UK expands discounted cyber certification for SMEs

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UK cyber certification discount

Highlights

UK government offers 75% discount on Cyber Essentials certification for SMEs, reducing costs to £80–£125 plus VAT to bolster cyber protection.
Over 230 businesses joined the Cyber Resilience Pledge, enabling free certification referrals for SME supply chains and free cyber adviser access for firms lacking expertise.
The measures, announced at the NCSC Annual Review, aim to mitigate cyber-attack risks averaging £195,000, alongside a wider national push including 14 new Software Security Ambassadors.

Certification discount and support rollout

As reported by GOV.UK, the government is offering a 75% discount on Cyber Essentials certification for micro, small and medium-sized businesses across the UK. Under the scheme, eligible businesses can pay as little as £80 and no more than £125, plus VAT, for certification designed to protect against common online threats.

The announcement is made at the National Cyber Security Centre’s Annual Review, where Cyber Security Minister Baroness Lloyd says the government is backing businesses as cyber risks rise. Recent estimates cited in the announcement suggest a significant cyber-attack on a UK business or organisation could cost an average of £195,000.

More than 230 businesses have also signed the Cyber Resilience Pledge, aimed at helping safeguard supply chains and improve basic protections. Organisations that join the pledge can refer groups of SMEs in their supply chains to complete Cyber Essentials certification free of charge, and some businesses can also access a free cyber security adviser if they have limited in-house expertise.

Wider resilience push across the UK economy

The measures are designed to make practical cyber protection more accessible for smaller businesses while reinforcing the resilience of larger companies that depend on them. The government says reducing the cost burden of certification can help businesses avoid losses that would otherwise limit reinvestment, hiring and growth.

Liz Lloyd says smaller businesses employ millions of people across the country and should not remain exposed as cyber threats increase. She adds that the support sits alongside a broader push to secure the software underpinning the UK economy, including a second cohort of 14 Software Security Ambassadors such as Fortinet, Thales, Cap Gemini and SANS.

The announcement also builds on measures set out in the Budget to strengthen the UK’s cyber defences as artificial intelligence changes both the threat landscape and the tools available to respond. Together, the government says, the initiatives are part of a wider drive to improve cyber resilience across the UK economy.

Our earlier report on the Bank of England’s call for “bare metal” recovery planning outlined how regulators are urging major banks to prepare for severe technology failures as AI amplifies cyber threats. We noted that, beyond perimeter defences and basic cyber hygiene, lenders are being pushed to build independent recovery options to keep critical services running if primary systems are compromised.

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