for Cyber Growth, said:

Cyber security is a growing industry in the UK and it’s vital for high standards of practice and technical expertise to be at the heart of the profession as it develops.

We look forward to working with the Council to help ensure that future generations of cyber security professionals have the skills and support they need to thrive and make the UK the safest place to live and work online.

The council has appointed its inaugural Board of Trustees to guide the organisation as it establishes itself over the coming years. This includes:

• Chair: Dr. Claudia Natanson – a Global Cyber Security expert who was previously CSO at DWP, MD at BT Secure Business Service and CISO at Diageo Plc
• Vice-Chair: Jessica Figueras – Tech market strategist, Chair of NCT, previously Chief Analyst at GlobalData
• Trustee: Carla Baker – Senior Director, Policy & Government Affairs UK & Ireland, Palo Alto Networks
• Treasurer: Mike Watson – Chief Financial Officer, Marston Holdings, previously with Dell, HP and BAE Systems cyber security division

UK Cyber Security Council Chair Dr. Claudia Natanson said:

Having spent many years in cyber security, I’m very aware of the excellent work done by many varied organisations – but I’m also conscious that the time for an umbrella organisation has come in order to drive the profession forward in a unified way.

It’s a privilege and a challenge to be part of the leadership of the Council, knowing that the future security and prosperity of the UK depends in part on the Council succeeding in its mission to develop the profession.

The Council will be formally launched on March 31.

ENDS

Notes to editors:

• The council was developed following a 2018 consultation on Developing the UK cyber security profession which showed strong support for the government’s proposals to define objectives for the profession to achieve and to create a new, independent UK Cyber Security Council to coordinate delivery.
• In September 2019, DCMS commissioned a consortium of cyber security professional bodies known as the Cyber Security Alliance to work on establishing the council. The Institution of Engineering and Technology led the consortium that created this new organisation over an approximately 18 month period.
• The work is part of the government’s five year £1.9 billion National Cyber Security Strategy to make the UK the safest place to live and work online.

• Launch of new approach to boost vital adult social care workforce
• Short-term staff called on to support care homes and home care services during the pandemic
• ‘Care for Others. Make a Difference’ advertising recruitment campaign launched to highlight varied, flexible long-term social care career opportunities

The public are being called upon to apply for rewarding short-term and long-term opportunities in the adult social care sector to support care home residents and those being cared for at home.

The impact of the new COVID-19 variant is being felt across the country and additional staff are urgently needed now to support the adult social care workforce where absence rates have more than doubled in recent months due to self-isolation.

Jobseekers, volunteers and people on furlough can now register their interest for short-term opportunities including personal care – helping people to wash and dress – providing wellbeing support, simply collecting and delivering supplies, or helping out with the cooking and cleaning. Exact roles will be based on experience, local need and local authority and care provider discretion.

The ‘Care for Others. Make a Difference’ campaign also launches this week using television, digital and radio advertising to drive awareness of long-term career opportunities, highlighting the rewarding, varied and flexible roles available across the care sector to help build a sustainable workforce now and for the future. Almost 1.5 million people work in adult social care and there are many opportunities for those looking to make a difference.

Prime Minister Boris Johnson said:

I want to thank carers for all they do to look after our loved ones. Throughout this pandemic, they have gone above and beyond to protect our parents and grandparents, and to provide them with the support and care they need and we would be truly lost without them.

This exceptional career choice is tough but rewarding, and I would urge anyone who is thinking of a career in care to come forward and join this heroic workforce.

Health and Social Care Secretary Matt Hancock said:

We are doing everything we can to support the adult social care sector throughout this pandemic and our social care workforce have done an incredible job of helping the most vulnerable in society.

I am urging the public – whether you are a job-seeker, or looking for a new career – to consider working in care. We need short-term support while we face the pandemic and to continue to recruit the right people, with the right values, now and into the future.

Great progress has been made on offering vaccines to all older care home residents and care home staff and this recruitment drive will help us continue to fight this terrible virus.

Minister for Care Helen Whately said:

Since the pandemic began, we’ve seen thousands of wonderful people step forward to volunteer for the NHS and take part in our truly tremendous national vaccination effort. Today, I’m asking people to step forward to help in social care too.

We need more people who want to play their part in this pandemic to choose social care. There are thousands of opportunities, from short-term roles to long-term careers.

Jobs in the care sector are hard work, but they can also be incredibly rewarding. When you get home from work you know you’ve made a real difference for the people you care for. I know we can’t say thank you to care workers too many times for what they do.

Candidates do not necessarily need previous experience as training is provided to help them become valued members of the social care workforce.

People can find out more about a longer-term career in social care and search for jobs in their area by visiting the Every Day is Different website and will be directed to the website to register their interest in short-term opportunities.

Tim Hearson, who already works in the adult social care sector as a Senior Autism Practitioner from Bedfordshire, said:

I’ve been working in care for 4 and a half years. I originally trained to be a surveyor but I felt something was missing and it didn’t give me the social interaction I was after so I made the decision to go into adult social care and I’ve never looked back.

I wake up every morning and go to work knowing I’m going to be making a difference to someone’s life, and there’s nothing more rewarding than that.

Seeing the people I care for progress every day is such a wonderful feeling and I always leave work with a smile on my face. For anyone considering a role in adult social care, go for it.

Professor Deborah Sturdy OBE, Chief Nurse for Adult Social Care, said:

I know from my own experience how wonderful and rewarding a career in social care can be.

I have worked with some incredible people and by joining the adult social care sector you will meet incredible people and improve lives – including your own.

We need people who care about others to come forward and seize these opportunities.

Sir David Pearson, Chair of the Social Care Sector COVID-19 Support Task Force, said:

Since starting as a social worker in Nottingham in the early 80s, I have been fortunate to work with great teams, services and leaders in healthcare.

Social care works as a crucial springboard for wellbeing and the commitment and care of the people who work within it are the most important ingredients for success.

Being part of this has been a privilege and a pleasure and the ‘Care for Others. Make a difference’ national campaign is a great chance for others to get as much out of a career in adult social care as I have.

Joint Chief Social Worker for Adults, Mark Harvey and Fran Leddra, said:

We have both worked in social care all our lives. It is a fantastic profession and a career that we have never regretted being a part of. The pandemic has spotlighted the profession and shown how critical and important it is. We are in awe of the sheer dedication, commitment and professionalism that the workforce continues to show, making a difference to people’s lives every single day.

We hope that this campaign inspires you to join our skilled and talented workforce and help to support the lives of people across the country now and far beyond the pandemic.

For the short-term scheme, for individuals who have registered their interest online, the Department of Health and Social Care will pass their registration details onto their local authority and local adult social care service providers. Care providers will then contact candidates directly. Further information on access to training, DBS checks and vaccines will be provided when candidates are contacted.

Training, including in infection prevention controls and use of personal protective equipment (PPE), will be provided as well as vaccinations in line with key worker status and the priority vaccine scheme.

The government has already provided £120 million to help local authorities support care providers to fill staffing gaps caused by the pandemic, which was announced in January.

Download the campaign images

Download the campaign adverts (30-second TV and 15-second YouTube)

Register your interest in providing support in the short-term

People can find out more about a career in social care and search for jobs in their area by visiting Every Day is Different.

Good afternoon and welcome back to Downing Street for today’s coronavirus briefing.

I’m joined by the Deputy Chief Medical Officer Professor Jonathan Van-Tam, and by NHS England’s Medical Director for Primary Care Dr Nikki Kanani.

Before I update you on our coronavirus response, I’d like to take you through the latest data.

There are still 29,326 patients with COVID in hospital across the UK – still more than at either the April or November peaks.

And sadly, 841 deaths have been reported on average each day over the past week.

My thoughts are with everyone who has lost a loved one to this deadly disease.

Today, I’d like to update you on 3 important parts of the coronavirus response.

Vaccines

First, the next steps on the vaccination programme.

It’s now 2 months since that wonderful day when Margaret Keenan got her first jab, the first person in the world to be vaccinated with a clinically authorised vaccine for coronavirus.

We’ve now vaccinated as of today more than 12.2 million people.

That’s almost one in 4 of all adults across the United Kingdom.

Take-up of the vaccine so far has been significantly better than we hoped for.

Based on the work we’d done before the vaccination programme started, and looking at the surveys, we knew that the UK had one of the most positive attitudes to vaccine uptake.

But even so, we thought we’d get take-up of around 75%.

I’m really pleased to be able to tell you that, as of midnight last night, among the over 80s, we’ve now given a first dose to 91%; among those aged between 75 and 79, it’s 95%. And almost three-quarters of those aged between 70 and 74, who were the most recent group to be invited.

We’ve also visited every eligible care home with older residents, and offered vaccinations to all their residents and staff.

So among eligible care home residents, the take-up is 93%.

But we’ll not rest until we vaccinate all those in the most at-risk groups.

Because vaccines save lives. They protect you, and there’s increasing evidence they protect those around you too.

The fewer people who are left unprotected, the safer we’ll all be and the more securely we’ll be able to release restrictions when the time is right.

I’ve been thrilled to see so much enthusiasm about coming forward for a jab, and I’m just so pleased that take-up has been so high.

But we’re not going to rest until all those who are vulnerable have been protected.

So the NHS, and local authorities, and the teams working with them are doing everything they can to reach the remaining people in these groups and we’ll keep on searching for those final few per cent, even as we expand the offer of a vaccine to younger age groups.

I’m going to ask Dr Kanani to say a few words more about this project in a moment.

We’re on track to meet our goal of offering a vaccine to everyone in priority groups 1 to 4 by the 15th of February – one week today – before moving onto the other JCVI priority groups.

The NHS has worked hard to contact everyone in groups 1 to 4.

But we want to be certain.

So, from today, I have a message for everyone aged 70 and above.

Until now, we’ve said please wait for the NHS to contact you.

But now that message is changing.

If you live in England, and are 70 and over, and have not yet got an appointment to get vaccinated please contact the NHS.

The easiest way is to do this is through the National Booking Service, online at nhs.uk.

Or if you can’t get online then you can call 119 or you can speak to your local GP practice.

If you’re in Scotland, Wales or Northern Ireland, we are also on track, working together to meet the goal by the 15th February, and your local health team will be in touch.

I’m so grateful to the whole team who are delivering this vaccination programme so brilliantly across the whole United Kingdom.

And to everyone who’s doing their bit, by baring their arms, and getting the jab.

Testing

While we use our vaccination programme to go on the offensive against this virus, it’s very important we keep our defences up as well.

Our testing programme has also grown at a blistering rate.

We’re now carrying out, on average, 4.5 million tests every single week.

NHS Test and Trace is returning 97% of in-person test by the next day contact tracing is performing incredibly well, reaching over 97% of contacts where details are given – and 98% of those they’re reaching within 24 hours.

I want to say a massive thank you to the NHS Test and Trace, who have built this extraordinary capability almost from scratch.

Even in lockdown, testing to find out where the virus is, is critical to break the chains of transmission and to find those positive cases so people isolate and stop the spread.

Today I’m delighted to be able to announce another step forward, to bolster our on-shore test manufacturing capacity.

We’re joining forces with the Derby-based manufacturer Surescreen, to deliver 20 million rapid tests, which can produce results in 30 minutes.

They’ll be used in our asymptomatic testing programme to identify the around one in 3 people who get the virus without any symptoms at all yet can still pass it on.

This expanded capacity means we can offer more regular testing to even more people.

Many employers are already taking up our offer of rapid, regular workplace testing which has protected critical workers like in the NHS and schools, so they can keep going.

Employers who’ve introduced workplace testing tell me that they find it useful for early identification of people who have COVID and so the number of outbreaks reduces as time goes on and so lowers the number of people who are off work with COVID. This is a really important part of what we want to do.

Now, from today, we’re expanding the offer of regular workplace testing to all businesses with over 50 employees, in sectors that are currently open.

Testing will become even more important as we exit lockdown, when the time is right.

For now of course, you must work from home if you can.

But if you can’t, we want to make sure we’re providing as much certainty and confidence as possible. I’d urge all eligible employers to take up this offer. You can go online to the portal at gov.uk/coronavirus.

And this will all help to keep vital services going, and to keep the virus on the back foot.

New variants

The third thing I want to touch on is our work to tackle new variants.

All viruses mutate over time. And part of controlling any virus is responding to new variants as they arise.

We do this every year with flu, for instance.

Knowing this, we invested in genomic sequencing capability right at the start of this pandemic genomic sequencing is how you identify new variants giving the UK one of the biggest genomic sequencing capabilities in the world.

In fact we’ve provided almost half of global COVID sequencing.

This genomic capacity has allowed us to spot variants here at home and is allowing us to support others to detect variants in other parts of the world.

We musn’t let a new variant undo all of the good work that the vaccine rollout is doing to protect people.

Now, the first line of defence is to spot and suppress new variants aggressively wherever they’re found.

Hence the tougher measures at the border and the firm action we’re taking in those small number of areas where variants of concern have been found in the community Including door-to-door communications, and enhanced testing and sequencing.

At the same time, since the emergence of variants of concern late last year, we’ve been working on how vaccines can be used to tackle them.

It is imperative that our vaccination programme keeps pace with any changes to this virus.

And Professor Van-Tam will be saying a little bit more about what we’re doing.

The work has 3 parts.

First, the evidence is that the existing vaccines have some effect against new variants particularly preventing serious illness and mortality so the existing vaccine rollout is mission critical for tackling new variants too.

Second, we’re working with the existing vaccine suppliers on potential booster jabs, targeted specifically at the new variants, to strengthen this protection further.

Third, we’re building on-shore UK capacity, including cutting edge mRNA technologies to give us the ability rapidly to develop and deploy vaccines against any new variants, or similar new diseases, in the future.

We’ve entered into a new partnership with the vaccine manufacturer CureVac to develop vaccines that can be quickly adapted as new strains are identified just as we do for the flu vaccine every year.

I’m determined that we build this capacity right here securely here in the UK.

To protect everyone across these islands, not just from new variants but for the long term too.

We’ve agreed an initial supply of 50 million doses, to add to the 400 million doses that are already in our vaccine portfolio so we’ll be prepared for whatever the future might bring.

Of course, the fewer new cases of coronavirus that we have, the lower the chance of a new variant appearing domestically.

So the essential message to stay at home and follow the social distancing rules is our best defence right now.

Taking all this together, what I want to say is this.

The number of people in hospital is still far too high, but it is falling. The number of deaths is far too high, but that is falling too. We’re turning a corner in our battle against coronavirus.

The vaccine rollout is going well – and if you’re aged 70 and over and haven’t been contacted yet, please get in touch now.

And all the time, we must be vigilant and do what it takes to tackle any new variants that arise.

For now, the most important thing you can do is: get the jab when your time comes.

Stay at home, protect the NHS, and save lives.