Do You Need Cyber Essentials? (Spoiler: Probably Yes)

Cyber Essentials is the UK government's recommended baseline for cybersecurity — and for SMEs, it's fast becoming non-negotiable. Whether you're bidding for contracts, dealing with insurers, or simply want to show clients you take security seriously, here's what you need to know.

What Is Cyber Essentials?

Cyber Essentials is a UK government-backed certification scheme developed by the National Cyber Security Centre (NCSC). Think of it as an MOT for your IT security — it confirms that the essential protections are in place and being properly managed across five core controls: firewalls, secure configuration, user access control, malware protection, and security update management.

Why It Matters More Than Ever

UK organisations saw a 36% year-on-year increase in cyber attacks in 2025, and nearly half of all UK businesses faced some form of attack in the past year. Against that backdrop, Cyber Essentials has moved from nice-to-have to a genuine business requirement:

• Government & public sector contracts — Mandatory for many public sector procurement processes, with 72% of UK councils and 85% of NHS trusts enforcing it as a minimum
• Supply chains — More large enterprises now require valid certification from their suppliers
• Cyber insurance — Many insurers now require it as a condition of cover, or reward certified businesses with better premiums
• Client confidence — Increasingly requested as part of due diligence in regulated sectors

Important: Changes in April 2026

Version 3.3 of the Cyber Essentials requirements ("Danzell") takes effect on 27 April 2026. The key change: Multi-Factor Authentication (MFA) is now mandatory for all cloud services. Previously, not having MFA was a warning — under v3.3, it's an automatic fail. If your business uses Microsoft 365, Google Workspace, or any cloud platform, MFA must be enabled. Now is the time to act.

Cyber Essentials vs Cyber Essentials Plus

Cyber Essentials is a self-assessed questionnaire — the right starting point for most SMEs. Cyber Essentials Plus adds independent hands-on technical verification, carrying greater weight with larger clients and in higher-risk sectors.

How We Can Help

At AnyIT, we help businesses across the region prepare for and achieve Cyber Essentials certification — without the jargon or the headaches.

Contact AnyIT

AnyIT is a managed IT service provider based in Needham Market, Suffolk, trading since 2005. Call 01449 798088, email info@anyit.com or use our contact page.

Managed IT support is £85 per seat per month with a £400 monthly minimum. We support 200+ Suffolk businesses since 2005, deliver 99.9% uptime and commit to a 30-minute first response for major incidents with 24/7 monitoring.