IASME Cyber Assurance is a UK cyber security accreditation that goes beyond the basics of Cyber Essentials to cover a broader set of controls and good practice, including aspects of data protection and risk management, demonstrating a more complete, rounded security posture. For a construction consultancy handling large volumes of confidential third-party data, IASME can be worth pursuing where clients want more assurance than Cyber Essentials alone. It is usually worked towards and maintained as part of managed IT at about £45 to £100 per user per month. Here is what it is and whether your firm needs it.
Cyber Essentials covers the fundamentals, but some firms and clients want more. IASME Cyber Assurance is the recognised next step. Here is what it adds and when it makes sense for a consultancy.
What IASME adds
IASME Cyber Assurance builds on the Cyber Essentials controls with a wider framework covering areas such as risk management, data protection, staff awareness and incident response. It reflects a more rounded, ongoing approach to security rather than just the basic technical controls, and it is mapped to recognised standards, so it demonstrates real maturity.
Why a consultancy might want it
A firm holding large volumes of confidential client and third-party data, especially sensitive engagements, may find that clients want more assurance than Cyber Essentials alone. IASME provides that broader, credible evidence of good security and data handling, which can matter when the data you hold is particularly sensitive and the clients particularly demanding.
How it relates to Cyber Essentials
For most small firms, Cyber Essentials is the starting point and IASME is the step up when more is needed. They work together: achieving Cyber Essentials puts the fundamentals in place, and IASME extends that into a fuller security and information-management posture. A provider can help you decide how far up that path your firm needs to go.
Getting there with a gap analysis
The practical route to IASME usually starts with a gap analysis, comparing your current security and documentation against the requirements, then closing the gaps, often including writing or improving security policies. A provider who knows the framework can run that gap analysis and guide the work, turning a daunting standard into a clear set of steps.
Deciding if you need it
Not every consultancy needs IASME, and Cyber Essentials may be enough, so it is worth taking advice based on the data you hold and what your clients ask for. The right answer is the level of accreditation that genuinely protects your firm and satisfies your clients, without paying for more than your situation requires.
What to ask a provider
A specialist for construction claims and quantity surveying consultancies should be able to answer:
- Have you supported document-heavy consultancies and systems like M-Files, including the SQL back end, before?
- How do you keep our case archive fast to search as it grows?
- How do you help us receive and handle confidential client and third-party data securely, through data rooms, SFTP and VPN?
- Can you support secure remote and RDS working, and our Cyber Essentials or IASME accreditation?
- Is the price clear and per user, with security included rather than charged separately?
Where to start
If you are not sure where your practice stands, a short review is the quickest way to find out: check that your document management and its server are sized and backed up properly, that confidential client and third-party data is received and stored securely, that remote access is secure and reliable, and that your Cyber Essentials or IASME accreditation is genuinely covered. Those few checks show where a consultancy-aware managed setup would pay off.
The bottom line
For a construction claims or quantity surveying consultancy, good IT comes down to two things: being able to find and work with huge volumes of case documents instantly, and keeping confidential client and third-party data absolutely secure. When the document system is fast, the data is safe, and people can work securely from anywhere, the practice can focus on the cases rather than the technology.
That reliability comes from a setup built around how a document-heavy, confidentiality-bound consultancy actually works, a well-run document management system, secure data handling, solid backups and recognised accreditation, rather than generic office IT. For a small practice whose reputation rests on protecting clients’ information, a predictable per-user cost for that dependability is far cheaper than a breach, a lost case file, or a day locked out of the archive.
Why construction consultancies choose First Stop IT
First Stop IT has supported businesses since 2002, including professional and consultancy firms, and we understand how a construction claims and quantity surveying practice works: M-Files and other document management on a SQL back end, secure handling of confidential client and third-party case data, RDS remote working, and the Cyber Essentials and IASME accreditation that clients increasingly expect. We support consultancies across Essex, Hertfordshire and London. Our credentials include:
- Cyber Essentials Certified
- IASME Cyber Assurance (Gold)
- NCSC Assured Service Provider (Cyber Advisor for Cyber Essentials)
- Microsoft Partner
- Crown Commercial Service Supplier (G-Cloud)
- Quality Principles Certified
We look after more than 2,000 endpoints across 50 companies, we have been named a Top 50 UK MSP for three years running, and we support organisations with 10 to 100 employees across Essex, Hertfordshire and London.
Book a free IT and cyber security review
Want recognised proof of your security to win and keep instructions? Book a free IT and cyber security review with First Stop IT.