Cyber Essentials Plus: How to achieve it and why it matters

Cyber Essentials Plus (CE+) has a habit of sitting on the “to do” list. Everyone knows it matters, but stretched IT teams, reluctant staff, and competing budgets push it down the queue.

Until the moment they can’t. A renewal requires it. A tender demands it. An insurer makes it a condition. What looked optional suddenly becomes business-critical, and the scramble begins.

That scramble is avoidable. CE+ shouldn’t be treated as an annual hoop but as a foundation for day-to-day security. Embedded well, it strengthens operations long after the certificate is framed.

Why it feels harder than it ought to be

We know that most organisations don’t delay CE+ because they think it’s trivial. They delay because it looks like another big, resource-hungry project. A small IT team, legacy and cloud systems stitched together, staff wary of change.

It all adds weight.

Independent assessors expect patching, access controls, and device compliance.

That feels like a high bar when you’re already trying to keep the lights on and the tickets down.

But the truth is the mountain isn’t as high as it looks. CE+ doesn’t require a total rebuild of your IT. It asks for the basics to be working consistently:

• Patch regularly
• Keep devices compliant
• Enforce access properly
• Communicate expectations clearly

Of course, these basics only stick when you have your policies in place. And where people, process, and technology are all pulling in the same direction.

Benefits that show up quickly

Furthermore, when organisations do commit to Cyber Essentials Plus, the improvements usually arrive faster than expected.

Unifying identity means staff no longer juggle multiple logins. Single sign-on makes life easier for users and removes a common source of helpdesk calls. Conditional access policies, once resisted, settle into the background as part of normal working life.

Device compliance stops being a battle. Once policies are applied consistently, the cycle of exceptions and workarounds disappears.

The result?

• Fewer support tickets
• Fewer recurring problems
• More space to focus on those other ‘more pressing’ projects

Plus, in many cases, security scores in Microsoft environments quickly rise, giving leaders proof of progress.

Yes, of course cultural resistance is real. We know that people often hear multi-factor authentication (MFA) and think ‘barrier and hindrance.’

But that can rapidly change once they experience the smoother, safer workflows that follow. Managers see fewer interruptions. IT leaders prove they can deliver changes that stick.

Security that lasts

The real strength of CE+ is what happens after the first certificate. Renewal becomes much easier because the essentials are already embedded. The annual scramble fades, replaced by a cycle of steady improvements that reflect the modern workplace.

We’ve spoken before about changes that came about in April 2025. Changes that directly reinforce tighter security in the areas that matter today, for example:

These changes bring CE+ more closely aligned to global cybersecurity standards. Not only boosting the credibility of your certification but driving clear improvements to an organisation’s long and short term security posture.

Cyber Essentials Plus drives resilience and commercial confidence

When contracts, premiums, and relationships increasingly demand proof of security measures and monitoring, this certification goes a long way.

More and more do we see procurement teams in government and industry treat CE+ as standard, and in the case of many multi-million pound contracts, a mandatory requirement.

Yes, being Cyber Essentials Plus certified will give you an edge in the market. In one study, 69% of businesses said it’s made them more competitive. But it’s equally worth noting that, without it, you are more and more at a disadvantage.

It really can be the difference between winning or losing work.

Culture makes it sustainable

The less obvious but more enduring benefit is cultural. CE+ creates a reason to engage the whole organisation in security. Awareness programmes, clearer communication, and aligned policies help staff understand what’s expected of them and why it matters.

That cultural change is what makes certification sustainable.

Once staff see security as part of their role, not an IT demand, renewals become less painful and defences become more reliable. Security is no longer an annual event. It’s part of the way the business runs.

Essentials means essential

We know why organisations stall: small teams, limited budgets, endless priorities.

However, with the right partner, it doesn’t have to be the headache many expect. At Kocho, for instance, we help you push through the process without disruption. Minimising friction with staff and ensuring the controls you need are embedded properly.

More than this though, we look to the long term. Embedding security into every layer of your processes and culture with a light touch. Making it an unhindered part of the way you work and, of course, ensuring future re-certifications sail through with minimal ripples in the water.

You see, that’s the real value of Cyber Essentials Plus.

It reduces incidents, streamlines operations, and creates confidence across every stakeholder. With the right support, it stops being a project you dread and becomes the proof point that security in your organisation works.

The clue’s in the name. Essentials are not optional. And Cyber Essentials Plus is how you demonstrate that they hold when it matters most.

The Cyber Essentials Plus FAQs