Is Cyber Essentials Worth It for a Small Business?
A real security standard or a certificate you buy? What it costs, what you get — including £25,000 of insurance most people miss — and whether your business actually needs it.
The short version
- It's a self-assessment against five basic controls — nobody visits and nobody scans your network
- Fees are banded by headcount: roughly £330 for under-10s, £400 for 10–49, £450 for 50–249 (+VAT)
- £25,000 of cyber liability insurance is included for UK organisations under £20m turnover certifying the whole business
- The certificate isn't the point — the five controls are, and they're free to implement