Which external contacts should be included in a UK continuity communications matrix?

External stakeholders may include customers, clients, suppliers, outsourced service providers, landlords, emergency services, local authorities, regulators, banks, insurers, auditors, media contacts and professional advisers. High-priority contacts should be linked to specific incident scenarios.

What communication channels should the matrix cover?

Typical channels include phone, SMS, email, Microsoft Teams, Slack, intranet, staff notification systems, customer portals, website notices and social media. The matrix should include primary and fallback channels in case systems, networks or premises are unavailable.

How often should a Business Continuity Communications Matrix be updated?

It should be reviewed at least annually and whenever there are changes to personnel, suppliers, premises, IT systems, regulatory contacts or critical business processes. Contact details should be tested regularly to ensure the matrix remains usable in an emergency.

Is a Business Continuity Communications Matrix legally required in the UK?

A communications matrix is not usually a standalone legal requirement, but it can help demonstrate good governance, operational resilience and preparedness. Regulated UK organisations may need robust incident communication arrangements under sector rules, contractual duties or standards such as ISO 22301.

Does the matrix need to consider UK GDPR?

Yes. Because the matrix may contain personal contact details, it should be handled in line with UK GDPR and the Data Protection Act 2018. Organisations should limit access, use secure storage, keep data accurate, define retention rules and ensure emergency contact use is lawful and proportionate.

Who is responsible for maintaining the communications matrix?

Responsibility usually sits with the business continuity manager, operations lead, risk manager or incident management team. However, each department should own the accuracy of its contacts, and senior management should approve the matrix as part of the wider continuity framework.

How should escalation be handled in a communications matrix?

It should define escalation levels based on incident severity, business impact, affected locations, regulatory reporting needs and stakeholder sensitivity. Escalation routes should show when to involve senior leaders, legal advisers, regulators, insurers, customers or emergency services.

Should the matrix include pre-approved communication templates?

Yes. Pre-approved templates for staff alerts, customer notices, supplier updates, regulator notifications and media holding statements can improve speed and consistency. Templates should be tailored to UK terminology, legal risk and the organisation’s tone of voice.

How can the matrix help with customer communications during disruption?

The matrix can assign responsibilities for customer communications, including who approves messages, which customers are notified first, what channels are used, and how often updates are issued. This helps protect trust and manage expectations during service disruption.

How is the matrix used during a cyber incident?

For cyber incidents, the matrix should include IT security leads, data protection contacts, legal advisers, insurers, senior decision-makers, communications teams and any relevant regulators or customers. It should also identify secure alternative channels if email or core systems are compromised.

How do you test a Business Continuity Communications Matrix?

It should be tested through call-tree exercises, tabletop scenarios, incident simulations and out-of-hours contact checks. Testing should confirm whether contacts are reachable, channels work, roles are understood and escalation routes are practical.

What is the difference between a communications matrix and a contact list?

A communications matrix focuses on stakeholders, channels, responsibilities and message timing. A contact list is usually just names and contact details. The matrix provides context and decision support, making it more useful during high-pressure incidents.

Can AI help create a Business Continuity Communications Matrix for a UK business?

Yes. An AI-generated matrix can provide a structured starting point for a UK Business Continuity Plan, including stakeholder categories, channels and escalation logic. It should still be reviewed by relevant business owners to ensure accuracy, compliance and operational suitability.

EN-GB>Governance>Business Continuity Plan>UK Business Continuity Communications Matrix

Business Continuity Communications Matrix In The United Kingdom

Created: 11 Jun 2026

This structured dataset helps United Kingdom organisations define clear communication roles, contacts, and escalation paths during disruptions. It supports faster decision-making and aligns with an AI Generated Business Continuity Plan for use in the United Kingdom.

Audience	Message Purpose	Preferred Channels	Initial Communication Timing	Message Owner
Internal
Board of directors	Strategic impact, decisions, risk appetite and approvals	Phone bridge, secure email, board portal	Within 1 hour	Chief Executive Officer
Executive crisis management team	Incident status, response priorities and command actions	Conference call, Teams, secure messaging	Immediate	Incident Commander
Incident response team	Mobilisation, task allocation and situation updates	SMS, phone, emergency notification app	Immediate	Business Continuity Manager
All employees	Safety instructions, work arrangements and service status	Email, SMS, intranet, messaging app	Within 1 hour	Human Resources Director
On-site employees and contractors	Evacuation, shelter, access and welfare instructions	PA system, wardens, SMS, signage	Immediate	Facilities Manager
Remote and hybrid workers	System access, homeworking guidance and expected availability	Email, Teams, SMS, intranet	Within 4 hours	HR and IT Service Lead
Line managers	Team briefing points and escalation routes	Email, Teams, manager call	Within 1 hour	Operations Director
Critical process owners	Recovery priorities, resource needs and workaround status	Teams, phone, status dashboard	Within 1 hour	Business Continuity Manager
IT service desk	Ticket triage, user scripts and outage updates	ITSM tool, Teams, phone bridge	Immediate	Head of IT Operations
Cyber security team	Containment actions, threat intelligence and evidence handling	Secure messaging, phone, incident platform	Immediate	Chief Information Security Officer
Data Protection Officer	Personal data risk, breach assessment and notification advice	Phone, secure email, incident log	Immediate	Incident Commander
Legal counsel	Legal risk, privilege, notices and liability issues	Phone, secure email, privileged workspace	Within 1 hour	General Counsel
Human resources team	Staff welfare, absence, payroll and policy guidance	Email, HR system, Teams	Within 1 hour	HR Director
Health and safety team	Injury, hazard control, site safety and statutory reporting	Phone, incident form, email	Immediate	Health and Safety Manager
Finance team	Cashflow, payment controls and financial exposure	Email, finance system, Teams	Within 4 hours	Chief Financial Officer
Payroll team	Payroll continuity, cut-offs and employee pay updates	HR system, email, phone	Within 24 hours	Payroll Manager
Facilities and premises team	Building access, repairs, security and relocation actions	Phone, radio, email, CAFM system	Immediate	Facilities Manager
First aiders and fire wardens	Emergency duties, muster points and casualty information	Radio, PA, phone, warden briefing	Immediate	Health and Safety Manager
Corporate communications team	Approved statements, media lines and stakeholder messaging	Teams, email, press office line	Within 1 hour	Communications Director
Sales and account teams	Customer scripts, service impact and escalation guidance	CRM notes, email, Teams briefing	Within 4 hours	Sales Director
Customer support team	Call scripts, FAQs, ticket prioritisation and response times	Contact centre platform, knowledge base, Teams	Within 1 hour	Customer Service Manager
Procurement team	Alternative sourcing, supplier status and purchase approvals	Email, procurement system, Teams	Within 4 hours	Head of Procurement
Employee representatives or trade union	Workforce impact, safety concerns and consultation points	Email, meeting, formal notice	Within 24 hours	HR Director
Vulnerable or at-risk employees	Welfare checks, reasonable adjustments and safe work guidance	Phone, HR email, manager contact	Within 4 hours	HR Director
External
Visitors on site	Evacuation, access restrictions and welfare instructions	Reception, PA, wardens, signage	Immediate	Site Manager
Emergency services	Life safety, incident location, hazards and access details	999 call, site liaison, radio	Immediate	Incident Commander
Local authority resilience team	Local disruption, public safety coordination and community impact	Phone, email, formal update	As required	Incident Commander
Police non-emergency liaison	Crime, security incident or public order support	101, local contact, email	As required	Security Manager
Landlord or managing agent	Building closure, access, utilities and repair coordination	Phone, email, facilities portal	Within 1 hour	Facilities Manager
Supplier
Building security contractor	Site lockdown, access control and guarding changes	Phone, radio, control room email	Immediate	Security Manager
IT managed service provider	Incident support, service restoration and SLA escalation	Service desk portal, phone, email	Immediate	Head of IT Operations
Cloud hosting provider	Platform outage, failover, backups and incident escalation	Provider portal, status page, support phone	Immediate	Cloud Operations Lead
Telecoms provider	Voice, data, mobile and call routing restoration	Support portal, phone, account manager	Immediate	IT Networks Manager
Internet service provider	Connectivity loss, routing issues and restoration estimates	Support portal, phone, NOC contact	Immediate	IT Networks Manager
Data centre provider	Facility status, power, cooling and physical access	NOC line, portal, account manager	Immediate	Infrastructure Manager
Critical software vendor	Application outage, patches, workarounds and support escalation	Support portal, email, account manager	Within 1 hour	Application Owner
Payment processor	Transaction failures, settlement status and fraud controls	Merchant portal, phone, account manager	Immediate	Finance Operations Manager
External
Bank relationship manager	Liquidity, payment disruption and fraud prevention	Phone, secure banking message, email	Within 4 hours	Chief Financial Officer
Supplier
Electricity, gas or water provider	Utility outage, safety issues and restoration estimates	Emergency number, provider portal, phone	Immediate	Facilities Manager
Building maintenance contractor	Repairs, isolation, safety checks and service restoration	Phone, CAFM system, email	Within 1 hour	Facilities Manager
Cleaning or decontamination supplier	Deep cleaning, contamination control and site reopening	Phone, email, supplier portal	Within 4 hours	Facilities Manager
Logistics and courier provider	Delivery disruption, rerouting and priority consignments	Portal, phone, account manager	Within 4 hours	Logistics Manager
Critical raw material supplier	Supply availability, substitutions and delivery priorities	Phone, email, supplier portal	Within 4 hours	Procurement Manager
Outsourced service provider	Service continuity, staffing, handover and SLA impact	Service review call, email, portal	Within 1 hour	Supplier Relationship Manager
Temporary staffing agency	Staff availability, safety instructions and shift changes	Phone, email, booking portal	Within 4 hours	Workforce Planning Manager
External
Business interruption insurer	Claim notification, loss mitigation and evidence requirements	Broker, claims line, email notice	Within 24 hours	Chief Financial Officer
Insurance broker	Policy notice, claims coordination and insurer liaison	Phone, email, claims portal	Within 24 hours	Risk Manager
External auditors	Financial reporting impact, controls and going concern issues	Email, audit portal, partner call	As required	Chief Financial Officer
Customer
Key customers	Service impact, workaround options and recovery estimates	Account manager call, email, status page	Within 4 hours	Account Director
All affected customers	Service status, expected delays and support routes	Email, website banner, status page, SMS	Within 24 hours	Customer Communications Lead
Vulnerable customers	Priority support, alternative channels and accessibility adjustments	Phone, SMS, accessible email, letter	Within 4 hours	Customer Service Manager
Customers with SLA commitments	SLA breach risk, remedies, credits and recovery plan	Formal notice, account call, service portal	Within 4 hours	Commercial Director
Consumers awaiting orders	Delivery delay, cancellation options and refund routes	Email, SMS, website account, help centre	Within 24 hours	E-commerce Manager
Affected data subjects	Breach impact, protective steps and contact point	Email, letter, website notice, call centre	As required	Data Protection Officer
Website and app users	Service availability, degraded functions and workaround links	Status page, website banner, push notification	Within 1 hour	Digital Product Owner
Call centre callers	Queue delays, alternative routes and urgent contacts	IVR message, SMS, website notice	Within 1 hour	Contact Centre Manager
Distributors and resellers	Stock availability, fulfilment delays and approved customer lines	Partner portal, email, account call	Within 4 hours	Channel Manager
External
Strategic partners	Joint service impact, dependency status and public lines	Partner call, email, secure workspace	Within 4 hours	Partnerships Director
Media and journalists	Holding statement, verified facts and public reassurance	Press office, media statement, website newsroom	As required	Communications Director
Social media followers	Short service updates, safety notices and signposting	LinkedIn, X, Facebook, pinned posts	As required	Social Media Manager
Local community or neighbours	Public safety, traffic, noise or access disruption	Website notice, local authority, letter drop	As required	Communications Director
Investors and shareholders	Material impact, recovery status and market-sensitive updates	RNS, investor email, analyst call	As required	Investor Relations Lead
Regulatory
Companies House	Filing delay risk and statutory filing matters	WebFiling, online service, formal correspondence	As required	Company Secretary
Information Commissioneru0027s Office	Personal data breach notification and follow-up information	ICO online report, phone, secure email	As required	Data Protection Officer
ICO under UK GDPR Article 33	Notify personal data breach without undue delay, where feasible within 72 hours	ICO breach reporting service	As required	Data Protection Officer
Customer
Affected individuals under UK GDPR Article 34	Communicate high-risk personal data breach without undue delay	Email, letter, website notice, call centre	As required	Data Protection Officer
Regulatory
Health and Safety Executive	Reportable workplace injury, dangerous occurrence or disease	RIDDOR online form, incident report	As required	Health and Safety Manager
HSE under RIDDOR 2013	Notify and report specified workplace incidents	HSE RIDDOR reporting service	As required	Health and Safety Manager
Internal
Employees under Health and Safety at Work etc. Act 1974	Provide safety instructions and risk control information	Briefing, signage, email, training records	Immediate	Health and Safety Manager
Regulatory
Financial Conduct Authority	Material operational incident or regulated service disruption	FCA Connect, supervisor contact, formal notice	Immediate	Compliance Officer
Prudential Regulation Authority	Operational resilience impact for PRA-regulated services	Supervisor contact, formal notification	Immediate	Compliance Officer
Bank of England FMI supervisor	Payment, clearing or settlement service disruption	Supervisor call, formal notification	Immediate	Compliance Officer
National Cyber Security Centre	Cyber incident support, reporting and technical guidance	NCSC reporting route, email, phone as applicable	As required	Chief Information Security Officer
External
Action Fraud	Fraud or cyber crime reporting in England, Wales or Northern Ireland	Online report, telephone helpline	As required	Fraud Response Lead
Police Scotland	Fraud, cyber crime or safety reporting in Scotland	101, 999, online contact form	As required	Security Manager
Regulatory
Ofcom	Telecoms, broadcast or online safety service disruption	Regulatory contact, portal, formal notice	As required	Regulatory Affairs Lead
Ofgem	Energy supplier operational disruption or consumer impact	Regulatory contact, formal notice, portal	As required	Regulatory Affairs Lead
Care Quality Commission	Health or social care service disruption and notifiable events	CQC provider portal, email, phone	As required	Registered Manager
Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency	Medicine, device, safety or supply incident reporting	MHRA portal, email, formal notice	As required	Quality or Regulatory Manager
Food Standards Agency	Food safety incident, withdrawal or recall coordination	Incident report, email, local authority liaison	Immediate	Food Safety Manager
Local environmental health officer	Food hygiene, public health or premises safety issue	Council contact, phone, email	As required	Site Manager
Environment Agency	Pollution, flooding, waste or environmental incident	Incident hotline, online report, email	Immediate	Environmental Manager
Scottish Environment Protection Agency	Scottish pollution, flooding or environmental incident	Pollution hotline, online report, email	Immediate	Environmental Manager
Natural Resources Wales	Welsh pollution, flooding or environmental incident	Incident hotline, online report, email	Immediate	Environmental Manager
Northern Ireland Environment Agency	Northern Ireland environmental incident reporting	Pollution hotline, online report, email	Immediate	Environmental Manager
HM Revenue and Customs	Tax, payroll, customs or reporting disruption	Government Gateway, helpline, agent contact	As required	Tax Manager
The Pensions Regulator	Pension administration, contributions or trustee reporting issue	Online service, email, helpline	As required	Pensions Manager
Charity Commission	Serious incident affecting charity assets, beneficiaries or reputation	Online serious incident report	As required	Charity Secretary or Trustee Lead
Ofsted	Childcare or education setting closure or serious incident	Online notification, email, phone	As required	Safeguarding Lead
Local safeguarding partners	Safeguarding concern, vulnerable person risk or care disruption	Council referral route, phone, secure email	Immediate	Designated Safeguarding Lead
Customer, Regulatory
NHS local contact or commissioner	Clinical service disruption, patient risk and recovery status	Commissioner contact, email, incident call	Immediate	Clinical Lead
Customer
Patients or service users	Appointment changes, safety advice and alternative care routes	Phone, SMS, letter, patient portal	Within 4 hours	Service Manager
Parents or guardians	Closure, safeguarding, collection and remote learning instructions	SMS, email, school app, website	Immediate	Headteacher or Setting Manager
Students or learners	Class changes, online access and welfare support	Learning platform, email, SMS, app	Within 4 hours	Academic Operations Lead
Regulatory
Professional regulator	Professional service disruption or conduct-related notification	Regulator portal, email, formal letter	As required	Compliance Officer
Solicitors Regulation Authority	Law firm service disruption, client money or confidentiality risk	SRA report form, email, phone	As required	Compliance Officer for Legal Practice
Customer
Client matter contacts	Case deadlines, document access and alternative contact route	Email, phone, client portal, letter	Within 24 hours	Client Relationship Partner
Critical project clients	Milestone impact, resource changes and revised delivery plan	Project call, email, collaboration tool	Within 4 hours	Project Sponsor
Customer, Supplier
Contract counterparties	Force majeure, suspension, variation or formal notice	Formal notice, email, courier, legal letter	As required	General Counsel
Supplier
Work area recovery provider	Workspace activation, seat allocation and access logistics	Activation hotline, email, portal	Within 1 hour	Business Continuity Manager
Records storage provider	Archive access, retrieval priorities and chain of custody	Provider portal, email, phone	Within 24 hours	Records Manager
Secure destruction supplier	Suspension, collection changes and information security controls	Phone, email, supplier portal	As required	Information Governance Manager
Email security provider	Phishing campaign, mailbox compromise and filtering changes	Support portal, phone, SOC channel	Immediate	Security Operations Lead
Backup and recovery provider	Backup integrity, restoration priorities and recovery time estimates	Support portal, phone, recovery bridge	Immediate	Infrastructure Manager
External
Cyber insurer	Incident notification, panel support and claim conditions	Breach hotline, broker, claims portal	Within 1 hour	Risk Manager
Supplier
Digital forensics firm	Evidence preservation, compromise assessment and recovery advice	Emergency hotline, secure workspace, phone	Immediate	Chief Information Security Officer
Crisis PR agency	Reputation advice, holding lines and media handling	Phone, email, secure document share	Within 1 hour	Communications Director
External legal advisers	Privilege, regulatory notifications and contractual exposure	Phone, secure email, client portal	Within 1 hour	General Counsel
Occupational health provider	Employee health advice, fitness for work and welfare support	Referral portal, email, phone	Within 24 hours	HR Director
Employee assistance provider	Trauma support, counselling access and staff wellbeing routes	Provider hotline, email, HR portal	Within 24 hours	HR Director
Travel management company	Traveller location, rebooking and emergency assistance	Emergency travel line, app, email	Immediate	Travel Risk Manager
Internal
Employees travelling on business	Safety checks, travel changes and consular advice	SMS, travel app, phone, email	Immediate	Travel Risk Manager
Overseas offices or subsidiaries	Group impact, dependency status and local response alignment	Email, Teams, regional call	Within 4 hours	Group Operations Director
Parent company	Group risk, escalation decisions and shared resources	Executive call, secure email, reporting dashboard	Within 1 hour	Chief Executive Officer
Customer, Supplier
Franchisees	Brand instructions, operations changes and customer messaging	Franchise portal, email, conference call	Within 4 hours	Franchise Operations Manager
Customer
Licensees	Licensed service impact, brand controls and notice requirements	Formal notice, portal, account call	Within 24 hours	Commercial Director
External
Lenders and creditors	Financial covenant impact, liquidity and recovery assumptions	Relationship manager call, formal notice, email	As required	Chief Financial Officer
Supplier
Billing or collections provider	Billing suspension, customer scripts and payment processing	Portal, email, service call	Within 24 hours	Finance Operations Manager
Warehouse or fulfilment provider	Stock status, picking priorities and delivery alternatives	WMS, phone, account manager	Within 4 hours	Supply Chain Manager
Internal
Production teams	Shutdown, restart, quality controls and shift changes	Supervisor briefing, radio, noticeboard, SMS	Immediate	Production Manager
Quality assurance team	Quality holds, release decisions and recall assessment	QMS, email, incident call	Within 1 hour	Quality Manager
Customer
Customers affected by product recall	Recall instructions, safety risk and refund or replacement route	Email, website notice, letter, retailer notice	Immediate	Product Safety Manager
Regulatory
Office for Product Safety and Standards	Unsafe product notification and corrective action coordination	Product safety reporting route, email, formal notice	As required	Product Safety Manager
External
Transport authority or operator	Access, route closure, commuting disruption and freight impact	Website, helpline, operator contact, email	As required	Operations Manager
Supplier
Postal service provider	Mail redirection, delivery suspension and priority dispatch	Business portal, phone, account manager	Within 24 hours	Office Manager
Waste management contractor	Waste collection, hazardous waste and site hygiene issues	Phone, email, contractor portal	Within 4 hours	Facilities Manager
Dangerous goods safety adviser	Hazardous goods incident, containment and transport advice	Phone, email, incident report	Immediate	Environmental Manager
Internal
Trade union during industrial action	Operational contingency, safety arrangements and negotiation updates	Formal letter, meeting, email	As required	HR Director
External
Job candidates	Interview changes, onboarding delays and contact routes	Email, phone, applicant tracking system	Within 24 hours	Recruitment Manager
Internal
New starters	Start date, onboarding access and location changes	Email, phone, HR system	Within 24 hours	Recruitment Manager
Internal, External
Exercise observers and auditors	Exercise scope, injects, findings and improvement actions	Email, workshop, report	As required	Business Continuity Manager
External
ISO 22301 certification body	Certification impact, audit scheduling and corrective actions	Email, audit portal, assessor call	As required	Business Continuity Manager
ISO 27001 certification body	Information security incident impact and audit evidence	Email, audit portal, assessor call	As required	Information Security Manager
Internal
Plan holders	Plan activation, version control and document access	BC portal, email, secure document library	Immediate	Business Continuity Manager
Senior responsible owner	Recovery performance, risk acceptance and resource escalation	Phone, executive dashboard, email	Within 1 hour	Incident Commander
Gold, silver and bronze commanders	Command intent, tactical actions and operational updates	Command call, radio, secure messaging	Immediate	Incident Commander
External
Mutual aid partners	Resource request, capability availability and deployment terms	Phone, email, mutual aid forum	As required	Operations Director
Industry body or trade association	Sector disruption intelligence and coordinated public messaging	Member portal, email, working group call	As required	Public Affairs Lead
Customer
Government contract manager	Public contract impact, service risk and recovery milestones	Contract notice, email, service review call	Within 4 hours	Public Sector Account Lead
NHS supply chain customer	Critical supply risk, allocation and alternative fulfilment	Account call, portal, email notice	Immediate	Healthcare Account Director
Critical national infrastructure customer	Priority service impact, resilience status and escalation route	Secure email, duty officer phone, formal notice	Immediate	Account Director
Internal, Regulatory
Senior managers under SMCR	Accountability, conduct risk and regulatory escalation decisions	Secure email, phone, governance log	Immediate	Compliance Officer
Supplier
Data processors	Processor breach details, containment and contractual notice	Secure email, incident portal, DPA notice	Immediate	Data Protection Officer
External
Joint data controllers	Breach coordination, controller duties and customer messaging	Secure email, governance call, formal notice	Immediate	Data Protection Officer
Supplier
Supplier with personal data access	Access restriction, breach containment and evidence preservation	Secure email, phone, supplier portal	Immediate	Information Security Manager
Emergency notification system provider	Mass notification activation, delivery status and contact list support	Provider portal, support line, email	Immediate	Business Continuity Manager
SMS gateway provider	Bulk messaging availability, delivery failures and failover	Provider portal, API dashboard, support phone	Within 1 hour	IT Service Lead
Internal
Internal audit	Control failures, evidence preservation and post-incident review	Email, audit system, review meeting	Within 24 hours	Risk Manager
Risk committee	Risk profile, controls, lessons and remediation funding	Committee paper, email, meeting	Within 24 hours	Chief Risk Officer
Compliance monitoring team	Regulatory obligations, evidence and breach registers	Compliance system, email, Teams	Within 1 hour	Compliance Officer
Complaints team	Complaint scripts, extensions and vulnerable customer handling	CRM, email, knowledge base	Within 4 hours	Customer Experience Manager
Regulatory
Relevant ombudsman	Complaint handling disruption and consumer redress information	Case portal, email, formal response	As required	Complaints Manager
Customer
Accessibility support users	Accessible formats, alternative contact and reasonable adjustments	Phone, accessible email, large print letter	Within 24 hours	Customer Service Manager
Disabled customers under Equality Act 2010	Reasonable adjustments and accessible disruption communications	Accessible email, phone, large print, relay service	As required	Customer Service Manager
Internal
Whistleblowing officer	Protected disclosure route and independent escalation	Confidential hotline, secure email, portal	As required	General Counsel
Internal, Regulatory
Sanctions compliance lead	Restricted payments, frozen assets and reporting decisions	Secure email, compliance system, phone	Immediate	Money Laundering Reporting Officer
Money Laundering Reporting Officer	Suspicious activity, fraud controls and reporting decisions	Secure email, SAR portal, phone	Immediate	Compliance Officer
Regulatory
National Crime Agency	Suspicious activity report or fraud intelligence submission	SAR portal, secure reporting route	As required	Money Laundering Reporting Officer

Who Should Be Included In A UK Business Continuity Communications Matrix?

A robust UK business continuity communications matrix should separate internal command audiences, such as the board, incident management team, employees and site wardens, from external dependency audiences, such as IT providers, utilities, landlords, logistics partners, customers, insurers and regulators. The records show that different groups need different first-contact timings: life-safety, incident control, regulators and critical suppliers are usually contacted immediately, while broader employee, customer and investor updates may follow within 1 to 24 hours.

Which Communications Need Legal Or Regulatory Awareness In The UK?

Personal data incidents: the ICO should be considered where a personal data breach may require notification, with UK GDPR requiring notification without undue delay and, where feasible, within 72 hours.
Serious workplace incidents: HSE notification may be required under RIDDOR for reportable injuries, dangerous occurrences or work-related disease.
Cyber and financial services incidents: regulated firms may need to notify the FCA, PRA or sector bodies, while telecoms and digital service providers may have additional reporting routes.
Employees and representatives: workforce messaging should be coordinated with HR, health and safety, and employee representatives where operational changes affect working arrangements, safety or attendance.

What Practical Steps Improve Business Continuity Communications?

Assign a named message owner for every audience so communications are not delayed by uncertainty during plan activation.
Use multiple channels for urgent audiences, such as phone, SMS, secure messaging and emergency notification tools, because email may be unavailable during cyber, power or network incidents.
Pre-approve templates for regulators, customers, employees, media, insurers and critical suppliers to reduce the risk of inaccurate or inconsistent statements.
Keep separate lists for customers, suppliers and regulators, as contractual notice periods, service level commitments and statutory reporting windows may differ.

Business Continuity Communications Matrix

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FAQs

What is a Business Continuity Communications Matrix in the United Kingdom?

A Business Continuity Communications Matrix is a structured table that defines who must be contacted during a disruption, why they are contacted, when communication should occur, which channel to use, and who is responsible for sending the message. In the UK, it supports consistent communication with staff, customers, suppliers, regulators, insurers and other stakeholders during incidents.

What should a UK Business Continuity Communications Matrix include?

Why does a business need a communications matrix for business continuity?

How does a communications matrix relate to a Business Continuity Plan?

Who should be listed as internal stakeholders in the matrix?

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