Cyber Essentials in Manchester

Cyber Essentials is a UK government-backed scheme, run by IASME, that certifies your organisation has five fundamental security controls in place. It is a self-assessment questionnaire, verified by a licensed assessor, and it is increasingly a baseline requirement to win public-sector and supply-chain contracts.

Cyber Essentials Plus covers the same five controls but goes further: an independent assessor technically verifies them, scanning and checking a sample of your devices in a hands-on audit. It is the higher assurance level — and because a failed audit is not refundable, being genuinely ready before you sit it is what saves you money.

Cyber Essentials fees are set by IASME on size-based tiers (roughly £320–£600 + VAT); Cyber Essentials Plus is scoped to your estate. Both certificates last 12 months. Figures are indicative — we confirm exact costs for your organisation.

We do the heavy lifting to your audit

Most certification bodies simply assess you — if you fail, you pay to sit it again. We work the other way round. Foresight acts as the support and remediation engine behind your certification, so the work is done before an assessor is ever involved:

1. Gap analysis first. We run the audit’s own checks against your estate and produce a clear, prioritised fix list — so there are no surprises on assessment day.

2. Hands-on remediation. We do the technical work: multi-factor authentication, patching and update management, secure device configuration, removing unsupported software, tightening firewalls and user access, and getting your Microsoft 365 tenant compliant.

3. Evidence & submission. We help complete the questionnaire accurately, gather the evidence, and liaise with the assessor on your behalf.

4. We don’t book the audit until you would pass it. That single rule is why our clients certify first time and avoid the biggest hidden cost in Cyber Essentials Plus — a failed, non-refundable audit.

The five controls we get right for you

Firewalls · secure configuration · security update management · user access control · malware protection. These are the foundations of Cyber Essentials — and exactly the areas our managed service keeps in good order all year round, not just at renewal.

Why certify?

Cyber Essentials is now a gateway to business: it is mandatory for many government and MOD contracts, increasingly required across supply chains, and a clear trust signal to your customers. It also includes free £25,000 cyber liability insurance for UK organisations with turnover under £20m, and it measurably reduces your risk of the most common attacks. Read our related guidance on cyber security and vulnerability management.