Cyber Essentials Explained – Costs, Benefits, and Certification Made Simple

Cyber Essentials at a Glance

  • What it is: A UK government-backed cybersecurity standard.
  • Cost: From £300 + VAT (Cyber Essentials) and £1,000+ (Cyber Essentials Plus).
  • Launched: 2014 by the National Cyber Security Centre (NCSC).
  • Why it matters: Protects against 80% of common cyberattacks and builds customer trust.
  • Mandatory? Required for some UK government/MOD contracts; voluntary elsewhere but widely expected.
  • Validity: 12 months (annual renewal needed).
  • Cost: From £300 + VAT (Cyber Essentials) and £1,000+ (Cyber Essentials Plus).
  • Certification:
  • Cyber Essentials: Self-assessment questionnaire.
  • Cyber Essentials Plus: Independent audit with technical checks.
  • ISO 27001 vs CE: ISO 27001 = full management system; Cyber Essentials = baseline controls.
  • Next step: Take a Cyber Essentials pre-assessment check to make certification easier and avoid costly delays.

Introduction: What is Cyber Essentials and Why It Matters

Cyber Essentials is the UK Government’s official cybersecurity certification scheme. Backed by the National Cyber Security Centre (NCSC) and delivered by the IASME Consortium, it helps organisations put in place five basic but essential security measures that protect against the majority of cyberattacks (NCSC).

For small and medium-sized businesses, Cyber Essentials is often the first step towards taking cybersecurity seriously. It’s cost-effective, practical, and widely recognised by customers, suppliers, and government bodies.

Not sure if your business is ready? Try our Cyber Essentials pre-assessment check and avoid costly surprises before you certify.

Why is Cyber Essentials Important?

Cyber Essentials is important because it provides:

  • Protection against common attacks – It stops around 80% of the most common cyber threats, such as phishing-based malware, ransomware, and password theft.
  • Trust and credibility – Displaying the Cyber Essentials badge demonstrates to customers and partners that you take security seriously.
  • Access to contracts – Many public sector and larger private sector contracts require Cyber Essentials as a baseline.
  • Independent assurance – Certification confirms your systems are secured to a government-recognised standard.

In short, Cyber Essentials is both a shield against attacks and a trust signal that helps win business.

Is Cyber Essentials Mandatory?

Cyber Essentials isn’t a legal requirement for every business. However, it is mandatory if you want to bid for certain government or Ministry of Defence contracts (Gov.uk guidance).

Even outside government work, it’s increasingly being demanded in supply chains — particularly in regulated industries like finance, legal, healthcare, and construction. While not law, in practice many businesses now see it as essential for winning and keeping clients.

A Quick History – When Was Cyber Essentials Launched?

Cyber Essentials was launched in 2014 by the UK Government as part of its National Cyber Security Strategy. The scheme is now operated by the IASME Consortium (IASME overview), who manage the certification process through accredited certification bodies.

It has evolved over time — in 2022, requirements were updated to cover modern practices such as cloud services, multi-factor authentication (MFA), and remote working security.

Is Cyber Essentials Worth It?

For most businesses, yes — Cyber Essentials is worth the investment.

Consider the costs: certification typically starts at a few hundred pounds, while the average cost of a UK SME breach is £15,300 (source: UK Gov Cyber Security Breaches Survey). Cyber Essentials reduces the risk of these expensive incidents.

Other benefits include:

  • Competitive advantage over uncertified rivals.
  • Peace of mind for directors and customers.
  • In some cases, lower cyber insurance premiums.

The bottom line: Cyber Essentials is affordable insurance against disruption, fines, and reputational damage.

Cyber Essentials Certification – What’s Involved?

Cyber Essentials vs Cyber Essentials Plus

There are two levels of certification:

  • Cyber Essentials – A self-assessment questionnaire reviewed by a certification body.
  • Cyber Essentials Plus – Includes an external audit and technical verification by an independent assessor.

Most SMEs start with Cyber Essentials, while larger or more regulated organisations often go for Cyber Essentials Plus.

Get Cyber Essentials Certified

The process is straightforward:

  1. Choose a certification body through IASME.
  2. Complete the online self-assessment questionnaire.
  3. Submit it for review by an assessor.
  4. Receive your certification if you meet the requirements.

Details of the process are on IASME’s website.

Cyber Essentials Self-Assessment Questionnaire

The questionnaire checks whether your business has five key security controls in place:

  1. Firewalls and internet gateways
  2. Secure configuration
  3. User access control
  4. Malware protection
  5. Patch management

These may sound simple, but many businesses fail certification due to missed software updates, weak access controls, or misconfigured firewalls.

Cyber Essentials vs ISO 27001

Cyber Essentials and ISO 27001 are both cybersecurity standards, but they serve different purposes.

  • Cyber Essentials: Entry-level, focused on five technical controls. Affordable and fast to achieve.
  • ISO 27001: Comprehensive Information Security Management System (ISMS) standard. Covers risk management, policies, people, and processes as well as technology.

Larger organisations often need both. SMEs usually find Cyber Essentials is the most practical starting point. (ISO overview).

Cyber Essentials Costs and Renewal

Cyber Essentials Certification Cost

Certification costs vary depending on the size of your business and whether you go for CE or CE Plus. According to IASME’s published costs:

  • Cyber Essentials certification starts from £320 + VAT for 0-9 employees, up to £600 + VAT for 250+ employees
  • Cyber Essentials Plus costs more, usually starting around £1,000+ depending on the size and complexity of your systems.

Cyber Essentials Renewal Cost

Certification lasts for one year and must be renewed annually. Renewal costs are usually the same as initial certification.

Failing to renew on time can cause problems — you may lose contracts, and your certification will no longer show up in the public database.

How Long is Cyber Essentials Valid For?

Cyber Essentials is valid for 12 months. To stay certified, you must complete the assessment and renew every year.

For many businesses, this annual cycle is a good opportunity to review IT security and keep pace with evolving threats.

Cyber Essentials Certification Check

Certification can be verified online through IASME’s certificate search tool.

This means customers, suppliers, and regulators can quickly confirm your status. It’s a public sign that your business takes security seriously.

Common Pitfalls and How to Avoid Them

The most common reasons businesses fail Cyber Essentials include:

  • Not applying security patches promptly.
  • Not enforcing multi-factor authentication.
  • Using default or weak passwords.
  • Out-of-date antivirus or no endpoint protection.
  • Mis-configured firewalls.

These aren’t just certification issues — they’re real vulnerabilities that attackers exploit every day.

Our Cyber Essentials pre-assessment check helps you find and fix these issues before you pay for certification.

Next Steps: Get Cyber Essentials Right the First Time

Cyber Essentials is affordable, practical, and recognised across the UK. It’s one of the easiest ways to improve security, reassure customers, and meet compliance requirements.

But certification isn’t always straightforward — small gaps in patching, configuration, or user access can derail the process.

Book your Cyber Essentials pre-assessment check today and get certification-ready with no wasted time or money.