Cyber Essentials Plus consultants: a practical guide for UK SMEs

If your business has between 10 and 200 staff, someone will eventually ask whether you have Cyber Essentials Plus. For procurement, for insurance, or simply because a buyer doesn’t want to risk a supply chain that can’t be trusted. The question isn’t whether the scheme exists — it does — but whether hiring a consultant to get you certified makes commercial sense.

What Cyber Essentials Plus consultants actually do (in plain English)

A consultant’s role is straightforward: they get you through the assessment with as little disruption and as much future value as possible. That involves a few predictable tasks — a gap review against the Cyber Essentials Plus requirements, practical fixes for the obvious issues (patching, account hygiene, firewall settings), and the evidence collection the assessors will want to see. For the Plus level there’s also a hands-on element: an external tester or assessor will perform basic checks to verify the controls are actually in place.

Crucially for business owners, good consultants focus on the commercial outcomes: reduced risk of a ransomware incident that stops the factory line or closes the office, evidence for insurance and buyers, and less time lost to basic cyber hassles. They avoid scaring you with unnecessary technical detail and aim to make the management of controls sustainable rather than a one-off scramble.

Why use a consultant rather than DIY?

Many smaller IT teams can follow the self-assessment route, but Cyber Essentials Plus requires an independent assessment and some hands-on remediation. If you have a busy IT manager who’s already juggling backups, new starters and third‑line support, bringing in a consultant can be much faster and more cost‑effective. Consultants bring process, experience of common misconfigurations and a checklist for evidence — which means less time off desks chasing appointment windows and less chance of failing the on-site checks.

From firms I’ve worked with across Manchester and the South East, the typical benefit isn’t rocket science: fewer surprises during audits, smoother renewals of insurance, and bidders stopping to ask fewer awkward questions during procurement. That saves time and keeps opportunity pipelines moving.

What to expect during the engagement

A sensible consultant will start with a short discovery: a document review and a walkthrough rather than a week of invasive testing. You’ll get a clear remediation plan split into quick wins (password policy, patching) and longer tasks (asset inventory, device control). The assessor’s visit for Cyber Essentials Plus will normally include checks on a sample of devices and some basic external testing — the consultant will prepare and coordinate this so you’re not improvising on the day.

If you want to brush up on the scheme itself before committing, this Cyber Essentials overview explains the scheme and what to expect — useful for board members and procurement teams alike.

How long and how much?

Timescales vary with how tidy your environment is. For a well‑managed small business it might be a few days of consultant time spread over a couple of weeks; for organisations with years of accumulated exceptions and undocumented devices, it can take longer. Costs also vary, but think of the consultant fee as an investment that reduces the chance of an avoidable incident and speeds up the certification process.

Don’t shop purely on price. A cheap, inexperienced consultant can create more work if the first assessment fails, and failed assessments cost time and credibility. Look for someone who can explain the business case, show a sensible plan for evidence, and has worked with UK buyers and insurers so they understand what evidence tends to satisfy third parties.

Choosing the right consultant

Ask practical questions: how many similar organisations have they helped? What does their remediation plan look like for a company your size? Can they co‑ordinate the assessor visit so it fits your diary? A consultant should also be able to explain ongoing requirements: Cyber Essentials is not a one‑and‑done checkbox — software needs patching, accounts need monitoring, and new devices need onboarding.

Beware of consultants who lead with a laundry list of expensive projects. For many businesses the right approach is targeted: fix the high‑impact, low‑effort items first and make certification an opportunity to improve resilience, not to start a costly infrastructure overhaul unless it’s genuinely needed.

Common pitfalls and how consultants prevent them

There are recurring issues I’ve seen in firms from Sheffield to Bristol: unmanaged admin accounts, devices not covered by your antivirus policy, and poor evidence trails. A consultant’s practical value is in identifying those traps early and turning them into a clear set of actions your IT team can deliver. They also act as a buffer during the assessor visit, ensuring evidence is presented consistently and questions from the assessor don’t derail the process.

Business outcomes to expect

Successful certification brings tangible commercial benefits: fewer procurement blockers, better standing with insurers, and a lower risk of simple but costly cyber incidents. It also gives your leadership a credible story to tell customers and partners about the steps you take to protect data and continuity. The certification itself is not a guarantee against all breaches, but it raises the bar enough that many opportunistic attackers move on.

Working with your IT team

A good engagement is collaborative. Consultants should hand over clear documentation and simple routines your existing team can maintain. The goal is to leave you with processes that don’t require frequent external input — so the next time you renew, it’s routine rather than a crisis. (See our healthcare IT support guidance.)

FAQ

Do we need Cyber Essentials Plus if we already have cyber insurance?

Not always, but insurers and procurement teams increasingly prefer — or require — it. Insurance may cover some costs after an incident, but certification reduces the likelihood of those incidents and makes claims simpler to handle. It’s about lowering both probability and friction.

How disruptive is the Plus assessment day?

For most businesses it’s minimally disruptive. The assessor will test a selection of devices and ask for evidence. A consultant will coordinate the scheduling and make sure the right people are available, so you’re not wasting management time fielding basic queries.

Can we just do Cyber Essentials (not Plus)?

Cyber Essentials is a sensible starting point and cheaper, but some buyers and insurers prefer Plus because it includes verification. If you regularly bid for contracts or handle sensitive data, Plus is often worth the extra investment.

Will certification stop all cyber incidents?

No single scheme does that. Cyber Essentials Plus reduces common vulnerabilities and opportunistic attacks — it’s about raising the baseline and making your organisation a harder target. For targeted threats you’ll need additional measures and a response plan.

Soft next step

If you want to reduce procurement friction, save time dealing with audit requests, and lower the chance of a disruptive incident, a pragmatic consultant can deliver that without needless complexity. Start with a short review, get a focused plan, and you’ll buy time, money and credibility — and, if you’re lucky, a little extra calm for the office.