The proportion of UK cybersecurity workers identifying as women has dropped to 16 percent, the lowest level since 2021, according to a government survey reported by The Register. That compares with 48 percent across the UK workforce as a whole and 30 percent across the broader digital workforce. The decline comes despite evidence that girls outperform boys in STEM subjects at school when they participate.
The survey found the problem is most acute at senior levels: only 12 percent of workers with six or more years of experience are women, a figure that has remained broadly consistent since records began. Stakeholders interviewed for the report described structural barriers, including employers deliberately excluding women from leadership tracks. One recruitment agent quoted in the report said businesses often justify this by saying a female hire "will get pregnant" and be off for 12 months—a practice that directly violates the UK's Equality Act 2010.
Other barriers include assumptions that women lack the technical skills for senior roles and the perception that cybersecurity remains an "old boys' club." The report also noted that stereotypes about women not being interested in cybersecurity continue to persist. Since this is a single source, there are no contrasting findings to compare, but the survey's conclusions align with long-standing concerns about gender diversity in STEM fields. The Register's report does not indicate any immediate policy response from the UK government.