Cyber Essentials Certification

We check your systems against the scheme, fix anything that would fail, and guide you through the assessment. Every business we’ve prepared has passed.

Cyber Essentials

Certified first time, without the stress

Cyber Essentials is the UK government-backed scheme that shows your business is protected against the most common cyber attacks. Getting the certificate is mostly about making sure five sets of controls are really in place, then answering the assessment questions accurately.

That’s where most businesses get stuck: one cloud app without multi-factor authentication, an old laptop that no longer gets updates, or an admin account used for everyday work, and the assessment fails.

We find those problems before the assessor does, fix them, and help you complete the assessment. Every business we’ve prepared for Cyber Essentials has passed.

Book a Call

Price

From £295 + VAT, plus the IASME assessment fee

Check of your devices, accounts and cloud services against the scheme
Fixes for anything that would fail
Help completing the assessment questions
A reminder before your annual renewal

Our price doesn’t include the IASME assessment fee, which is paid separately and depends on the size of your organisation: currently £320 + VAT for up to 9 staff and £440 + VAT for 10 to 49. We’ll confirm the total before we start.

The five controls

What Cyber Essentials checks

The scheme covers every device and cloud service your business uses to handle its data, including laptops at home and phones that get work email.

Firewalls

Every device and internet connection is protected by a properly configured firewall.

Secure configuration

Default passwords changed, unnecessary software and accounts removed, auto-run switched off.

User access control

Accounts only for people who need them, separate admin accounts, and multi-factor authentication on cloud services.

Malware protection

Anti-malware on every device that needs it, kept up to date.

Security updates

Supported software only, with critical and high-risk updates installed within 14 days of release.

What changed in 2026

The rules got stricter in April

Assessments opened since 27 April 2026 use the new “Danzell” question set (Cyber Essentials version 3.3). The main changes:

Multi-factor authentication is now a hard requirement on every cloud service that offers it, including add-ons you would have to pay for. If it’s available and not switched on, the assessment fails.
Cloud services can’t be left out. The scheme now defines a cloud service, and any your staff sign up to with a work email address are in scope.
Passkeys count. Passwordless sign-in with FIDO2 passkeys is now recognised. Read our guide to passkeys.

If you opened an assessment before 27 April 2026, you have until 26 October 2026 to finish it under the previous rules. Renewals are assessed against the new rules.

How it works

Four steps to your certificate

Check. We review your devices, accounts, network and cloud services against the requirements.
Fix. We sort out anything that would fail: updates, unsupported software, admin rights, multi-factor authentication.
Assess. We help you answer the assessment questions accurately, and a director signs it off.
Certified. You get your certificate, which customers and suppliers can check. It lasts 12 months, and we remind you before it’s due.

Who needs it

Why businesses get certified

UK central government buyers ask for Cyber Essentials, or equivalent controls, on contracts that involve handling personal information or providing certain IT services, and many councils, larger companies and insurers now ask for it in supplier checks.

Even if nobody is asking yet, it’s a sensible baseline for any business holding client data, and it makes you a harder target than the business next door.

Already a client?

You’re most of the way there

We keep every system we manage to the Cyber Essentials standard whether you’re certified or not: multi-factor authentication enforced, updates managed, anti-malware on every device. For most of our managed IT clients, getting the certificate is mostly paperwork.

Need the higher level? We help businesses get Cyber Essentials Plus too. Plus adds a hands-on technical audit of your devices and systems by the certification body, so we prepare you for it, fix anything the auditor would find, and support you through the audit itself. Ask us and we’ll talk you through what’s involved for your business.

Questions

Cyber Essentials FAQs

How much does Cyber Essentials cost?

Our Cyber Essentials service starts from £295 + VAT. That doesn’t include the IASME assessment fee, which is charged separately according to the size of your organisation: currently £320 + VAT for up to 9 staff and £440 + VAT for 10 to 49. We’ll confirm the total before we start. Our article on what Cyber Essentials costs explains the fees in detail.

Can you help with Cyber Essentials Plus?

Yes. Cyber Essentials Plus covers the same controls as Cyber Essentials, but the certification body also tests your systems hands-on. We get you ready for that audit, fix anything that would fail and support you on the day. The certification body’s audit fee depends on your size and set-up, so we’ll quote once we know your systems.

Are you a certification body?

No. The certificate is issued by an IASME-licensed certification body. Our job is to get your business ready, fix what would fail and help you complete the assessment, which is why every business we’ve prepared has passed.

How long does it take?

It depends mainly on how much needs fixing. For businesses whose IT we already manage, it’s usually quick, because the controls are already in place. For new clients, we’ll tell you after the initial check.

What happens if something would fail?

We fix it before the assessment goes in. Common fixes are switching on multi-factor authentication for a cloud app, replacing software that no longer gets security updates, and separating admin accounts from everyday ones.

Do home workers and phones count?

Yes. Any device used to access your organisation’s data or services is in scope, including laptops at home and phones used for work email. We’ll help you work out what’s in scope.

How long does the certificate last?

12 months. You renew each year, and renewals are assessed against whichever version of the requirements is current at the time.

Let’s get you transferred across

It’s a Piece of Cake to Transfer to Us

We handle everything so there is no need to worry about any of the transfer process. We have done it many times before!

Book a Call Get more info

Guides on this topic

13 October 2026

How much does Cyber Essentials cost in 2026?

The certification fee by business size, what Cyber Essentials Plus adds, renewal, and the hidden costs that catch people out.

Passkeys: what the NCSC’s new advice means for your business

The NCSC now recommends passkeys over passwords. What they are, why they stop phishing, how they work in Microsoft 365 and Cyber Essentials, and where to start.

It’s very simple

How To Get Started With Us

We’ve made transferring to us effortless with our Easy Transfer Service. Book your free consultation now to get started!

Book a Call