cyber attack
Kensington and Chelsea Council is currently addressing a significant financial overspend and ongoing recovery efforts following a cyber attack in November 2025.
Kensington and Chelsea Council is currently addressing a £4.5 million overspend in the first quarter of the financial year, with a cyber attack in November 2025 cited as a primary cause. The Leadership Team heard in September 2026 that direct costs from the incident, an unauthorized intrusion into computer systems, have reached £2.750 million, with further expenditure anticipated for a recovery programme.
Recovery from the November 2025 cyber attack is on track to restore all systems by summer 2026, with 94% back online by July 2026. The Overview & Scrutiny Committee heard in July 2026 that the council is preparing to notify residents about a data breach where some data was copied. Service backlogs in areas like revenue and benefits are targeted for completion by December 2026.
Separately, Hammersmith and Fulham Council faces a high risk of cyber attacks, according to a report to its Audit Committee in March 2026. Its IT systems were compromised in a cyber incident in late November 2025, leading to disconnection from finance, payroll, and HR systems until mid-January 2026. No upcoming meetings are currently scheduled to discuss cyber attacks in the provided material.
Key facts
- Kensington and Chelsea Council is facing a £4.5 million overspend in the first quarter of the financial year, with a cyber attack cited as a primary cause. Source
- Direct costs from Kensington and Chelsea Council's cyber incident, including containment and initial recovery, have reached £2.750 million. Source
- Kensington and Chelsea Council's recovery from a November 2025 cyber attack is on track, with 94% of systems back online by July 2026. Source
- Kensington and Chelsea Council is preparing to notify affected residents about a data breach where some data was copied. Source
- Hammersmith and Fulham Council's IT systems were compromised in a cyber incident in late November 2025. Source
About this summary
This summary was written automatically from our published stories and the council meeting records they draw on. It describes what councils have discussed and decided; it does not take a view on any decision. Each key fact links to the story it comes from. Updated 30 September 2026. Spotted a mistake? Email community@opencouncil.network.