Do we need to certify our clients too, or just ourselves?

Just yourselves, by default. CE+ certifies the MSP being audited, not its clients. Each client that wants their own CE+ goes through their own audit, which the MSP usually supports. The MSP's certificate does not transfer to clients.

Can we use our internal IT to do the CE+ audit instead of an external assessor?

No. The whole point of CE+ is independent verification. The auditor must be from a certifying body accredited by IASME. You can find the list on the NCSC and IASME websites. Pick one with experience auditing MSPs.

What happens if we fail the CE+ audit?

Most certifying bodies offer a remediation window of 30 days to fix any failed control area and resubmit for re-test. There is usually an additional cost for the re-test. If you cannot fix in 30 days, you do not get the certificate and have to start the process again from scratch.

Can we audit a subset of our environment, or does it have to be everything?

You can scope CE+ to a defined subset - a particular network, a particular business unit, or a particular client environment. Scope it tightly to what your buyers actually care about. Wider scope adds cost and risk without commercial value.

Is CE+ recognised outside the UK?

CE+ is a UK scheme so recognition is strongest with UK buyers, UK insurers, and UK public sector. Some international buyers recognise it as equivalent to their national schemes. If you are selling significantly outside the UK, also consider ISO 27001 or SOC 2 depending on the market.

How does CE+ relate to ISO 27001?

CE+ tests a specific set of 5 technical controls. ISO 27001 covers a much broader management system including policies, processes, risk management, and continuous improvement. CE+ is narrower and faster to achieve. ISO 27001 is wider, harder, and more credible to enterprise buyers. Many MSPs hold both.

What Cyber Essentials Plus Actually Means for MSPs | Assurix

CE+ is a buyer expectation across UK regulated sectors. Guide to the 5 control areas, audit timeline, what to fix first, and how MSPs use it commercially.

What Cyber Essentials Plus actually is

Cyber Essentials Plus (CE+) is the UK's hands-on cyber certification, audited by an independent assessor against 5 technical control areas. For MSPs, it is now a buyer expectation in regulated sectors and increasingly outside them.

The 5 CE+ control areas

Firewalls - Boundary protection and network filtering configuration
Secure configuration - Hardened default settings across devices and software
User access control - Least privilege and account management
Malware protection - Anti-malware deployed and actively updated
Patch management - Software and OS patching within 14 days of critical releases

Where MSPs most commonly stumble

Patch management, user access control, and secure configuration are the three areas with the highest failure rates. All three are fixable with process changes rather than new tooling.

Using the certificate commercially

CE+ is not just a compliance badge. Used correctly, it is a differentiation tool: a verifiable signal that your patching, access management, and device configuration actually meet independently assessed standards.

Visit https://assurix.com/resources/cyber-essentials-plus to view the full interactive page.