UK software piracy rate falls for first time in three years

UK software piracy rates have dropped for the first time in three years, reports the Business Software Alliance.

The Alliance says software piracy is down to 26% in the UK, going by research it had commissioned from analyst IDC.

This figure for 2007 represents a 1% drop from the amount of illegal or unlicensed software used on UK PCs in 2006.

Losses as a result of software piracy hit £925m in the UK, said IDC.

The reduction follows enforcement programmes over the last year in the UK. These included the launch of a dedicated, regional programme, which targeted Glasgow on account of specific piracy problems.

The attention will be turning on Manchester in the coming weeks, said the Alliance.