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Cyber Essentials First Step funding.
From 3 November 2026, a government-backed discount takes 75% off the Cyber Essentials assessment fee for UK organisations with fewer than 250 employees that have not held Cyber Essentials in the last four years.
From £80+ VAT · your share of the assessment fee
IASME applies the discount when you buy the assessment through its Supplier Assurance Tool. Assessments must be bought by 31 March 2027.
UK-wide assessment by an appointed certification body. No managed IT contract required.
Who is eligible
First Step funding is for organisations getting Cyber Essentials for the first time, or coming back to it after four years or more.
If you are not eligible, you can still buy a Cyber Essentials assessment at the standard fee.
- Based in the UKOrganisations in Jersey, Guernsey and the Isle of Man are not eligible, because they are not funded through the UK government budget.
- Fewer than 250 employeesMicro, small and medium organisations.
- No Cyber Essentials in the last four yearsA first certificate qualifies. Renewing a current or recent certificate does not.
What you pay
You pay the remaining 25% of the Cyber Essentials assessment fee for your size band.
| Organisation | Standard fee | With First Step funding |
|---|---|---|
| Micro 0–9 employees | £320 | £80 + VAT |
| Small 10–49 employees | £440 | £110 + VAT |
| Medium 50–249 employees | £500 | £125 + VAT |
How the discount is applied
IASME applies the discount at checkout in its Supplier Assurance Tool. The price shown there is the one that applies. We do not quote, invoice or discount funded assessments ourselves.
- Funding covers the Cyber Essentials assessment
- Cyber Essentials Plus is priced separately
- Preparation support is a separate service
Funding terms from the government announcement and IASME's guidance to certification bodies, 3 November 2026. Standard fees match IASME's published prices.
How it works
The assessment is bought through IASME, then assessed by DSC as your certification body.
Open the link
Our link takes you to IASME's Supplier Assurance Tool, where you create an account for your organisation.
Buy the assessment
If you are eligible, the discount is applied automatically and you pay the remaining share. The assessment is then assigned to Dead Simple Computing.
Answer the questions
You complete the self-assessment and your authorised signatory confirms the answers.
Assessment and certificate
We review your answers against the scheme requirements. Certification follows a successful assessment and lasts twelve months.
Assessments must be bought by 31 March 2027. After buying, you have 6 months to complete and submit the assessment.
Help to get ready
First Step funds the assessment, not the preparation. Many organisations can complete the self-assessment themselves using the free checklist.
If you want help before you submit, a readiness review is a separate service with its own scope and price, agreed before work starts. If we help you prepare, a different DSC assessor carries out the formal assessment.
- Firewalls
- Control network connections between your systems and the internet.
- Secure configuration
- Configure devices and software to reduce unnecessary exposure.
- Security update management
- Use supported software and apply required security updates.
- User access control
- Control accounts, permissions and authentication.
- Malware protection
- Protect systems against malicious software.
Common questions
Who pays the other 75%?
The UK government backs the discount, as set out in its announcement. IASME, the delivery partner for Cyber Essentials, applies it when an eligible organisation buys its assessment through the Supplier Assurance Tool.
Is there a free route?
Organisations that have signed the government's Cyber Resilience Pledge can refer small and medium-sized businesses in their supply chains for Cyber Essentials free of charge. If a customer of yours has signed the Pledge, ask them whether you can be referred.
Can we use First Step funding to renew?
Only if your organisation has not held Cyber Essentials in the last four years. Renewing a current or recent certificate is charged at the standard fee.
Can Dead Simple Computing apply the discount on its own invoice?
No. The discount only applies to an assessment bought through IASME's Supplier Assurance Tool. We do not quote, invoice or discount First Step assessments ourselves.
When does First Step funding end?
Assessments must be bought by 31 March 2027. You then have 6 months to complete and submit the assessment.
Does it cover Cyber Essentials Plus?
The funding is for the Cyber Essentials assessment. Cyber Essentials Plus adds technical testing and is priced separately.
Ask about First Step funding.
Tell us your organisation size and whether you have held Cyber Essentials before. We will confirm whether First Step applies and what happens next.
Reading, Berkshire. Cyber Essentials assessment and certification across the UK.
Monday to Friday, 9am to 5.30pm.
Reply within one working day.