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.

IT Explained

Co-Managed IT vs Fully Managed IT: which is right for you?

Should you outsource your IT completely, or keep some in-house and bring in a specialist for the rest? Here’s the honest comparison.

Build your quote Call 0161 738 1399

Greater Manchester & UK-wide · free, no-obligation advice

Why Foresight

Cyber Essentials Plus certified
Supporting 130+ organisations since 2006
We reply within one working hour
Plain-English, no jargon

Quick answer

Fully managed IT means your provider runs everything — helpdesk, security and strategy — as your complete outsourced IT department. Co-managed IT means you keep some IT in-house (often first-line support and admin) while your provider handles the specialist layer: monitoring, patching, cyber security, backup and escalation. Fully managed suits businesses with no internal IT; co-managed suits those with an internal person or team who want expert backup and security without a full outsource.

Side by side

The quick comparison

	Co-Managed IT	Fully Managed IT
You keep	First-line support, users, routine admin	Nothing — it’s all handled
We handle	Monitoring, patching, security, backup, escalation	Everything, including the helpdesk
Best for	Businesses with an internal IT person/team	Businesses with no internal IT
Feels like	Expert backup and a security layer	A complete outsourced IT department
Typical cost	From GBP 15/device + baseline	From GBP 25–GBP 35/device + management fee

When to choose which

A simple rule of thumb

If you have someone internal who handles the day-to-day and you mainly need security, monitoring, backup and expert escalation, co-managed is lean and proportionate. If you’d rather hand the whole lot over and just have IT “just work,” fully managed is the answer. Many businesses start co-managed and move to fully managed as they grow.

Foresight offers both. You can model either in our quote builder, or read more about managed IT support. Not sure? A quick call will point you the right way.

FAQs

Common questions

What is co-managed IT?

Co-managed IT is a partnership where you keep some IT in-house (often first-line support) and your provider handles the specialist layer — monitoring, patching, cyber security, backup and escalation.

Is co-managed cheaper than fully managed?

Usually, yes — because you’re keeping the day-to-day helpdesk in-house. Co-managed can start around GBP 15 per device; fully managed is typically GBP 25–GBP 35 per device plus a management fee.

Can we switch from co-managed to fully managed later?

Absolutely — many businesses start co-managed and move to fully managed as they grow or their internal IT person moves on. The transition is simple.

Does co-managed include cyber security?

Yes — the specialist security layer (monitoring, patching, endpoint protection, backup and escalation) is exactly what co-managed is built to provide.

Which is right for a business with one IT person?

Co-managed is often ideal — your person keeps the day-to-day, and you gain a whole security and monitoring team behind them, plus cover when they’re away.

Not sure which fits?

Build both options in the quote builder, or have a quick chat and we’ll recommend the proportionate choice.

Build your quote Call 0161 738 1399