Cyber Essentials (CE + CE+)
Simple, fast, reliable certification - backed by experts you can trust
Cyber Essentials isn’t just a tick-box exercise – it’s a recognised foundation for cyber security in the UK. Whether you’re aiming to protect your business, qualify for government contracts, or strengthen customer trust, certification is a powerful step forward.
At Toro, we know how important it is to work with a team that’s responsive, knowledgeable, and invested in your success. That’s why we guarantee you’ll work directly with our in-house experts. No outsourcing. No faceless platforms. Just fast, focused support from real specialists who are passionate about improving your cyber security.
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Protect your business. Build trust. Unlock growth.
What is Cyber Essentials and Cyber Essentials Plus?
Cyber Essentials is a government-backed certification that helps businesses protect against common cyber threats by focusing on key security measures like firewalls, secure configurations, access control, malware protection, and patch management.
Cyber Essentials Plus builds on this by adding an independent, hands-on technical assessment to verify that the controls are effectively in place. Both certifications not only strengthen your security posture but also demonstrate your commitment to cyber security to clients, partners, and stakeholders.
Toro’s expert team will guide you through both levels, ensuring your business meets the necessary standards with confidence.
Cyber Essentials can be delivered from as little as £300 per organisation.
Why should you get certified?
Enhanced security
The processes put in place as part of the CE certification will help protect your organisation from the most common internet based cyber-attacks.
Win new business
CE certification will give you the ability to bid for government tenders.
Gain trust
CE certification will help demonstrate a serious commitment to cyber security, building trust with customers and partners.
Lowers your insurance premiums
Cyber Essentials certification includes automatic cyber liability insurance for any UK organisation who certifies their whole organisation and has less than £20m annual turnover (terms apply).
Cost-effective compliance
CE and CE+ offers a simple and cost-effective certification process suitable for organisations of all sizes and sectors.
Managed Security & Consultancy
People focussed
At Toro, people are at the core of everything we do – our team, our clients, and the partners we collaborate with.
We prioritise building trusted relationships, delivering consistently high standards, and providing tailored support that reflects the unique needs of every client.
Free consultation
Why choose Toro?
Direct access to experts
With Toro, you get direct access to experienced cyber professionals. No middlemen. No generic helpdesks. Just responsive, senior-level support every step of the way.
End-to-end support
From scoping and gap analysis to submission and audit prep, we’re with you throughout. If you need to implement changes to meet the standard, we’ll help you get there fast.
Hands-on Cyber Essentials Plus prep
Getting ready for Cyber Essentials Plus? Our team can perform a pre-assessment to identify gaps, resolve issues, and ensure you pass the technical audit with confidence.
Converged Security thinking
Toro is a converged security consultancy, which means we consider cyber, physical, and human risks together. That mindset informs everything we do - including helping you prepare for certification in a way that’s pragmatic, well-rounded, and robust.
Managed Security & Consultancy
How can Toro support you?
Toro offers a range of different options to support you in your journey to certification, depending on your requirements and internal technical ability.
Support options
Certification Only: You can submit your assessment directly to Toro for marking.
Cyber Essentials: Guided consultancy to walk you through the assessment and make sure you are answering the questions accurately and compliantly.
Cyber Essentials Plus: Guided consultancy to walk you through the assessment, plus access to our qualified auditors to ensure your security controls and vulnerability scans will pass the test.
Cyber Essentials & Cyber Essentials Plus: Combines our Cyber Essentials and Cyber Essentials Plus plans at a discounted price.
Cyber Essentials FAQs
Both Cyber Essentials and Cyber Essentials Plus demonstrate that your organisation is taking cyber security seriously and is compliant across the five technical control themes: access controls, firewalls and routers, malware protection, secure configuration, and software updates.
Cyber Essentials is an independently verified self-assessment questionnaire.
Cyber Essentials Plus is the next step after Cyber Essentials where organisations must open their doors to an external assessor who tests and confirms that the technical controls are successfully in place.
Toro conducts a thorough pre-check to ensure you're ready before the formal audit. If there are issues, we help you remediate them and re-submit within the permitted time window.
Yes, Cyber Essentials and Cyber Essentials Plus are valid for 12 months. We offer annual review and re-certification services to keep your protection up to date.
Once you have passed your Cyber Essentials, you will receive confirmation from the certification body along with a unique reference number. You will also get Cyber Essentials badges for your website and marketing collateral, and you will be included on the NCSC's database of CE-certified organisations.
Most Cyber Essentials certifications can be completed within 1–3 weeks, depending on the state of your current controls. Cyber Essentials Plus may take a little longer due to the external audit, but we help speed up the prep process.
Yes, you need to complete the Cyber Essentials assessment as part of the Cyber Essentials Plus certification, and this must be completed prior to the Cyber Essentials Plus assessment.
Cyber Essentials is not legally required for all businesses, but it is mandatory for many UK Government contracts and widely encouraged as a baseline best practice. It’s also becoming increasingly common as a requirement in supply chain security.
Yes. In addition to Cyber Essentials and Plus, we help clients with ISO 27001, Cyber Essentials Plus readiness, security improvement roadmaps and many others.
Cyber Essentials is a simple, fast-entry certification focused on basic technical controls. ISO 27001 is a more in-depth, comprehensive information security management system (ISMS) standard. Many organisations start with Cyber Essentials before moving to ISO 27001.
Managed Security & Consultancy
Take the first step toward certification
Cyber Essentials doesn’t have to be complicated – especially when you’ve got the right team behind you. Whether you’re securing your first certification or upgrading to Plus, Toro makes the process smooth, stress-free, and successful.
Book your free Cyber Essentials consultation today and start your certification journey with Toro.
Bonus: certification support
If you want to pursue certification we can support you throughout the process. Whether it’s Cyber Essentials, Cyber Essentials Plus, or ISO 27001, we’ll help you prepare, apply, and pass.
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People focussed
At Toro, people are at the core of everything we do – our team, our clients, and the partners we collaborate with.
We prioritise building trusted relationships, delivering consistently high standards, and providing tailored support that reflects the unique needs of every client.
