Is Cyber Essentials worth it?
Cyber Essentials can be valuable for UK SMEs that need procurement eligibility, a documented control baseline, or evidence for customer and insurer reviews. Fig Group publishes the Micro tier at £299.99 + VAT.
Section 01
Is Cyber Essentials worth it?
Yes - for almost every UK SME, Cyber Essentials is worth considering. Fig Group's published Micro-tier price is £299.99 + VAT, and the certificate is increasingly a prerequisite for UK procurement. Eligible certificate holders may separately receive a cyber-liability benefit arranged by IASME and its insurance partner; eligibility criteria and policy terms apply, and Fig does not provide or arrange it. Any effect on standalone insurance is decided independently by the insurer.
Here is the honest answer.
Section 02
Where Cyber Essentials is always worth it
- Specified procurement requirements. PPN 014 makes Cyber Essentials relevant to certain higher-risk central-government and NHS contracts, while defence and enterprise buyers can set their own requirements. The tender or contract determines whether CE, Plus, equivalent controls, or another standard is required.
- Professional indemnity and cyber insurance. Insurers price the presence of CE into their underwriting. See our detailed guide on Cyber Essentials and cyber insurance.
- Enterprise supplier onboarding. Large UK buyers increasingly reference CE in vendor-due-diligence questionnaires. A missing CE often costs the deal.
- SME risk posture. The five CE controls - firewalls, secure configuration, user access, malware protection, patching - are the genuine cyber-hygiene minimum. Meeting them materially reduces attack surface.
Section 03
Where Cyber Essentials is less useful
- Organisations already ISO 27001 certified. ISO 27001 is a much broader standard; CE adds a different signal but isn't strictly necessary.
- Pure B2C businesses with no procurement or supplier-onboarding exposure. The value is real but less commercial.
- Organisations uncertain whether they meet the controls. Starting with a free readiness check avoids paying before you are ready.
Section 04
The numbers
| Cost / benefit | Value |
|---|---|
| Micro-tier certification cost | £299.99 + VAT |
| Separate IASME-arranged cyber-liability benefit | Eligibility criteria and policy terms apply |
| Standalone insurance outcome | Decided independently by the insurance provider |
| Procurement eligibility unlocked | Government, NHS, MOD, enterprise DDQs |
| Turnaround with Fig Group | 6 working hours |
The value depends on the organisation's procurement, assurance, and security requirements. Fig does not promise an insurance saving or outcome.
Section 05
Is it worth it for sole traders?
Yes, if you bid for public-sector or enterprise work. The IASME scheme has a single-person Micro tier at the same £299.99 + VAT (Fig Group price); the certificate counts the same in procurement.
Section 06
Bottom line
Cyber Essentials can be a high-value certification for a UK SME. Fig Group offers it from £299.99 + VAT with a same-working-day SLA for compliant submissions. Eligible holders may separately receive an IASME-arranged cyber-liability benefit, subject to eligibility criteria and policy terms; it is not provided or arranged by Fig.
Start Cyber Essentials from £299.99 + VAT | Free readiness check | Cyber Essentials Online: the complete UK guide
About the author
Jay Hopkins
Managing Director, Fig Group
Jay Hopkins is the Managing Director of Fig Group and an IASME-licensed Cyber Essentials assessor. He was previously Head of Technology for a global regulated firm. He works with UK organisations across regulated sectors on baseline compliance, supply-chain assurance, and AI-augmented security tooling.
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