More than one in four UK businesses impacted by civil unrest last year

• Business leaders report significant impact from the 2024 UK civil unrest with some firms paying a heavy price; data shows nearly 1,000 protests took place over the year
• Over a quarter (28%) of businesses reported being affected with closed, inaccessible or damaged premises, stolen or damaged stock amongst the biggest issues
• UK business owners are currently more concerned about the impact of anti-social behaviour on their trading than terrorism risks (32% v 30%)
• Unstable economy plus generational and regional imbalances in the UK cited by business leaders as societal problems exacerbating the unrest
• Ongoing business concerns have driven a 30% increase in firms seeking crisis management advice¹

More than one in four UK businesses were impacted by civil unrest last year, with nearly two thirds citing a continuation of the problem as a major concern for 2025, according to new research by global risk management and insurance broking firm, Gallagher.

The research was conducted in January 2025 among over 500 UK business decision-makers at firms of all sizes and gauged the effect of civil unrest during 2024, including protests, vandalism, looting and riots. The damage reported by business leaders came in several different forms, as nearly half (47%) of impacted firms reported that they had to close their premises, 44 per cent said their premises were damaged and 40 per cent said either stock or equipment was damaged or stolen.

Scale of the problem

Protests and riots were rife in the UK in 2024, with the vast majority taking place in England. According to ACLED data collated by Gallagher’s crisis management team nearly 1000 protests took place, equivalent of just short of 20 events per week², with subjects such as climate change, politics and immigration driving protesters to the streets.

Of particular note were the riots that followed a multiple stabbing incident in Southport with demonstrations subsequently taking place in 27 towns and cities between 30 July and 7 August. Insured losses from these events are estimated at £250 million³ and millions more has been claimed from the public purse in compensation payments⁴. However these figures are the tip of the iceberg for firms impacted by loss of trade and uninsured losses, plus the cost of policing which is paid for by all UK council taxpayers. Thousands of people were arrested and hundreds have subsequently been imprisoned for their part in the disturbances.

Many businesses have taken measures to prepare for the effects of future trouble – regardless of whether they were impacted in 2024. More than one in three (35%) have increased security; one in four (28%) have taken action to evaluate the risks they are facing and a similar number (25%) have reviewed their insurance to ensure they are covered in the event of damage or disruption.

Social media and its role in spreading information

Many business leaders blame the power of social media for the flare ups with nearly half (44%) citing the spread of information both correct and incorrect as a major contributing factor. A similar number (49%) pointed to the current UK economic conditions as the root cause of the unrest.

Social issues facing the UK population were also a driver of the unrest according to UK bosses with four in ten (39%) saying the problems erupted as a result of difficult issues facing the country, a third (36%) said that the UK is more divided than it was five years ago, and 22 per cent suggested the imbalance in wealth amongst the generations is exacerbating the problem.

Antisocial behaviour on the rise

The research also looked at anti-social behaviour with business leaders more likely to be concerned about risks from anti-social behaviour on their trading than terrorism risks (32% v 30%). Of the firms affected by anti-social behaviour, 41% said their firm had experienced a theft, 38% had been subject to threatening behaviour and 36% said vandalism had caused a problem. Theft from retailers has surged, with shoplifting rising by a third in the 12 months to June 2024, according to the ONS⁵, leading to many retailers to review how they combat this behaviour.

Jonathan Rae, Director of Crisis Management at Gallagher said: “It is clear that all kinds of civil unrest in the UK is a problem and is weighing heavily on the minds of business leaders. With many of the underlying conditions cited by business leaders still present in the UK, from inflationary pressures to societal division, it is no surprise UK businesses are concerned about another year of anti-social behaviour, and many making plans to protect themselves against its impact.

“Businesses of all types are exposed to civil unrest, and having the right insurance is key to mitigating the impact and any financial losses. UK business leaders should work with an experienced crisis resilience risk adviser who can provide advice and guidance on what insurance is needed to cover different exposures. As well as insuring damage to properties and having the right business interruption cover if firms are unable to trade, businesses should also consider crisis resilience insurance which includes a wide range of cover including risk management advice, access to emergency funds, employee awareness training, 24/7 response consultants, liaison with the authorities and business recovery advice.”