Cyber Essentials Funded Programme: Government Support for UK SME's

In today’s digital-first world, cyber threats are no longer a distant concern – they’re a daily reality. The UK government’s Cyber Essentials scheme offers a practical, affordable way for organisations to defend against the most common attacks.

Whether you’re a small business or a growing tech innovator, this funded programme helps you build a strong security foundation, earn customer trust, and unlock new opportunities – including eligibility for government contracts. And with CyberLab’s expert guidance, getting certified is simpler than ever.

Cyber Essentials is a government-backed initiative to help businesses protect against the most common cyber threats. Originally launched in 2014, over 120,000 certificates have since been awarded to businesses of all sizes across the country.

According to the UK government, obtaining Cyber Essentials certification protects your organisation from approximately 80% of cyber-attacks, demonstrating a strong commitment to cyber security and data protection to customers and stakeholders. This certification enhances your organisation’s reputation, increases the likelihood of securing new business, and enables you to bid for and win UK government contracts. By ensuring that robust cyber security measures are in place, Cyber Essentials provides the peace of mind needed to focus on your core business objectives.

Cyber Essentials Plus is the next step in your cyber security journey – an advanced government-backed initiative for businesses looking to take extra measures to protect against common cyber threats.

Around a quarter of businesses who take the Cyber Essentials certification go on to achieve Cyber Essentials Plus.

Every business today faces the risk of a cyber attack, but some organisations are particularly vulnerable. This could be because they handle sensitive information about the people they work with or are seen as easier targets by cyber criminals.

To help those most at risk, the NCSC is rolling out a Funded Cyber Essentials Programme. This programme is aimed at supporting vulnerable organisations by helping them implement basic security measures to protect against the most common types of cyber attacks.

The programme offers practical support from an Advisor to help your organisation achieve Cyber Essentials Plus, at no cost to the organisation. However, if the Advisor recommends any extra software or hardware, those costs won’t be covered.

If you qualify, you’ll get around 20 hours of remote support with an Advisor. They’ll spend this time working with you to identify and implement improvements that suit your organisation’s size and needs, guiding you through the five Cyber Essentials technical controls. After that, there will be a hands-on technical check to make sure everything is in place.

If it turns out that achieving Cyber Essentials Plus isn’t possible, the Advisor will help you implement as many of the controls as you can and provide a clear list of what else needs to be done to get compliant. This scheme is designed to walk you through the technical controls required for Cyber Essentials certification, leading up to the Cyber Essentials Plus audit. No previous cybersecurity certification or experience is needed.

To qualify for this scheme, companies must be a micro or small business (1 to 49 employees) registered in the UK and working on:

• The development of fundamental Artificial Intelligence (AI) technologies, OR the innovative application of Artificial Intelligence technologies in the following sectors: Public safety and health, Defence and security.
• The development of novel Quantum technologies.
• The design, development or manufacturing of semiconductors / semiconductor IP blocks.
• The development of Engineering Biology or Synthetic Biology.

AND meet the following criteria:

• Has not previously participated in the NCSC Funded Cyber Essentials Programme
• Does not currently hold Cyber Essentials Plus (CE+) certification, has not been awarded CE+ certification since January 2023 and is not currently in the process of applying for CE+ certification

As an IASME approved assessor, CyberLab is not only authorised to assess against the scheme, but also able to support your organisation to achieve certification.

Not only are we authorised Cyber Essentials assessors, we are also able to provide bespoke consultancy services to assist your team in meeting and maintaining the high standard of security required.

With our expert advice, you’ll pass first time.