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50% OFFfirst report

Gov Owed
Open nowSector-specificVerified 6 Nov 2026

Cyber Essentials First Step Fund

Department for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport, delivered by IASME

Check if you qualifyFree to check · no sign-up · full report £19.95

Worth

£240 to £375

Discount, not cash

Deadline

Closes 31 March 2027

Type of funding

Discount, not cash

Where

UK-wide

What it is

A 75% discount, not a cash grant: small and medium-sized organisations getting Cyber Essentials for the first time pay £80 to £125 plus VAT instead of £320 to £500. You must register and buy the assessment by 31 March 2027.

Checked 6 Nov 2026 on GOV.UK and IASME: 75% off a first Cyber Essentials assessment for UK-registered organisations with fewer than 250 staff that have not held Cyber Essentials in the last four years; discounted price £80, £110 or £125 plus VAT by size; register and purchase by 31 March 2027 (or until funding runs out), then complete the assessment within six months.

Official source

Who can apply

A summary of the main rules, not the full list. Department for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport, delivered by IASME decides who is eligible, so read their guidance before you apply. The free scan checks these against your own business.

  • A small or medium-sized organisation (under 250 staff)
Read the full rules at the official source

How to apply, in brief

You, through IASME's Supplier Assurance Tool at firststep.iasme.co.uk (IASME is the government's Cyber Essentials delivery partner); the discount also applies through a Certification Body.

  1. 1Check you qualify
  2. 2Create an account on IASME's Supplier Assurance Tool
  3. 3Buy the discounted assessment by 31 March 2027
  4. 4Complete your assessment within six months

The full guide, with what to do at each step, the official link for it and a draft to work from, is part of the £19.95 report.

Common questions

Is Cyber Essentials First Step Fund open for applications?
Yes. It is open for applications until 31 March 2027.
How much is Cyber Essentials First Step Fund worth?
£240 to £375. It is a discount, not cash, and the funder decides what each applicant receives.
Who runs Cyber Essentials First Step Fund, and where is it available?
Department for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport, delivered by IASME runs it. It is available across the UK.
How do I apply for Cyber Essentials First Step Fund?
You, through IASME's Supplier Assurance Tool at firststep.iasme.co.uk (IASME is the government's Cyber Essentials delivery partner); the discount also applies through a Certification Body.

Does your business qualify?

Eligibility rules are where schemes get fiddly. Gov Owed checks your business against Cyber Essentials First Step Fund — and every other UK scheme we track — in about two minutes, free. The £19.95 report then explains exactly why you qualify, drafts your answers and walks you through the real application step by step.

Check my business

No sign-up to scan · keep 100% of anything you win · re-runs free for 12 months

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Information, not financial advice; eligibility is decided by the funder. Contains public sector information licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0. Schemes change — confirm details on the official page before applying.