Key Takeaways
- Co-managed IT in the UK offers a hybrid MSP model that enhances internal IT teams with external support, scalability, and expertise.
- Over 79% of UK SMEs plan to invest in MSP partnerships in 2025, with cybersecurity and cloud management leading the demand.
- Industry use cases across healthcare, retail, and professional services highlight how co-management reduces downtime, boosts compliance, and streamlines operations.
- Co-managed IT services by Fortray combines UK-based engineers, 24/7 support, and strategic reviews to future-proof SME infrastructure.
In a digital-first economy, businesses in United Kingdom face a perfect storm: rising cybersecurity risks, complex IT infrastructures, and an evolving hybrid workforce. While traditional in-house IT teams struggle with limited budgets and staffing, fully outsourced models often lack alignment with business culture and day-to-day priorities.
This is where co-managed IT, a hybrid MSP model, emerges as the ideal solution! Blending internal IT expertise with the scalability and depth of a managed service provider, co-managed IT is reshaping how UK SMEs stay agile, secure, and competitive.
Let’s explore why this model is the future of business resilience in the UK and how your organisation can benefit!
What Is Co‑Managed IT?
Co‑managed IT is a partnership where your internal IT team collaborates with a Managed Service Provider (MSP) to share responsibilities, reduce workloads, and enhance capabilities. Unlike full outsourcing, you retain control while benefiting from external support, tools, and cybersecurity infrastructure.
You might keep your internal IT team focused on strategy or systems they know best, while the MSP handles helpdesk support, patch management, cloud migrations, or even cybersecurity. It’s a scalable, flexible, and cost-effective way to boost resilience IT without hiring more staff or stretching resources thin.
Why It Matters More Than Ever in 2025?
The IT landscape has changed drastically, and internal IT teams are under pressure!
- Over 5.5 million SMEs in the UK contribute £2.8 trillion to the economy, making SME digital health essential to national resilience (Source: FSB, 2024)
- 43% of UK SMEs experienced a cyberattack in the past 12 months (Source: Gov.uk Cyber Security Breaches Survey, 2025)
- Cybersecurity, cloud complexity, and talent shortages are top concerns for CIOs across every sector
At the same time, digital budgets are increasing, but so are expectations.
- 79% of SMEs plan to invest in MSP partnerships this year (Source: Channel Futures UK Survey, 2025)
- 52% of IT budgets are now dedicated to cybersecurity and cloud transformation (Source: Spiceworks)
These figures underscore the need for shared responsibility and expertise, the very foundation of co-managed IT!
Key Benefits of Co‑Managed IT for UK SMEs
1. Extend Internal Capacity Without Replacing Staff
Internal IT teams are often overworked, forced to juggle strategic goals with daily support tasks. Co‑management allows businesses to free up internal teams to focus on innovation, automation, and digital transformation.
2. Access Specialised Skills Instantly
Need cybersecurity monitoring, GDPR compliance, or complex cloud architecture advice? Hiring full-time specialists can take months and blow budgets. With co‑managed IT, expertise is always on tap, from penetration testing to M365 configuration.
3. Ensure 24/7 Monitoring and Security
Internal teams may only operate 9–5, but threats don’t follow business hours. A hybrid MSP model ensures 24/7 monitoring, endpoint protection, and incident response, even when your in-house team is offline.
4. Reduce Downtime and Improve Continuity
Downtime costs UK SMEs up to £12,000 per hour. With shared responsibilities, response times improve, patching is automated, and issues are resolved proactively, not reactively.
5. Retain Strategic Control
Unlike full outsourcing, you don’t lose oversight. Your team defines the IT roadmap, while the MSP aligns services and support to your business priorities.
How to Implement Co‑Managed IT Effectively?
Thinking of making the switch? Here’s how to set your hybrid model up for success:
1. Define Roles and Scope Clearly
Clarify what your internal team handles vs. what the MSP covers. Start with high-impact areas like:
- 24/7 support desk
- Patch management
- Microsoft 365 management
- Cybersecurity audits
2. Use Shared Tools and Portals
Choose ITSM platforms that allow visibility on both sides. This promotes transparency and eliminates guesswork.
3. Agree on SLAs and Escalation Paths
Ensure that all stakeholders understand timelines, service levels, and who does what in a crisis.
4. Review Quarterly, Strategise Annually
Schedule regular strategy reviews with your MSP. Align performance, update objectives, and address new business needs.
Strategic Use Cases of Co‑Managed IT in UK Industries
Co‑managed IT isn’t limited to one sector; it’s powering operational agility across diverse UK industries. Here’s how different businesses are embracing this hybrid approach:
Healthcare
Medical clinics and care providers rely on co‑managed IT to maintain GDPR compliance, ensure zero downtime for patient systems, and gain access to around-the-clock cybersecurity—without hiring additional full-time IT staff.
Professional Services
Law firms, consultancies, and accounting practices use co‑management to oversee secure remote access, enable collaboration across Microsoft 365, and offload helpdesk operations—freeing in-house teams to focus on compliance and client-facing technology.
Retail & E-Commerce
Retailers use co‑managed IT for patch management, endpoint protection, and POS system uptime—critical during high-traffic seasons. The shared model ensures real-time support while internal teams handle logistics and CX platforms.
Manufacturing
Manufacturers often use co‑managed IT to maintain legacy ERP systems while adopting new cloud platforms. The hybrid model helps bridge the talent gap and ensures continuity during digital upgrades.
The Future of IT Resilience: Why Co‑Management Leads the Way?
With remote work entrenched, threats increasing, and digital transformation on every roadmap, businesses can no longer afford reactive IT. But, co‑managed models:
- Scale faster without increasing headcount
- Support cloud adoption and automation initiatives
- Enable business continuity and compliance
- Drive value from both internal and external expertise
As AI, zero-trust security, and hybrid clouds become standard, co-management provides the flexible, collaborative framework UK businesses need to thrive.
Why Fortray Is the Co‑Managed IT Partner for UK Businesses?
In 2025, UK SMEs are navigating a rapidly shifting digital landscape, facing rising cyber threats, remote work complexities, cloud infrastructure challenges, and increasing pressure to innovate. For many, internal IT teams alone can’t keep up with the pace of change. We, at Fortray, don’t just provide end-user IT support. Our experts work alongside your internal team to design, secure, and optimise your entire IT environment. Being a trusted, London-based MSP, Fortray brings over two decades of experience helping UK businesses achieve digital resilience. From real-time support and secure endpoint management to cloud infrastructure oversight and strategic IT planning, Fortray delivers a 360° approach to IT, tailored for the needs of small and medium-sized enterprises!
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs):
1. What is co‑managed IT in the UK?
It’s a shared IT model where internal teams and MSPs collaborate to manage and optimise IT infrastructure.
2. How does a hybrid MSP model support SMEs?
It scales expertise, enhances support, and allows SMEs to stay secure and productive without increasing headcount.
3. When should businesses consider co‑management?
When internal teams are overwhelmed or lack niche skills like cybersecurity, compliance, or 24/7 support.
4. What benchmarks show co‑managed IT UK success?
Co-managed IT models typically show improved uptime, faster response times, reduced internal workload, and enhanced cybersecurity posture across UK SMEs.
5. How does co‑management help with cybersecurity?
It provides round-the-clock monitoring, endpoint protection, and access to certified security experts without hiring internally.
