Cyber Essentials certification, fixed price, IASME fee included.
Cyber Essentials from £1,500 + VAT. Cyber Essentials Plus from £3,000 + VAT, Cyber Essentials included. An assessor checks every answer before it is marked, so nothing fails that could have been fixed the week before.
- IASME Cyber Essentials Certification Body
- CREST accredited for Security Testing (penetration testing) and SOC
- UK-based assessors, four offices
- Fixed prices after scoping, IASME fee included, free re-test
- Cyber Essentials
- From £1,5001 to 2 weeks
- Cyber Essentials Plus
- From £3,0002 to 5 weeks, by device tier
- Gap analysis
- From £5001 to 3 days
Prices are + VAT, fixed after a free 20-minute scoping call.
Pick the level your contract asks for
Prices are + VAT, fixed after a free 20-minute scoping call.
Assessor-supported Cyber Essentials certification costs from £1,500 + VAT with the IASME scheme fee included and takes 1 to 2 weeks. Cyber Essentials Plus, the audited level, costs from £3,000 for up to 50 devices, Cyber Essentials included, and takes 2 to 3 weeks at that size. A standalone gap analysis costs from £500 and issues no certificate.
Cyber Essentials
From £1,500 + VAT
1 to 2 weeks
Assessor-supported self-assessment for every organisation size. We verify your answers and the evidence behind them before you submit.
- Scope review with an assessor
- Self-assessment answers verified before submission
- IASME fee included
- Certificate and digital badge
- Free re-test if gaps are found
Cyber Essentials PlusAudited level
From £3,000 + VAT
2 to 5 weeks, by device tier
An independent audit of a sample of your devices and cloud services, with the Cyber Essentials self-assessment included. £3,000 up to 50 devices, £4,500 50 to 250 devices, £5,000 250+ devices.
- Everything in Cyber Essentials
- Technical audit, on site or remote
- Remediation report
- Free re-test within 90 days
- IASME fee included
Gap analysis
From £500 + VAT
1 to 3 days
A readiness review before you pay any scheme fee, recommended for first-time applicants. Auto-fail items first.
- Gap identification against the Danzell question set
- Remediation guidance
- Self-assessment questionnaire support
- Included in the 50 to 250 device Plus tier
What each option includes
Which option fits your organisation?
| Attribute | Cyber Essentials (assessor-supported) | Cyber Essentials Plus | Cyber Essentials gap analysis |
|---|---|---|---|
| Price from | From £1,500. Prices are + VAT | From £3,000. Prices are + VAT | From £500. Prices are + VAT |
| IASME scheme fee | Included (the IASME scheme fee is £320 to £600 ex VAT, by staff band) | Included | Not applicable: no submission is made and no scheme fee is charged |
| Turnaround | 1 to 2 weeks | 2 to 3 weeks (up to 50 devices), 2 to 4 weeks (50 to 250 devices), 3 to 5 weeks (250+ devices) | 1 to 3 days |
| Delivery | Remote | Remote or on site, depending on scope and where devices are | Remote, anywhere in the UK |
| Outcome | Cyber Essentials certificate, digital badge and a listing on the IASME certificate register | Cyber Essentials Plus certificate and a listing on the IASME certificate register | The gaps that would fail, with remediation guidance. No certificate is issued. |
| If you fail | Remediation guidance and a re-test at no additional cost within a defined window, not a fresh assessment fee | Targeted re-testing at no additional cost within 90 days to validate fixes before the certificate is issued | Not applicable: nothing is submitted |
| Best for | UK organisations whose contract, tender or insurer asks for Cyber Essentials | Suppliers whose contract names Cyber Essentials Plus, including some central government and defence work | First-time applicants unsure whether they would pass, before they pay any scheme fee |
| Not for | IT teams that already meet all five controls and can evidence them: self-assess for the scheme fee alone (£320 to £600 ex VAT, by staff band) | Contracts that only ask for Cyber Essentials: the self-assessment satisfies them | Organisations booking Cyber Essentials Plus in the 50 to 250 devices tier: the gap analysis is already included |
The direct route exists too: self-assess through any Certification Body for the IASME fee alone (£320 to £600 plus VAT). See the cost page.
Suitability, inclusions and policies
Everything you need to compare assessor-supported Cyber Essentials with another provider. Plus and the gap analysis have the same blocks on their own pages.
Is this right for you?
Who Cyber Essentials (assessor-supported) suits, and who should choose something else.
A good fit if
- UK organisations whose contract, tender or insurer asks for Cyber Essentials
- First-time applicants who want each answer checked before it is marked
- Teams with a deadline that leaves no room for a failed submission
- Organisations planning to go on to Cyber Essentials Plus within the year
Not the right fit if
- IT teams that already meet all five controls and can evidence them: self-assess for the scheme fee alone (£320 to £600 ex VAT, by staff band)
- Contracts that name Cyber Essentials Plus: the audited level is a separate service
- Organisations that need the questionnaire answered for them: a board member or equivalent must sign the declaration
- Buyers asking for a management-system certificate such as ISO 27001
What do you get for the price?
Cyber Essentials (assessor-supported), from £1,500. Prices are + VAT.
| Item | Status | Detail |
|---|---|---|
| Scope review with an assessor | Included | |
| Self-assessment questionnaire (SAQ) verification | Included | Your answers checked before submission |
| IASME certification fee | Included | £320 to £600 ex VAT, by staff band |
| Certificate and digital badge | Included | Plus the IASME register listing |
| Free re-test if gaps are found | Included | Remediation guidance and a re-test at no additional cost within a defined window, not a fresh assessment fee |
| Access to the included cyber liability insurance | Included | IASME scheme benefit: UK head office, turnover under £20 million, whole-organisation scope, opt in |
| Remediation work on your systems | Not included | Remediation guidance is included; the changes are yours to make |
| Gap analysis | Not included | Separate service, from £500 + VAT, recommended for first-time applicants |
| Technical audit of devices | Not included | That is Cyber Essentials Plus |
| VAT | Not included | Prices are + VAT |
What happens if you fail, and other policies
Scheme rules are set by IASME and the NCSC and apply whichever Certification Body you use. Precursor terms are ours.
| Policy | What happens | Basis |
|---|---|---|
| If the first submission fails | One free further assessment if you resubmit within 48 hours of the fail notice (IASME terms, clause 2.6). If it still fails, you reapply and pay the scheme fee again | Scheme rule |
| Re-test with Precursor | Remediation guidance and a re-test at no additional cost within a defined window, not a fresh assessment fee | Precursor |
| Pricing | Fixed price after a free 20-minute scoping call. No open-ended day rates, no hidden fees | Precursor |
| Other terms | Fixed in writing with your quote after the scoping call | Precursor |
Cyber Essentials specification
| Attribute | Value |
|---|---|
| Service | Cyber Essentials (assessor-supported) |
| Provider | Precursor Security Ltd, founded 2018 |
| Price from | From £1,500 (1500 GBP) |
| VAT | Prices are + VAT |
| IASME scheme fee | Included (the IASME scheme fee is £320 to £600 ex VAT, by staff band) |
| Turnaround | 1 to 2 weeks |
| Delivery | Remote. The questionnaire is completed online and the review runs by call and email. |
| Areas served | United Kingdom. Offices: Leeds HQ, Newcastle SOC, London office, Edinburgh office |
| Credentials | IASME Cyber Essentials Certification Body; CREST Security Testing (penetration testing); CREST SOC |
| Outcome | Cyber Essentials certificate, digital badge and a listing on the IASME certificate register |
| Validity | 12 months from issue; renewal is a new assessment |
| Prerequisites | A board member or equivalent to sign the self-assessment declaration; A list of in-scope devices, operating systems, software and cloud services (section A2) |
| Eligible customers | Businesses and other organisations |
| How to buy | Get a fixed-price quote |
| Price source | precursorsecurity.com/services/compliance/cyber-essentials-certification |
| Machine-readable | /offers.json |
Same detail for Cyber Essentials Plus and the gap analysis. Comparing providers? Read how to choose a Cyber Essentials provider.
What happens from first call to certificate?
- Step 1
Scope and price
A free 20-minute call agrees the boundary, the devices and the cloud services in scope. You then get a written fixed price.
- Step 2
Prepare
You answer the Danzell questions in the IASME portal and we review every answer before it is submitted, auto-fail items first. First-time applicants can add a gap analysis.
- Step 3
Submit and mark
A board member or equivalent signs the declaration and you submit. IASME says most assessors aim to return results within 3 days.
- Step 4
Certificate
The certificate is issued as soon as the assessment passes and lasts 12 months. For Plus, the audit follows within three months of it.
What should you have ready for the scoping call?
None of this has to be perfect. Having it to hand turns the call into a fixed price rather than a list of questions.
| Have ready | Why it matters |
|---|---|
| Legal name, company number and staff count | A1.1 to A1.4. Staff count sets the IASME fee band. |
| The scope: whole organisation or a named sub-set | A2.1 to A2.5. A sub-set needs the firewall or VLAN that separates it. |
| Device list with makes and operating system versions | A2.6 to A2.8, and the supported-software questions in A6. |
| Every cloud service the organisation uses | A2.9. Cloud services cannot be excluded, and MFA must be on for users and administrators wherever the service offers it (A7.15 to A7.17). |
| Routers and firewalls, with how they are managed | A4. Default passwords changed, and the admin interface blocked from the internet unless there is a documented need and MFA or an IP allow list. |
| A board member or equivalent to sign the declaration | The submission cannot be marked without it. |
A fixed price after a 20-minute scoping call
Tell us your size and what the contract asks for. After a free scoping call you get a written fixed price, with no open-ended day rates and no hidden fees. Other terms are set out in writing with the quote.
- IASME Cyber Essentials Certification Body
- CREST accredited for Security Testing (penetration testing) and SOC
- UK-based assessors, four offices
- Fixed prices after scoping, IASME fee included, free re-test
Prefer to talk? Call +44 113 486 4873 or email info@precursorsecurity.com.
Frequently asked questions
Yes. The IASME self-assessment fee (£320 to £600 plus VAT depending on staff band) is included in Precursor's Cyber Essentials price, and the IASME fee for the Plus certificate is included in the Cyber Essentials Plus price.
Yes. Any organisation can self-assess through a Certification Body for the IASME fee alone, and under IASME's terms a failed submission gets one free further assessment if you resubmit within 48 hours of the fail notice. Paying an assessor makes sense when you want your answers and evidence checked before they are marked, or when a contract deadline leaves no room for a resubmission.
If gaps are found, Precursor gives remediation guidance and a re-test at no additional cost within a defined window, not a fresh assessment fee. Separately, IASME's terms allow one free further assessment of a failed self-assessment if you resubmit within 48 hours of the fail notice. For Cyber Essentials Plus, targeted re-testing after remediation is at no additional cost within 90 days. Where the fail is on update management, IASME's 2026 rule means the retest covers the original sample plus a new random sample, and IASME's April 2026 update states that a second failure revokes the verified self-assessment certificate.
By the number of devices in scope, because the audit samples devices: from £3,000 for up to 50 devices, from £4,500 for 50 to 250 devices, from £5,000 for 250+ devices, all + VAT. The Plus price includes everything in Cyber Essentials and the IASME fee, so a first-time buyer budgets one price. The scoping call fixes the figure and you get a written quote within 48 hours.
Yes. Self-assessment support is remote. Cyber Essentials Plus testing is carried out remotely or on site depending on your scope and where your devices are.
A board member or equivalent from your organisation must sign the self-assessment declaration. Precursor reviews and marks; it cannot answer on your behalf.
Get certified at a fixed price
Precursor is an IASME Certification Body: Cyber Essentials from £1,500 and Cyber Essentials Plus from £3,000, with the IASME fee included, a free re-test if gaps are found and a written fixed price after a 20-minute scoping call.
- IASME Certification Body
- CREST accredited
- UK offices in Leeds, Newcastle, London and Edinburgh