Ministers are considering stepping in to support Jaguar Land Rover’s suppliers after the carmaker was forced to suspend production due to a cyber-attack.

The attack at the end of August meant JLR was forced to shut down its IT networks. Its factories remain suspended until next month at the earliest.

Fears are growing that some suppliers, in particular the smaller firms who solely rely on JLR’s business, could go bust without support.

One idea being explored is the government buying the component parts the suppliers build, suppliers have told the BBC they are sceptical about the success of such a scheme.

The idea behind such a move would be to keep the companies in JLR’s supply chain in business until production lines are up and running again.

“To say we’re disappointed is an understatement,” said one supplier, who did not wish to be named.

They added the government “simply don’t understand the complexity of what they’re dealing with”, and “we don’t need promises, we need help”.

Chancellor Rachel Reeves was asked during a ministerial visit on Thursday if the government planned to support firms in JLR’s supply chain.

She said the focus was on getting the business running again, and the government was going to do “everything we can to stand by the company and the wider supply chain”.

JLR, which is owned by India’s Tata Motors, normally builds about 1,000 cars a day at its three factories in Solihull and Wolverhampton in West Midlands, and Halewood in Merseyside.

However, workers were sent home following the hack – which first came to light on 1 September – with no firm return date.

About 30,000 people are directly employed at the company’s plants with about 100,000 working for firms in the supply chain. Some of these firms supply parts exclusively to JLR, while others sell components to other carmakers as well.

There are also other companies that could be indirectly affected, such as cafes near to the manufacturing plants and transport companies that work with JLR.

JLR confirmed this week that its factories will not resume operations until at least 1 October, with earlier reports suggesting the disruption could last into November.

If the government was to step in, it is believed to be the first time that a company would have received help as a result of a cyber-attack.

Unions have called for a Covid-style furlough scheme, but ministers have ruled this out given its likely cost, sources have told the BBC.

While the purchase and stockpiling of car parts by the government is an option on the table, this would present considerable logistical challenges.

JLR’s manufacturing process relies on the right part arriving at the right place, at the right time.

Another option being considered are government-backed loans to suppliers, though this is understood to be unpopular with suppliers.

Speaking to BBC Radio 4’s Today programme, former Conservative mayor of the West Midlands, Andy Street, said the companies in JLR’s supply chain had been “very successful” and he supported offering them government-backed loans.

An investigation is under way into the attack, which is believed to be costing the company at least £50m a week in lost production.

It has been reported by industry publication The Insurer that JLR had not been able to finalise an agreement for insurance against a cyber-attack ahead of the incident. The BBC has contacted JLR for a response.

In recent years, dozens of high-profile hacks have prompted governments to take measures to help companies affected, with experts at places like the National Cyber Security Centre sent to help recovery efforts.

But the idea of supporting companies financially is something that has not been considered, as the burden is normally shouldered by the insurance industry or the companies themselves.

In the US, authorities have carried out “hack backs” against cyber-crime groups, which has led to the clawing back of millions of dollars that criminals have taken in ransoms that are then given back to victims.

JLR also has large factories in Slovakia and China, as well as a smaller facility in India, which have also been affected by the shutdown.

The Business and Trade Select Committee is due to meet on Thursday afternoon to hear testimonies from businesses in JLR’s supply chain.

This evidence will be shared with the government afterwards.

Senior government figures are concerned about a pattern of cyber-attacks on UK institutions and businesses, such as the British Library, Marks & Spencer, and the Co-op.

A group calling itself Scattered Lapsus$ Hunters has claimed responsibility for the hack on JLR, Marks & Spencer, and Co-op.

On Thursday, Co-op reported that the cyber-attack it suffered earlier this year cost it at least £206m in lost revenues.

JLR has been receiving support from the National Cyber Security Centre and the National Crime Agency.

The Department for Business and Trade said ministers had discussed “the impacts of the cyber-incident and how JLR can work towards restarting production”.

In its most recent statement, JLR said: “Our focus remains on supporting our customers, suppliers, colleagues, and our retailers, who remain open.”

Additional reporting by Pritti Mistry and Michael Sheils McNamee