The UK government has urged businesses to strengthen their cyber security defences, highlighting the importance of embedding Cyber Essentials certification across their supply chains.
In a ministerial letter on cyber security, ministers warned that cyber threats are increasing in both scale and sophistication – posing a significant risk to the UK’s economy and critical infrastructure. The message is clear: cyber security must be prioritised at board level.
According to the National Cyber Security Centre (NCSC), businesses certified to Cyber Essentials are 92% less likely to make a claim on their cyber insurance, based on insurance industry data. This highlights the potential value of the scheme’s baseline technical controls in reducing risk exposure.
“The release of the ministerial letter illustrates just how critical cyber resilience is for UK businesses. It is now a national priority, and businesses of all sizes are expected to strengthen their defences. Recent high-profile attacks on large, well-known organisations have shown that no one is immune, and for smaller businesses, Cyber Essentials certification provides a practical and cost-effective starting point for improving cyber security. As a government-backed scheme, it gives confidence to customers, suppliers and insurers that the organisation is taking cyber risk seriously.”
Amy Osborne, Cyber Essentials Assessor at Ascentor
Why Cyber Essentials Certification Matters in 2025
This government message is not limited to large enterprises. Small and medium-sized organisations play a critical role in national and global supply chains, and expectations around baseline cyber security certification are increasing across all sectors.
Smaller businesses are particularly vulnerable, as they may lack the in-house resources to recover from a significant cyber attack or respond to financially motivated threats such as ransomware. In many cases, a single incident can lead to prolonged disruption, reputational damage, or even business closure – making preventative action and certification an essential part of resilience planning.
For SMEs, Cyber Essentials offers a clear and accessible route to demonstrating good cyber security practices, building trust with clients and partners, and meeting growing expectations from public and private sector customers. As larger organisations review the security posture of their suppliers, certification is increasingly seen as a minimum requirement for doing business.
Certification may also support cyber insurance eligibility and, in some cases, may lead to reduced premiums, depending on the insurer. Many insurers now view Cyber Essentials as a recognised indicator of risk management, and in some cases, a requirement for cover.
What Cyber Essentials Certification Covers
Cyber Essentials is a UK Government-backed scheme developed by the National Cyber Security Centre (NCSC) and delivered by the IASME Consortium. It helps organisations reduce their exposure to common cyber threats by implementing five key technical controls:
- Secure configuration
- Boundary firewalls and internet gateways
- Access control
- Malware protection
- Patch management
There are two levels of certification:
- Cyber Essentials: A self-assessed certification covering core technical controls.
- Cyber Essentials Plus: An enhanced, independently verified assessment that includes hands-on technical testing by an accredited certification body.
Cyber Essentials is increasingly seen as a minimum requirement for public sector contracts and is becoming a common expectation in private sector procurement processes.
Getting Started with Cyber Essentials
The UK government’s latest communication reinforces what many organisations already understand: cyber resilience is no longer optional. Cyber Essentials offers a structured, recognised way to establish baseline cyber security protections.
Contact our team to discuss your journey to Cyber Essentials certification today.
