Cyber Essentials certification lasts a year, and renewal is more than a formality. Your IT estate changes, new devices and apps appear, and the threat landscape never stands still — annual recertification keeps your protections current rather than frozen at a single point in time.
Letting it lapse can also cost you: more contracts and supply chains now require valid certification as a condition of doing business.
Why this matters
- Your IT changes constantly — last year’s controls may no longer fit.
- Lapsing can lose contracts — many tenders require current certification.
- Threats evolve — the baseline is reviewed and updated over time.
- It keeps good habits honest — an annual check stops drift.
What we’d advise
We manage the whole cycle for clients — keeping the underlying controls in good shape year-round so renewal is straightforward and the badge always reflects real, up-to-date protection.
Further reading: the official scheme at ncsc.gov.uk.