Despite its size, the UK does face some key risks that merit careful consideration. For instance, its economy is highly dependent on consumers and therefore can be deeply affected by changes to consumer credit or commodity prices.

CYBER CRIME
UK Government announce £4 million of funding to counter cyber security threats at first ever US-UK cyber innovation summit.

£6.8 billion cost to economy in 2013 800 million people affected in 2013 £800 million of loss caused in one single attack during 2012

“The growth of the cyber security sector in the UK is a great success story, worth over £6 billion and employing around 40,000 people”

economic costs of unemployment
The issue
Long-term unemployment is damaging to individuals and communities, it affects mental and physical health, and holds back economic growth.
We want to help people into work and make sure that work pays. In return, people on out-of-work benefits need to take the opportunities available to them to move off benefits and into work.
Out of work older people can find it more difficult to get a job and they are more likely than younger people to remain unemployed for longer.

economic costs of unemployment
Most economists agree that high levels of unemployment are costly not only to the individuals and families directly affected, but also to local and regional economies and the economy as a whole. We can make a distinction between the economic costs arising from people out of work and the social costs that often result.
Fiscal costs to the government impact on government expenditure, taxation and the level of government borrowing each year higher benefit payments and lower tax revenues. When individuals are unemployed, not only do they receive benefits but also pay no income tax.
As they are spending less they contribute less to the government in indirect taxes.
This rise in government spending along with the fall in tax revenues may result in a higher government borrowing requirement (known as a public sector net cash requirement)
SOCIAL COSTS OF UNEMPLOYMENT
Rising unemployment is linked to social and economic deprivation - there is some relationship between rising unemployment and rising crime and worsening social dislocation (increased divorce, worsening health and lower life expectancy).
Areas of high unemployment will also see a decline in real income and spending together with a rising scale of relative poverty and income inequality. As younger workers are more geographically mobile than older employees, there is a risk that areas with above average unemployment will suffer from an ageing potential workforce - making them less attractive as investment locations for new businesses.

The true costs of Scottish independence: How it will affect your money
Analysts agree that an independent Scotland, like many small economies, could face higher interest rates, higher taxes, higher costs and greater financial instability than the rest of the UK. These could cut returns, push up charges and increase volatility. Such risks would not be welcomed by savers.
Many are expected to protect their funds by moving money south, where they will continue to operate in sterling, have interest set by the Bank of England and enjoy the protections and compensation schemes run by UK financial regulators and ombudsmen, underwritten by the Westminster government.
The more than 40 million non-Scots with accounts at banks registered in Scotland face two major worries.

Uncertainty surrounding the currency, interest rates, taxation, regulation, investor protection and financial stability of an independent Scotland look set to trigger a flight to safety, with hundreds of billions of pounds pouring south as polls narrow ahead of the Scottish independence vote in September.
Today, Standard Life, a pensions and savings giant woven into the fabric of Edinburgh, became the first major company to warn it may move part of its multi-billion pound operations to England if there