Cyber Essentials Has Record Year but Takeup Remains Low
UK Cyber Essentials certifications hit a record 61,430 in the year to June 2026, up 20%, but uptake remains low among 5.7 million SMEs.
The UK government awarded a record 61,430 Cyber Essentials certificates between July 2025 and June 2026, a 20% year-over-year increase, including 46,245 basic self-assessed and 15,185 audited CE+ certifications. Roughly three-quarters were recertifications, and uptake remains low against an estimated 5.7 million UK SMEs. An ESET survey found 49% of UK SMEs suffered a cyber incident in the past year, while the Cyber Resilience Pledge and the Cyber Security and Resilience Bill aim to push certification through supply chains.
- 61,430 certificates were awarded: 46,245 Cyber Essentials and 15,185 CE+ with third-party audit.
- About three-quarters of certifications were renewals rather than new organizations adopting the scheme.
- ESET survey finds 49% of UK SMEs suffered an incident, taking over four weeks on average to recover.
- Cyber Resilience Pledge and Cyber Security and Resilience Bill push supply-chain certification demands.
- Government claims Cyber Essentials holders are 92% less likely to claim on cyber insurance.
- Vendors
- ESETManaged 247
- Products
- Cyber Essentials
- Organizations
- UK GovernmentNCSC
- Countries
- United Kingdom
From the original article
2 min read at infosecurity-magazine.com
New government figures reveal a 20% annual increase in certifications
By Phil Muncaster · infosecurity-magazine.com
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