What Is a Business Continuity Plan and Does My Business Need One?
A clear, direct answer to this question — written for UK business owners and IT decision-makers.
Direct Answer
A Business Continuity Plan (BCP) is a documented process for maintaining essential business operations during and after a disruptive event — whether a cyberattack, power failure, or physical incident. Only 22% of UK businesses have a formal incident management plan. Small businesses lose £350–£450 per minute of downtime. AMVIA builds BCP elements into its managed IT service, including tested backups, failover connectivity, and documented recovery procedures.
Key Points
What you need to know.
The Short Answer
As of March 2025, there are 12,867 active MSPs in the UK, employing 343,762 individuals.
For UK Businesses
The UK MSP sector generates an estimated £51 billion in annual revenue.
Cost Considerations
The UK managed services market is expected to grow at CAGR of 9.7% from 2026 to 2033.
Next Steps
SMEs account for 99% of UK businesses and are the backbone of the UK economy.
Quick Comparison
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Frequently Asked Questions
A practical BCP should cover critical system identification, recovery time objectives (RTOs), communication protocols, backup and restore procedures, staff roles and responsibilities, and alternative working arrangements. It should be tested at least annually through tabletop exercises or live failover drills. With 43% of UK businesses experiencing a breach or attack (DSIT 2025), a documented and rehearsed plan is essential for limiting disruption.
A disaster recovery (DR) plan focuses specifically on restoring IT systems and data after a failure. A business continuity plan is broader — it covers how the entire organisation continues to operate during disruption, including manual workarounds, staff communication, customer notifications, and alternative premises. The average cost of the most disruptive breach is £3,550 (DSIT 2025), but indirect losses from operational downtime often far exceed direct incident costs.
At a minimum, your BCP should be tested annually, with additional reviews after significant changes to your IT environment, office locations, or staffing. Testing should include backup restoration verification, failover simulations, and communication chain exercises. Organisations with untested plans frequently discover critical gaps — such as corrupted backups or outdated contact lists — only during an actual incident.
Related Questions
Managed IT Support
AMVIA's managed IT service includes tested backups and recovery procedures as standard.
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Ransomware is the most common trigger for business continuity plans — and why tested backups matter.
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Business continuity planning fits within a broader cybersecurity and resilience programme.
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