Several London local authorities are grappling with major IT disruption after what is believed to be a wave of cyber-attacks over the past 48 hours.

Kensington & Chelsea, Hackney, Westminster, and Hammersmith & Fulham councils have all reported significant technical issues, with some warning that key services have been affected.

Hackney Council elevated its cyber-security threat level to *critical*, urging staff to remain vigilant and protect residents’ data. In Westminster, officials said residents were struggling to contact the council after systems were shut down as a precaution.

The Metropolitan Police has been approached for comment. A spokesperson for Kensington & Chelsea (RBKC) confirmed the borough is working with Westminster and external cyber-security specialists to investigate the incident and restore services.

Internal memos seen by the Local Democracy Reporting Service (LDRS) suggest the attacks may be coordinated. Hackney staff were warned of increased phishing attempts, while Westminster activated its business continuity plans and emergency response procedures.

In a statement on X, RBKC said it was dealing with a “serious IT issue” affecting communication channels. Some systems have reportedly been offline for up to three days.

Hammersmith & Fulham Council has also circulated an internal note acknowledging a “serious cyber-security incident”.

London Mayor Sadiq Khan said he had not been briefed on the attacks but stressed that City Hall is working with councils, the London Office of Technology and Innovation, and the National Crime Agency to strengthen cyber-resilience. “The reality is those who breach protections will keep trying new ways,” he said.

Hackney Council previously suffered a major cyber-attack in 2020, when criminals accessed and encrypted 440,000 files, impacting at least 280,000 residents and staff. The Information Commissioner’s Office later reprimanded the council over shortcomings in its data-security processes. Photo by Richard Kelly, Wikimedia commons.