IASME names three things that lead to a fail on Cyber Essentials. One is not turning on MFA for a cloud service that offers it, even where MFA is a paid option.
The other two are critical or high-risk updates not installed within 14 days, and unsupported software in scope. Go into the questionnaire cold, first time or at renewal, and you may not know which of them apply to you.
Check those three before you pay for the assessment. After that, work through the questions in the order they're asked.
For UK small businesses and sole traders, the kit explains the Cyber Essentials self-assessment questionnaire and helps you gather what each question asks for. Your draft answers go in one workbook, ready before you buy the assessment.
It follows the current versions: IASME's Danzell question set (version 16.3) and the NCSC's Requirements for IT Infrastructure v3.3, effective from 27 April 2026. The scope and five control sections are matched to the NCSC requirement.
£39 · digital download (ZIP with PDF and Excel files).
What you get
- Start here guide (PDF): how to use the kit, the current versions, and a route for sole traders and businesses with 1–9 staff covering what's usually in scope when you're small (head count, registration number, personal phones, home routers)
- Walkthrough in question order (PDF): every Danzell section from A1 to A8, with what to watch out for and what to have ready, plus the matching NCSC requirement for scope and the five controls
- Prep workbook (Excel): scope and devices, a cloud services worksheet (cloud services can't be left out of scope), software support dates, a 14-day patch tracker with install-by dates worked out for you, an MFA evidence log, admin accounts, firewall rules, and a draft-answers tab numbered to match the question set
- "Before you pay IASME" check (one-page PDF): the scope points, the points IASME says lead to a fail and the five controls, ticked off before you buy
Preparation only, not an assessment
This kit isn't made or endorsed by IASME or the NCSC. It doesn't award Cyber Essentials and can't promise a pass. Only an Assessor working for a body licensed by IASME can assess your answers and issue a Cyber Essentials certificate. Secordit isn't one of those bodies. General information, not legal advice.
Looking at your actual systems is a job for an IT consultant or an IT support company, who can also help you prepare.
Who's behind it
Secordit Intelligence was set up in February 2026 by Matthew Protheroe-Hill, its director. Before that, he co-founded Sencode Cyber Security and was a director there from 2019 to 2023. Qualification: BSc (Hons) Cyber Security & Networks (1st Class), Teesside University.
FAQ
You can download the Cyber Essentials questionnaire from IASME at no charge. What does this add?
IASME and the NCSC publish the question set, the requirements and a Readiness Tool at no charge. This kit adds a walkthrough in question order and a workbook to organise your evidence and draft answers. It doesn't cover the Cyber Essentials Plus technical audit.
Will this mean I pass?
No. Only an Assessor working for a body licensed by IASME can assess your answers and issue a Cyber Essentials certificate.
Which question set does it cover?
Danzell (version 16.3, May 2026), used for assessments bought from 27 April 2026, with the NCSC's Requirements v3.3. IASME says these can change each year. Check IASME's site for the current version.
Do I get updates?
Yes, for Danzell (version 16.3). If we update this kit while that version is current, we'll send you the updated files as part of your purchase. A kit for a later question set isn't included.
Which points does IASME say lead to a fail?
IASME names three. One is not turning on MFA for a cloud service that offers it, even where MFA is a paid option. Another is not installing critical or high-risk updates within 14 days. The third is having unsupported software in scope. The kit has a tab for each.
How much is the assessment itself?
That's paid to IASME, not to us. IASME prices it by organisation size, starting at £320 for 0–9 employees, before tax as IASME lists it. Check IASME's site for the current price.
What format are the files?
PDF and Excel (.xlsx). The workbook uses standard formulas only and has been tested in LibreOffice Calc. It should also open in Excel and Google Sheets.
How it works
- Click Get the kit and check out. You'll receive a download link after payment.
- Open "Start here", then download IASME's question set and the NCSC's requirements (links inside).
- Fill in the scope and cloud services tabs, then work through the walkthrough and fix any gaps.
- Run the "Before you pay IASME" check, then buy your assessment from IASME when you're ready.
It's self-serve. You work through the files yourself, with no calls or meetings with us.
Who it's for
- UK small businesses and sole traders going for Cyber Essentials for the first time
- Anyone renewing who wants to check their answers against the Danzell questions and v3.3
- Owners who'd rather prepare their questionnaire answers themselves than start in the assessment platform cold
Everything in the download
A ZIP with 4 files: the Start here guide (PDF), the walkthrough in question order (PDF), the prep workbook (Excel) and the "Before you pay IASME" check (PDF).
Delivery
Digital download (ZIP with PDF and Excel files). You'll receive a download link after payment. No physical item, no shipping.
Begin with the scope and cloud services tabs in the workbook.