Government 75% offers discount on cyber security certification amid rising threat of attacks

British businesses are being offered a 75 per cent discount on a government-backed cyber security certification scheme as ministers seek to strengthen defences against attacks that have increasingly disrupted companies and exposed customer data.

The reduced price for Cyber Essentials certification means eligible firms could pay as little as £80, with the maximum cost capped at £125, plus VAT.

The offer is intended to encourage smaller businesses to adopt basic security measures as cyber incidents continue to affect retailers, manufacturers and other critical industries.

The funding will be allocated on a first-come, first-served basis to businesses that have not held the certification in the past four years.

The scheme will remain available until March, or until the allocated funding has been exhausted.

The initiative comes amid a succession of high-profile attacks highlighting the financial and reputational consequences of weak cyber security.

In October, fashion marketplace Asos disclosed that an “unauthorised party” had gained access to an employee’s account, prompting customers to receive a mobile phone alert saying the retailer had been hacked.

Asos said the attacker had accessed some personal information, including customers’ names and contact details. The incident underlined how a compromised employee account can provide a route into systems holding sensitive consumer data, even when the full extent of an intrusion remains unclear.

The consequences can be considerably more damaging when attacks disrupt industrial operations. Last year, a major cyber attack on Jaguar Land Rover forced the carmaker to halt production at its factories for several weeks, dealing a significant blow to sales and financial performance.

For businesses, the risks extend beyond the immediate cost of restoring systems. Operational shutdowns can interrupt supply chains, delay deliveries, undermine customer confidence and leave companies facing substantial losses long after an attack has ended.

Cyber Essentials is designed to help organisations protect themselves against common online threats by establishing baseline security standards. The certification covers measures intended to reduce exposure to attacks, including secure configuration, access controls and protection against malware.

The discounted offer seeks to lower the financial barrier for businesses that might otherwise delay investing in formal cyber security protections. Smaller companies can be particularly exposed because they often have fewer resources to monitor systems, manage vulnerabilities and respond to incidents.

But certification alone cannot eliminate the risk of a breach. The growing reliance on connected systems and external technology providers means organisations must also pay attention to employee access, software updates and the security of suppliers.

The latest incidents have demonstrated how attackers can exploit weaknesses in one organisation to affect customers, trading partners or wider industrial operations.

With the discount limited by available funding and the March deadline, businesses seeking certification will need to act before the allocation is exhausted. The broader challenge for the UK economy, however, will be ensuring that cyber security becomes a routine part of business operations rather than a response to the latest high-profile attack.