We have launched a £6 million CAF Support Fund for 52 councils that have completed a CAF assessment, helping them accelerate improvements in key areas of cyber resilience and strengthen resilience across the sector.

Find out more about what we are doing now and how this approach will inform any future sector support.

The aims of CAF Support

Councils that complete and assure a CAF self-assessment receive an improvement and implementation plan (IIP), which outlines actions they can take to improve their cyber resilience.

CAF Support helps councils progress with their IIP and strengthen key areas of their cyber resilience​ by providing:

• funding allocated based on risk and maturity
• tailored practical support and guidance
• peer learning
• a collaborative community

At the same time, it will help MHCLG understand where councils can succeed independently and where central government intervention is needed​.

It will enable exemplar councils, those who are meeting, or close to meeting, the CAF for local government profile to:

• share best practice
• share practical insights on how they have solved challenges
• collaborate and drive sector wide improvement

CAF Support has been built on the success of Cyber Support, which provided councils with funding and targeted, tailored support.

How the wider sector will benefit

CAF Support goes beyond individual councils strengthening their own cyber resilience.

By identifying best practice, sharing practical insight and resources and enabling collaboration, CAF Support will help unlock greater progress and supports long term sustainability across the sector.

We will do this by:

• developing and sharing replicable resources and practical examples for CAF objectives A and D
• developing blog posts and case studies
• encouraging CAF Support councils to share their learning and best practice through existing communities, such as WARPS and CAF Peer Support groups

We will share these over the next year.

What we’ve done so far

We’ve launched CAF Support with 52 councils who have submitted IIPs to MHCLG.

Since we started working with the councils in January this year, we have focused on:

• working with the 13 exemplar councils to identify best practice and practical resources for the wider sector
• building a clearer picture of where councils are progressing independently and where further support would be most valuable
• providing grant funding to participating councils to support their continued progress against the CAF

What’s next

We’ve already learned a lot about the conditions that can help councils accelerate their CAF progress. Look out for our next blog post for practical steps to help councils address areas that we’ve identified as having a high impact on cyber resilience.

A data-led approach to support

CAF Support has been designed using data from CAF assessments, so that we can take a risk-based approach and target support where it is most needed.

Councils that complete CAF assessments and submit them to MHCLG will be better placed to access future support.

Future support

We will continue to use CAF data to shape how and where we offer support in future.

You should submit your finalised assurance report and IIP to MHCLG.

If you’ve not started the CAF yet, you can:

1. start by finding out what the CAF is and how it can benefit your council
2. learn about what it involves and how much time is needed
3. prepare for the self-assessment
4. let us know when you will be ready for assurance

We know you still have a lot of questions about how to approach the CAF, so we’ve published answers to common questions on our website. Email us on [email protected] if you have any additional questions or need support.