Do we qualify for the 75% Cyber Essentials discount before March 2027?
If you’re an SME applying for Cyber Essentials for the first time, you could get 75% off your assessment fee.
You'll want to read this article, if:
- You are a small business owner?
- You don't know if you are eligible for the 75% Cyber Essentials discount?
- You want to find out how you can apply?
Funding is available through IASME until the end of March 2027, but it’s on a first come, first served basis, and it could run out sooner.
Why Get Cyber Essentials?
Cyber Essentials is the Government-backed cyber security standard designed to help protect yourbusiness from common cyber attacks.
Having a certification can help you:
- Reduce your cyber risk
- Build trust with customers
- Meet tender and supply-chain requirements
- Show you take cyber security seriously
If Cyber Essentials has been sitting on your to-do list, now is a good time to get it sorted.
What the First Step Fund covers:
It covers 75% of the cost on your first Cyber Essentials assessment fee, if you are an eligible SME seeking a certification for the first time.
Indicative prices after the discount are around:
Micro (0–9employees): £80 + VAT
Small (10–49): £110+ VAT
Medium (50–249): £125 + VAT These figures are based on IASME’s published assessment rates withthe 75% reduction applied; always check the live application for your exactprice and eligibility.
You can still choose to certify through your preferred Certification Body; the discount remains available.
How long you have (and why act now):
- The First Step Fund is currently scheduled to run until the end of March 2027, but it is first‑come, first‑served and may be exhausted earlier.
- Applying sooner improves your chances of securing the discount. With launch in November, the initial window gives roughly five months of early access to funding; waiting risks missing out if demand is high.
Who is eligible:
- The 75% discount is aimed at SMEs applying for their first Cyber Essentials certificate. The official policy page signposts the application route through IASME, which administers the scheme and confirms eligibility during the process.
What does the assessment involve?
Cyber Essentials checks that your business has sensible basics in place across five areas:
1. Secure configuration: devices and cloud services set up securely (not left on factory defaults).
2. Access control and multi‑factor authentication: least‑privilege access, with MFA on key services.
3. Patch management: supported operating systems and applications kept up to date.
4. Malware protection: appropriate anti‑malware controls in place.
5. Firewalls and gateways: inbound and outbound traffic controlled to reduce exposure. You complete a structured online questionnaire via IASME and may be asked for simple evidence. Many small businesses pass first time with focused preparation.
Want to secure your 75% discount before March
➡️ Confirm your eligibility and timing
If you’re an SME seeking your first Cyber Essentials certificate, you’re in scope. Apply promptly: the fund is only available until March 2027 and is first‑come,first‑served.
➡️ Do a one‑hour readiness sweep
- Take an inventory of company‑managed devices and cloud apps.
- Check that operating systems and key applications are supported and patched.
- Enable multi‑factor authentication on email, remote access, and critical cloud services.
- Ensure anti‑malware is active on every device and your firewall is configured
➡️ Fix the fast blockers
Replace or isolate unsupported systems.
Enforce strong passwords and MFA for all users, especially administrators.
Apply outstanding security updates and turn on automatic patching where possible.
Remove unused admin accounts and restrict admin rights.
➡️ How to Apply?
Step 1: Check the funding information
Visit the GOV.UK Cyber Essentials funding page to review the First Step Fund and eligibility information.
Step 2: Apply through IASME
Ready to apply? Go to the IASME First Step Fund application, submit your details and follow the steps in the portal.
Step 3: Follow the application process
Complete the steps in the IASME portal to confirm your eligibility and progress your application.
Tip: Funding is limited, so if you’re eligible, don’t leave your application until March 2027.
➡️ Prepare and submit your assessment
Answer the questionnaire accurately and keep simple evidence (screenshots, policy snippets) handy for any assessor clarifications.
➡️ Keep the controls in place
Cyber Essentials is annual, and maintaining the basics such as to keep everything updated, MFA and secure configuration keeps your certification straightforward next year and your business safer every day.
A few important things to know before you apply is that:
- Funding reduces the cost but doesn’t guarantee a pass; you must still meet the requirements.
- Treat the discount as a catalyst to put controls in place and certify with confidence.
- Pricing and rules can change; always verify the latest eligibility and fees on the IASME application page linked from GOV.UK before you proceed.
How can Southern IT Networks help you certify before the deadline in March 2027?
Southern IT Networks specialises in getting micro and small businesses over the line quickly, without disrupting day‑to‑day operations. Your readiness review allows us to benchmark you against the five controls and flag exactly what needs fixing. We also do a rapid remediation to enable MFA, harden device and cloud configurations, patch systems, tidy user access, and set sensible defaults. Your guided submission is where we steer you through the IASME assessment, validate your answers, and prepare evidence so you’re ready for any follow‑ups. You'll also have ongoing assurance so that after your certification, we help you maintain controls so renewal is easy and your security posture keeps improving.
Prefer a quick chat first? 😊
📞 Call us directly on 01323 287828, send us a message via our contact form, or book in a quick 15 minute meeting to discuss the fastest route to getting certified before the March 2027 deadline 🤝
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