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 Group does not provide or arrange it. Any effect on standalone insurance is decided independently by the insurer.

Here is the honest answer.

• 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. Some insurers consider CE under their own underwriting terms; ask your insurer whether and how it affects your offer. 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 certificate matters when the buyer's actual requirement specifies it.
• 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.

• Organisations already ISO 27001 certified. ISO 27001 is a much broader standard; CE adds a different signal, and a buyer may still require it even if the supplier holds ISO 27001.
• 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.

The value depends on the organisation's procurement, assurance, and security requirements. Fig Group does not promise an insurance saving or outcome.

Yes, if you bid for public-sector or enterprise work. The IASME scheme supports sole traders in the Micro tier. £299.99 + VAT is Fig Group's published Micro price, not IASME's direct tariff. Procurement acceptance depends on the buyer's entity, scope, level and contract conditions.

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 Group.

Start Cyber Essentials from £299.99 + VAT | Free readiness check | Cyber Essentials Online: the complete UK guide