What's the difference between Cyber Essentials and Cyber Essentials Plus?

Cyber Essentials is a verified self-assessment against five security controls. Cyber Essentials Plus tests the same controls with a hands-on technical audit by a licensed assessor. You must hold Cyber Essentials before doing Plus.

Do you do the work, or just assess us?

We do the work. Foresight runs the gap analysis, carries out hands-on remediation, prepares the evidence and liaises with the assessor, so you pass first time rather than paying to re-sit a failed audit.

How much does Cyber Essentials cost?

The IASME assessment fee is tiered by size from around £320 + VAT and includes £25,000 cyber liability insurance for eligible UK businesses. Cyber Essentials Plus is scoped to your estate, typically from around £1,380 + VAT.

Manchester · AI Adoption

AI Adoption in Manchester

AI adoption as a service for Manchester businesses across Greater Manchester — from “where do we start?” to real results, safely and at the right pace. We only recommend the licences you actually need, from a Microsoft CSP and Cyber Essentials Plus certified MSP.

Book an AI Readiness Audit Call 0161 738 1399

On-site & remote · free, no-obligation chat

Why Foresight

Cyber Essentials Plus certified
Microsoft CSP & Copilot specialists
Greater Manchester, since 2006
Honest advice — not licence-selling

Quick answer

AI adoption as a service takes your Manchester organisation from not knowing where to start to getting real, safe value from AI. We audit what’s already happening, map where AI will genuinely save time, fix the security and governance first, then roll it out, train your people and build agents for the repeatable work — and you only pay for the licences you actually need.

How it works

Your guided path for Manchester

Stage	What happens
1. Discover	An AI Readiness Audit & “Day in the Life” — what staff already use and where AI saves time
2. Secure	Fix over-sharing, permissions, policy and any DPIA — see is Copilot safe?
3. Adopt	Roll out the right AI to the right people, with hands-on Copilot training
4. Automate	Build AI agents for the repeatable work

Free downloads

AI templates for Manchester businesses

Get started today with our free, ready-to-use templates — the same ones we use in our audits:

“Day in the Life” AI template

Run the interviews yourself and find exactly where AI will save your Manchester team time.

Download →

AI Usage Policy template

A short, practical AI policy to keep your data safe — now part of the Cyber Essentials scope.

Download →

The honest bit

Not everyone needs a paid licence

Plenty of providers will sell a paid Copilot licence to every member of staff. We won’t. Part of our job for Manchester businesses is telling you who genuinely needs paid Microsoft 365 Copilot, who’s fine on free Copilot Chat, and where an agent — or no AI at all — is the right answer. See our full AI Adoption service.

FAQs

Common questions

Where do we start with AI in Manchester?

With a fixed-fee AI Readiness Audit. We find which AI tools your Manchester team already use, where AI will genuinely save time, what to fix first, and who actually needs a paid licence.

Do all our staff need a paid Copilot licence?

No. We’ll tell you honestly who needs paid Microsoft 365 Copilot, who’s fine on free Copilot Chat, and where an agent or no AI is the better answer — which usually saves money.

Is it safe to roll out AI with sensitive data?

Only once the groundwork is done. We fix over-sharing, permissions, labelling, policy and any DPIA first, so AI can’t surface data people shouldn’t see — important for schools, hospices and regulated firms in Manchester.

Do you work with businesses in Manchester?

Yes — we’re a Greater Manchester MSP supporting organisations across Manchester and the wider region, with on-site and remote support.

Across Greater Manchester

AI adoption near you

We support businesses with AI adoption across the region:

Oldham Rochdale Stockport Bolton Bury Salford Tameside Wigan Littleborough Todmorden Ashton-under-Lyne Middleton Heywood Denton Droylsden Glossop Hyde Gee Cross Woodley Wilmslow Sale Altrincham All industries →

Start with AI the sensible way in Manchester

Book a fixed-fee AI Readiness Audit and get a clear, honest plan — and the licences you actually need.

Book an AI Readiness Audit Call 0161 738 1399