Fri, 12 Sep 2025

Fri, 12 Sep 2025 Jaguar Land Rover suppliers 'face bankruptcy' due to cyber attack crisis

The government has been urged to "act fast" to protect hundreds of jobs following the cyber attack.
Jaguar Land Rover (JLR) has been severely affected by a cyber attack that forced the company to shut down its computer systems and production lines worldwide. The attack, which occurred on September 1, has resulted in significant losses for JLR, with estimates suggesting it could be between £50m and £100m. The company's factories in Solihull, Halewood, and Wolverhampton are expected to remain closed until at least Wednesday. The cyber attack has also had a major impact on JLR's network of suppliers, many of whom are small and medium-sized businesses that rely heavily on the carmaker for their income. Experts warn that up to 250,000 people in the supply chain could be affected by the closure, with companies potentially going bankrupt and jobs being lost. The UK government is facing calls to set up a furlough scheme to help prevent widespread job losses among JLR's suppliers. Labour MP Liam Byrne has said that the government needs to act fast to introduce a furlough system to ensure that vital jobs and skills are not lost while JLR and its supply chain get back on track. JLR's IT networks were shut down deliberately in an attempt to protect them from further damage, but this meant that cars could not be built or delivered. The company has been working with the National Cyber Security Centre to investigate the incident, which is believed to have cost JLR between £5m and £10m per day. The crisis is expected to continue for several more weeks, with some employees at major suppliers being told they will not return to work until September 29. The trade union Unite has called for a furlough system to be set up to help automotive suppliers, which would involve the government subsidising workers' pay packets while they are unable to do their jobs. Business and Trade Minister Chris Bryant has acknowledged the significant impact of the cyber attack on JLR and its suppliers, saying that he is in daily contact with the company and his cyber experts about resolving the issue.
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