Cyber crime is organised. So is your defence.
QuantumCare Micro Business: serious cyber security for a business of under ten people
Every person in your business gets exactly the same protection as our largest clients. What’s different is what sits around it — and the price.
Find out where you actually stand
Book your free consultation30 minutes. No obligation. You keep the findings either way.
Your IT support keeps the business running. That isn't the same as keeping it safe.
The people attacking your business go to work in the morning. They have teams, tooling, budgets and targets. Some of them have HR departments.
There's nothing wrong with what you already have. Antivirus, a sensible password, a laptop that installs its own updates — that was a reasonable position to take, and for years nobody offered you anything better.
But security is a different discipline. It needs someone watching around the clock, someone who knows what a compromised login looks like at 3am, and someone whose job is to ask what happens when — not if — something gets through.
We built this tier because we kept turning small businesses away. The package we sell to a company of fifty makes no sense for a team of three, and quoting them for it anyway would have been dishonest. So for years the answer was no.
There's a reason for that, and it's worth knowing. Some of the platforms behind QuantumCare are billed to us as a flat fee no matter how many businesses we put on them. Buy them for one small company and that whole fee lands on one small company. Spread across our client base, your share is a few pounds a month. That is the entire reason this can be £36 a person instead of a project quote.
So the work quietly doesn't get done, and nobody notices until it matters.
That gap is exactly what QuantumCare Micro Business fills.
Built for a certain kind of business
You’re the right fit if
- You have fewer than 10 employees — from one upwards
- You run your business on Microsoft 365
- You handle client data, money, or both — and a breach would matter
- You’d rather pay a predictable monthly fee than find out the hard way
- You’re prepared to act on what we find
You’re probably not the right fit if
- You want free, or nearly free — this is a real service with real cost behind it
- You’re looking for someone to fix laptops and reset passwords — that’s IT support, and it isn’t what this is
- You need day-to-day security leadership, board reporting or a full policy pack — that’s Business Pro
- You need on-site presence more than once in a while — we work remote-first
- You don’t use Microsoft 365 — most of what we do is built around it
Ten or more people? Business Pro is the right package — and it isn’t a simple upgrade. It adds security leadership, quarterly reviews and governance, and it is priced accordingly. See Business Pro.
What’s included
QuantumCare Micro Business has two halves. One protects the business. One protects each person in it.
The security essentials programme
Fixed each month, whatever your sizeThe next table is identical to Business Pro. The protection on each person’s account is exactly the same whether you are a team of three or a company of two hundred — because the software behind it costs us the same either way.
Per Microsoft 365 account
Scales with your headcountWhat Micro Business does not include
We could charge you less by quietly leaving things out. Instead, here is the list.
None of this is a trap. If you outgrow Micro Business, or you find you need one of these, we’ll tell you — and moving to Business Pro is a conversation, not a penalty.
How it works
Four steps from first conversation to ongoing protection. No long procurement, no surprise costs.
Consultation
A conversation, not a pitch. We work out whether you’re a fit, and you work out whether we are.
Assessment
We look at what you have, what’s exposed and what’s missing. You get the findings whether or not you go ahead.
Onboarding
We deploy, configure and harden. For a business this size it is usually done inside a week, and mostly without you noticing.
Ongoing
Round-the-clock monitoring, a one-page report each month, and a direct line whenever you need it.
The findings are yours either way. Whatever you decide after the assessment, you’ll leave knowing exactly where you stand.
Pricing
See your price before you speak to us
We publish our pricing because you shouldn't have to sit through a discovery call to find out whether you can afford it.
QuantumCare
Micro Business
from £204 per month
Complete cyber security for a business of under ten people. Set your Microsoft 365 account count to see your price.
No minimum team size — one account is a real customer, not an exception.
Count every licensed account — staff email accounts and administrator accounts alike. It is the number of licences you pay Microsoft for. Every account gets round-the-clock threat monitoring, backup and security training.
Your rate drops to £34 per account and is frozen for the full term. Untick it for rolling monthly at £36 — leave any time with 30 days’ notice. Either way you pay monthly, with nothing upfront.
Your monthly price
£272/month
- Security essentials programme Scanning, hardening, readiness and your monthly report £170.00
- 3 Microsoft 365 accounts × £34.00 Protection, monitoring, backup and training for every person £102.00
All in, that’s £90.67 per person, per month.
You save £6.00 a month against the rolling rate — £72.00 over the year.
All prices exclude VAT. No minimum, no setup fee.
Micro Business is built for teams of under 10. At ten accounts or more, Business Pro is the right package — it adds security leadership, quarterly reviews and governance, and starts at £710 a month.
Book a callWhat am I paying for?
The security essentials programme
Fixed each month, whatever your size
- External vulnerability assessment
- Network & attack surface scanning
- Proactive hardening of computers and Microsoft 365
- Cyber Essentials & insurance readiness
- A one-page monthly report in plain English
- A direct line — phone, WhatsApp and email
Per account
Identical to Business Pro
- 24/7 endpoint protection and threat detection
- Patch management
- Identity threat detection & response
- Identity security posture management
- Security monitoring (SIEM)
- Cloud backup & recovery
- Web & DNS filtering
- Continuous security awareness training
- Continuous vulnerability scanning
Not included: vCISO access, quarterly business reviews, the
information security policy pack, firewall & network device protection, and email domain
protection (DMARC). Those sit on Business Pro.
On-site visits are charged separately — £240 for a short visit up
to two hours, £400 a half day, £760 a full day, plus travel and accommodation at
cost and never marked up. Short visits are West Sussex and nearby; further afield starts at a
half day. We work remote-first and most things never need one.
Indicative pricing based on account count. Final quotations may vary where bespoke requirements apply. QuantumCare is delivered by Systems Secure Ltd.
£170 per month covers the security essentials programme — the scanning, hardening, reporting and readiness work that costs the same whether you have one person or nine.
£36 per Microsoft 365 account covers the protection, monitoring, backup and training for each person. Commit to 12 months and that drops to £34, frozen for the full term.
There is no minimum. One account is a real customer, not an exception.
On-site visits are not included. When one is genuinely needed: £240 for a short visit of up to two hours, £400 for a half day, £760 for a full day — plus travel and accommodation at cost, never marked up, and agreed with you before anything is booked. Short visits are West Sussex and nearby; further afield starts at a half day. We work remote-first, and most things never need one.
All prices exclude VAT. Pay monthly either way — there's nothing to pay upfront, and no setup fee.
Straight dealing
A team of three gets the same service
as a team of thirty
Being the smallest name on someone’s books usually means being the last one they get round to. Micro Business is built so that can’t happen — the protection runs around the clock whoever you are, and the price is published so you never have to ask what you’re worth to us.
No minimum
One account is a real customer, not a favour we’re doing you. A team of two gets the same answer as a team of nine — yes, and here is the price.
The same protection as our largest clients
The tools watching your accounts are the ones watching a two-hundred-person business. Identical, because the software costs us the same either way.
No lock-in
Rolling monthly means 30 days’ notice and no penalty. No setup fee and nothing to pay upfront — the only reason to commit to twelve months is if you want the price frozen.
We’ll tell you when you’ve outgrown us
At ten people Business Pro becomes the right package, and it costs more. We’ll say so before you get there rather than after — and it’s a conversation, not an upsell.
Who you'll be working with
James Batt
Founder, Systems Secure Ltd
Systems Secure has been trading since 2010. In that time the thing that has changed most is not the threats — it is how small a business now has to be before it is worth attacking.
QuantumCare is how I do this work now. A small number of clients, a complete programme rather than a shopping list of products, and one person who knows your business well enough to be useful at short notice.
When you ring, you get me.
Qualifications
What the letters actually mean, since nobody explains them.
CISSP
Certified Information Systems Security Professional
The senior, internationally recognised security qualification. Requires years of documented experience before you can even sit it.
C|CISO
Certified Chief Information Security Officer
Focused on running a security programme — governance, risk and reporting to a board, rather than configuring the technology.
C|EH
Certified Ethical Hacker
Formally trained in the techniques attackers use. It is difficult to defend against methods you have never seen from the other side.
NCSP
Certified NIST Cybersecurity Professional — Practitioner
Qualified to build and run a security programme against the NIST framework — the structure insurers and larger clients increasingly expect to see behind your answers.
Security+
CompTIA Security+
The foundational security certification, and a common baseline requirement in government and defence supply chains.
Recognition
Cybersecurity Company of the Year
Winner — West Sussex Business Awards 2025
Security Solution Specialists of the Year
Winner — E2 Media Awards 2025
Systems Secure Ltd · trading since 2010 · company registration 7295869 · Copthorne, West Sussex
STILL NOT SURE?
Questions you're probably asking
The main ones that come up on almost every call, answered here so you don’t have to book one to find out.
Costs and contracts
How much does QuantumCare Micro Business cost?
QuantumCare Micro Business costs £170 per month for the security essentials programme, plus £36 per Microsoft 365 account on rolling monthly, or £34 per account on a 12-month agreement.
There is no minimum number of accounts, so the entry price is £204 per month for a single account on a 12-month agreement, or £206 rolling. A team of three pays £278 a month, five pays £350, and nine pays £494 — all on the rolling rate.
All prices exclude VAT. There is no setup fee and nothing to pay upfront. Use the calculator further up this page to see your exact figure before you speak to anyone.
£206 a month for one person? That’s a lot.
It is, per head — and it’s the honest answer rather than a headline rate that only works at scale.
Roughly half of what you’re buying costs us the same whatever your headcount: the scanning, the hardening, the reporting, the time. That half doesn’t get cheaper because there are fewer of you. The other half — the protection on each account — is £36 a person, and that is the same £36 our largest clients pay.
Which is why the price per head falls fast. One person is £206 a month. Five is £350, or £70 each. Nine is £494, or £55 each.
Is there a minimum number of accounts?
No. One account is fine, and it is a real customer rather than an exception we grumble about. The base fee is what makes that work.
Business Pro, by contrast, starts at ten accounts.
What’s the difference between rolling and the 12-month agreement?
Rolling monthly is £36 per account and you can leave any time with 30 days’ notice. The 12-month agreement is £34 per account, and your price is frozen for the full term.
The £170 base fee is the same either way. Both are billed monthly, and there is nothing to pay upfront.
Is there a setup fee?
No. Onboarding, deployment and the initial hardening work are all included in your monthly price.
Can we add or remove accounts during the month?
Yes — your bill follows your headcount. We count accounts on the first of the month, so changes are picked up on your next invoice rather than mid-cycle.
That applies on a 12-month agreement too. What is frozen for the term is the £34 rate, not the number of accounts — you’re committing to a price, not to a headcount.
What if it doesn’t work out?
Then you leave. Rolling monthly means 30 days’ notice and no penalty.
The 12-month option exists because some clients want a frozen price, not because we need to trap anyone.
What's covered — and what isn't
What counts as a Microsoft 365 account?
Every licensed account — staff email accounts and administrator accounts alike. It is the number of licences you pay Microsoft for.
It’s often a little higher than your headcount, because most businesses have admin and service accounts alongside their people.
What if someone has two computers?
Endpoint protection covers the computers attached to that account, so a laptop and a desktop for the same person don’t count twice.
If you have a lot of shared or unassigned machines, tell us on the call and we’ll be straight with you about it.
Do you help with Cyber Essentials?
Yes. Getting you ready for Cyber Essentials is part of the programme — we do the technical work, put the controls in place and handle the questionnaire.
The certification itself is charged separately. That is the certification body’s own fee, and we’ll tell you what it is before you commit to anything.
One condition: if you want us to take you through certification, your agreement moves from rolling monthly to a 12-month term. A certificate is only meaningful if the controls behind it stay in place for the year it covers, and we won’t put our name to one we can’t stand behind.
What if we have more than one email domain?
Email domain protection isn’t part of Micro Business, so the number of domains you have doesn’t change your price.
It is worth understanding what that means. Without DMARC enforcement, a criminal can send email that looks like it came from your address — and old trading names and campaign domains can be spoofed just as easily as your main one. If that is a real risk in your business, ask and we’ll quote it separately.
On Business Pro your first domain is included and each additional domain is £30 per month.
Risk and threats
We already have antivirus
Antivirus is one control out of eight, and it's the one attackers plan around. It waits to recognise something it has seen before.
It doesn't watch your Microsoft 365 logins, back up your email, patch your software, block malicious websites, train your staff, or tell anyone when something looks wrong at 3am.
There's a saving in this too. What we install takes over the antivirus job as well, so you don't need a separate paid subscription on top — and across a team of five or nine, that is five or nine renewals you stop paying. It won't cover the whole monthly fee, but it comes off it.
Don't cancel anything until we've confirmed every machine is covered, and we'll tell you when that is.
We’ve never had a breach.
Neither had any of our clients, until the ones who did.
The businesses that get hit aren’t targeted for being interesting — they’re targeted for being reachable. The question isn’t whether you’ve been unlucky yet.
We’re too small to be a target
Nobody chose you. Attacks are automated, run at scale, by organisations measuring their return on investment.
Smaller businesses get hit precisely because they’re reachable and under-defended. You’re not too small to be a target — you’re the right size to be an easy one.
Do you guarantee we won’t ever be hacked?
No. Nobody credible can promise that — and you should be wary of anyone who does.
What we do commit to is fast action and clear evidence: quick detection, rapid containment, tested recovery, and a one-page update each month you can actually read.
The goal is simple — fewer incidents, smaller impact, faster recovery — with proof you can show your insurer and your clients.
What happens if something goes wrong at 2am?
Threats are monitored around the clock by a human security operations centre. Isolation and remediation happen whether or not anyone at your end is awake.
You’ll have a report waiting in the morning explaining what happened and what was done about it.
Do we still need cyber insurance?
Yes. QuantumCare isn’t insurance and doesn’t replace it — the two do different jobs. Insurance pays out after something goes wrong. QuantumCare is there to stop it going wrong in the first place.
What QuantumCare does is help you meet what your insurer asks for. Multi-factor authentication, endpoint protection, patching, backups and staff training are now standard conditions on most cyber policies. We put them in place, keep them in place, and give you the evidence.
That matters at renewal. If you declare controls you don’t actually have, a claim can be refused — so it is worth being certain that what goes on the form is true.
We aren’t insurance brokers and can’t advise on cover. Speak to your broker about what’s right for your business, and we’ll make sure the technical side stands up.
Working with your IT
We already have IT support.
Good — keep them. QuantumCare works alongside your IT provider, not instead of them. They keep the business running; we keep it secure.
Most are relieved. Security is the part of the job they are least equipped for and most exposed on.
Do you replace our IT provider?
No. We work alongside them. They keep the business running, we keep it secure, and we’ll coordinate directly with them so nothing falls between the two of us.
If you’d rather we handled IT support as well, ask — but it isn’t part of QuantumCare.
Choosing the right package
Is this the same protection as Business Pro?
On each person’s account, yes — identically. The tools behind a Micro Business account and a Business Pro account are the same, because the software costs us the same either way.
What Business Pro adds is what sits around it: security leadership, quarterly reviews, a bespoke policy pack, email domain protection and network device management.
What happens when we hit ten people?
You move to Business Pro. Be aware it is a step up in price, not a rounding — Business Pro starts at £710 a month, because it includes things Micro Business deliberately doesn’t.
We’ll flag it before you get there rather than after.
Is Micro Business capped like Business Pro?
No. Business Pro is capped at twenty clients because that package includes our time every month — the leadership, the quarterly reviews, the policy work — and that does not scale to hundreds of businesses.
Micro Business is deliberately built to run properly without that constraint, so there is no cap and no waiting list.
Do we need a CISO?
At under ten people, almost certainly not — and we would rather say so than sell you one.
A Chief Information Security Officer owns the security decisions: what the risks are, what gets fixed in what order, and what the business is prepared to live with. It is a real job, but it is a job that needs a real budget, and below ten people that money does more good spent on protection than on leadership. That is what Micro Business is.
It is not part of Micro Business, and we do not pretend otherwise. If you grow past ten people, Business Pro adds a named security lead — someone accountable, a policy pack and a quarterly review. And if you reach the point where you need committed days rather than someone on call, that is a separate service, QuantumCare CISO, which starts at ten employees and £1,200 a month.
Who you're dealing with
Who will we actually be dealing with?
James Batt. Every conversation, every time you pick up the phone. Not an account manager, not a rota, and not somebody who needs your setup explained to them again.
Is QuantumCare just one person?
The advice and the relationship are one person, deliberately. That is what buys you someone who knows your systems rather than someone reading a ticket.
The protection behind it is not one person. Monitoring, detection and containment run around the clock through a dedicated security operations centre, on enterprise security tooling. None of that waits for anyone here to be at a desk.
You get a named, accountable person sitting on top of infrastructure that never sleeps.
What happens if James is away or unwell?
Your protection carries on exactly as normal. Monitoring, detection, isolation and containment are handled by the security operations centre, twenty-four hours a day, every day of the year. A compromised machine gets shut off at 3am on a bank holiday without anyone here being involved.
I take planned leave a few times a year and you’ll know well ahead. Routine advisory questions get answered within two working days rather than the same day. Anything security-critical reaches me wherever I am.
It is a fair question to ask of any small provider, and you should ask it of anyone you are considering.
Would you take on one of our competitors?
Possibly, and we’d rather say so than imply otherwise. Competitor exclusivity is a Business Pro promise, and it only works because that package is capped at twenty clients. Micro Business is uncapped, so we cannot make the same commitment.
What we do commit to is that nothing about your business — your systems, your data, your weak points — is ever discussed with another client, whoever they are.
If exclusivity genuinely matters in your market, that is a Business Pro conversation, and we’ll have it honestly with you.
Getting started
How quickly can we start?
Onboarding usually takes one week from agreement. For a business this size it is often quicker, and most of it happens in the background.
Monitoring and endpoint protection go live first, so you’re covered well before everything else is finished.
Do you work on-site?
We’re remote-first, which is a large part of how we keep the price where it is. On-site visits are not included in your monthly fee.
When one is genuinely needed we’ll come. There are three rates, and the longer the visit the less it costs per hour:
£240 — short visit, up to two hours
£400 — half day, up to four hours
£760 — full day, up to eight hours
Short visits are for sites within reach of us in West Sussex. Further afield starts at a half day, because the travel makes a two-hour trip impractical.
We work with businesses across the UK and Europe, so where travel, flights or a hotel are needed those are charged at cost on top. We don’t mark expenses up, and you’ll see the whole figure and agree it before anything is booked.
We’ll tell you before you commit to anything whether a visit is actually necessary — most of the time it isn’t, because almost everything we do is done remotely anyway.
If you need someone in the building regularly, we’re not the right fit and we’d rather say so now.
What this actually changes
Beyond not being hacked, here is what a security programme buys a business of your size.
You win work you’d otherwise lose
Larger clients and public sector buyers now send a security questionnaire before they will sign anything. Cyber Essentials, multi-factor authentication everywhere, DMARC at enforcement — you answer yes with evidence, instead of stalling for three weeks.
Insurance renewal stops being a guess
What you declare on the form matches what is actually running. That means cover you can rely on, rather than discovering at claim time that something you ticked two years ago was never in place.
Disruption gets smaller
Fewer incidents, caught earlier, contained faster. The difference between losing an afternoon and losing a fortnight is almost always how quickly somebody noticed.
You can prove it
One page each month: what was found, what was fixed, what is next. Something you can put in front of a board, a client or an auditor without translating it first.
The next step
One conversation, and you’ll know where you actually stand
You don’t have to decide anything on the call. We tell you what’s exposed, and you keep the findings either way — even if we’re not the right fit.
No obligation · No sales script · You keep the findings either way
James Batt · CISSP, C|CISO Founder, Systems Secure Ltd
Who checks that your security actually works?
Your IT team keeps the business running. We check it is protected — finding the risks, telling your IT team what to fix, and showing you the proof every month in plain English.
Per computer, sole trader. Excludes VAT.
- Round-the-clock monitoring of every computer
- Updates, ransomware protection, web filtering
- Training so your people spot the scams
Three packages, sized by how many people you have — £35, £204 and £710 a month. Every price is on this page.
Systems Secure Ltd is an independent cyber security company based in Copthorne, West Sussex, run by James Batt and working with businesses across the UK. Its managed service, QuantumCare, works alongside your existing IT support rather than replacing it — finding the risks, telling your IT team what to fix, and checking that important protections are still working.
This is cyber security, not IT support. Prices are published on this site, starting at £35 a month. Cyber security should give you clear answers — not long reports, confusing alerts or guesswork.
Keep your IT support. Add dedicated cyber security.
There's a reason a company's accounts are prepared by one firm and audited by another. It isn't that accountants can't be trusted — it's that nobody, however good, is well placed to check their own work.
Keeps your systems, users and everyday technology running. In-house or outsourced, they stay involved throughout — and receive clear, specific actions from us whenever their help is needed.
Finds the cyber risks, strengthens protection, and checks that important security controls are still working. You get an independent view of what's protected, what has changed, and what should happen next.
- We're not here to replace anyone or catch anyone out
- Clear responsibilities for everyone involved
- Independent checks on important protection
- Clear proof for you every month
Good IT teams tend to welcome this. An independent report is often the evidence they've been trying to get budget on for months.
Most security companies won't show you a price until you've sat through a sales call. Here's ours.
Sole Trader
One person, one computer
From £35
per computer, per month
- Round-the-clock monitoring of your computer
- Updates kept on top of automatically
- Protection against viruses and ransomware
- Dangerous websites blocked before they load
- Yearly training so you spot the scams
- Ask us a question any time
Micro Business
Priced per Microsoft 365 or Google account
From £204
per month
- Round-the-clock monitoring of every computer
- Your files backed up to the cloud
- An alert the moment a login is stolen
- Regular checks for weak spots
- Ongoing training, not just once a year
- A plain-English summary every month
Business Pro
Priced per Microsoft 365 or Google account
From £710
per month
- Everything in Micro Business
- Your network and firewall checked
- Tested from the outside, the way an attacker would
- Security policies written for you
- Cyber Essentials readiness support
- A review with James every quarter
No setup fees. No minimum contract. No penalty for changing your mind. All prices exclude VAT. Compare all packages side by side
Need security ownership at board level?
QuantumCare CISO is the mirror image of the packages above — all people, no software. A qualified security officer for a business of 10 to 250 people, from £1,200 a month. Five published prices, and no quote to ask for.
See CISO pricesNot ready for a monthly plan?
One-off work with James at a fixed price agreed before anything starts. £450 to review one system — your Microsoft 365, your firewall, your backups. £795 for the whole business. Got a question first? There's no charge for finding out whether you need us.
See consulting pricesFour steps from the price on this page to being protected
No form to fill in first, and no sales call needed to find out the number.
Pick your package
Three QuantumCare packages, sized by how many people you have, from £35 a month. Every price is published on this site.
Thirty minutes with James
A conversation, not a pitch. We confirm which package fits — and if the honest answer is that you don't need us, we'll say so.
Setup
We install it, configure it and check it is working — usually inside a week from agreement, and mostly without you noticing.
Every month after
Monitoring, updates applied in the background, and problems dealt with rather than just flagged up. Micro Business and Business Pro add a plain-English summary each month.
What you can hold us to
No lock-in
Month to month on 30 days' notice, no setup fee and no penalty for changing your mind. A 12-month option is there if you'd rather freeze your price — a choice, not a requirement.
A three-month refund
If your business is compromised while you're following the agreed security plan, you get three months' fees back. No security company can promise you'll never be attacked, and we don't.
Only 20 clients
The managed security list is capped at 20, so the person checking your security is actually paying attention — and you deal with the same person every time.
Never your competitor
We will not take on a direct competitor of an existing client, and every price on this site is the price you pay.
The proof is in the numbers, the awards and the qualifications
In IT, networks and cyber security since 1995
Systems Secure trading, full time on cyber security since 2016
Defences strengthened, risk reduced, peace of mind delivered
Trained to spot threats, stop breaches and protect businesses
The gold standard in cyber security, recognised worldwide.
Certified to run a security programme — governance, risk and reporting to a board.
Qualified to think like a hacker and find your weaknesses first.
Certified in structured cyber risk management using the NIST framework.
Globally recognised qualification in cyber security best practice.
Hi, I'm James Batt
- CISSP, C|CISO, CEH, NCSP Practitioner, Security+
- 21 years designing multi-million-dollar IT systems in oil and gas
- 16 years running Systems Secure, based in Copthorne, West Sussex
Most cyber security experts talk in acronyms. I talk like a business owner — because I am one.
I went into the oil and gas industry in 1995, doing IT, networks and security for global corporations, and led multi-million-dollar projects across America and Europe. Twenty-one years of it — and security was part of the job from the first day. I'm not an IT man who retrained into it later.
In 2010 I started Systems Secure as a sideline and ran it alongside the day job for six years. By 2016 it had outgrown the evenings and weekends, so I sat the Certified Ethical Hacker exam, left a good salary and better benefits behind, and turned the company from IT to cyber security — because security was, and still is, the weakness most smaller businesses have.
Sixteen years on, I've helped 200+ UK organisations strengthen their defences, pass compliance audits, and sleep easier knowing their data — and their reputation — are protected. You deal with me, not a rotating support desk.
Cybersecurity Essentials for Business Owners
Written for the person who owns the business, not the person who runs the servers. No acronyms, no scare stories, and nothing you need a technical background to act on.
- How attacks on businesses your size actually start — which is rarely the way people expect
- The handful of protections worth putting in place before anything else
- How to tell whether what you already have is genuinely working
We'll email you the PDF. The button opens a short form — one name, one email address.
Send me the guide In a hurry? The ten-point checklist is on the site already, with nothing to fill in.Questions you're probably asking
The main ones that come up on almost every call, answered here so you don't have to book one to find out.
How much does cyber security cost for a small business in the UK?
Systems Secure managed cyber security starts at £35 per computer per month for a sole trader, £204 per month for a business of one to nine people, and £710 per month for a business of ten or more. All prices exclude VAT and there are no setup fees.
What you pay depends on how many people you have. The Sole Trader package is priced per computer. Micro Business and Business Pro are priced per Microsoft 365 or Google account, so the cost scales with your team rather than a fixed licence block. Every price is published on the website — you don't need to sit through a sales call to find out the number.
What is QuantumCare?
QuantumCare is Systems Secure's cyber security service: three managed packages priced by how many people you have — Sole Trader from £35 a month, Micro Business from £204 and Business Pro from £710 — plus QuantumCare CISO, a separate service from £1,200 a month for businesses of 10 to 250 that need a qualified security officer rather than more software.
It is cyber security, not IT support — it works alongside whoever runs your systems rather than replacing them, finding the risks, telling your IT team what to fix, and checking that important protections are still working.
Do I have to sign a long contract?
No. Every Systems Secure package runs on a rolling monthly basis with 30 days' notice and no cancellation penalty. There is no minimum term.
A 12-month option is available if you'd rather freeze your price, which saves £2 per account per month. It's a choice, not a requirement.
Is there a setup fee?
No. There are no setup fees and nothing to pay upfront on any Systems Secure package. You pay monthly, starting from the month the service begins.
Do your prices include VAT?
No. All Systems Secure prices are quoted excluding VAT. VAT is added to your invoice at the prevailing UK rate.
Can I get a one-off piece of work instead of a monthly plan?
Yes. Fixed-price consulting is available with no ongoing commitment: £150 for a single question answered in writing within two working days, £250 for a second opinion, £450 for a review of one system, and £795 for a full review of your business. All prices exclude VAT.
These prices are built for businesses of up to 25 staff. Above that, the price rises with headcount.
Working with your IT team
Do I have to get rid of my existing IT provider?
No. Systems Secure is designed to work alongside your existing IT support, not replace it. Whether your IT is outsourced or in-house, they carry on running your systems, users and everyday technology, and receive clear, specific actions from us whenever their help is needed.
The two roles are different jobs. Your IT team keeps the business running; Systems Secure checks that it's actually protected. You get an independent view of what's protected, what has changed and what should happen next — without disrupting a relationship that's already working.
We have our own IT manager. Do we still need an outside security firm?
Usually yes — and it tends to help them rather than undermine them. An in-house IT manager is responsible for keeping everything running, which means security competes with a hundred other urgent things every week. It also means they would be reporting on the quality of their own work, which isn't a fair position to put anyone in.
Systems Secure gives your IT manager a specialist to escalate to and a second pair of eyes on the things that matter, and gives you a view that doesn't depend on one person's workload or judgement.
What is the difference between IT support and cyber security?
IT support keeps your technology working: fixing problems, setting up new starters, keeping systems online. Cyber security is a separate job — finding weaknesses before an attacker does, strengthening protection, and checking that important controls are still working months after they were switched on.
Good IT teams, in-house or outsourced, do handle parts of security — including updates, backups and access control. What they rarely provide is independent oversight: someone whose only job is to look for the gaps, and who has no reason to report that everything is fine.
My IT company says they already handle security. Do I need you as well?
Possibly not — and Systems Secure will tell you honestly if that's the case. But two things are worth knowing: nobody is well placed to audit their own work, and IT providers are themselves a target for attackers looking for a route into their customers' networks.
In a joint advisory, the UK's National Cyber Security Centre — alongside CISA, the NSA, the FBI and their Australian, Canadian and New Zealand counterparts — warned that managed service providers are granted privileged access to a customer's network, which can create opportunities for attackers.
That isn't hypothetical. In July 2021 attackers exploited a flaw in Kaseya VSA, remote management software used by IT providers, and reached an estimated 800 to 1,500 businesses through around 60 providers. None of those businesses did anything wrong. They were reached through a supplier they trusted.
So the question worth asking isn't "do you handle security?" It's "when did you last check that it's working, and can I see the evidence?"
Risk and threats
Is my business too small to be a cyber target?
No. In the last 12 months, 46% of UK small businesses and 42% of micro businesses identified a cyber security breach or attack, according to the Government's Cyber Security Breaches Survey 2025/26.
Most attacks aren't personally chosen — they're automated. Software scans the internet looking for weaknesses and takes whatever it finds. A business with three staff and a website nobody visits still gets probed daily. Phishing remains by far the most common method, experienced by 38% of businesses.
Isn't antivirus enough?
No. Antivirus catches known threats, but most modern attacks don't rely on a recognisable file. Phishing, stolen passwords and misconfigured settings all bypass antivirus entirely.
Proper protection needs several layers: monitoring that spots unusual behaviour, multi-factor authentication, patching, backups you've actually tested, and staff who can recognise a convincing fake email.
Isn't cyber insurance enough on its own?
No. Most cyber insurance policies require you to prove you took reasonable precautions — multi-factor authentication, staff training, patch management. If you can't demonstrate those, a claim can be reduced or refused entirely.
Insurers increasingly expect standards such as Cyber Essentials before they'll offer cover or renew it. Insurance is worth having, but it pays out after the damage. It doesn't prevent it.
What happens if we get attacked anyway?
No security company can promise you'll never be attacked, and Systems Secure doesn't make that promise. What it does offer is a three-month refund guarantee: if your business is compromised while you're following the agreed security plan, you get three months' fees back.
The realistic goal is fewer incidents, caught earlier and contained faster.
The service
What do I actually get each month?
Every package includes round-the-clock monitoring, automatic updates, protection against viruses and ransomware, blocking of dangerous websites, and staff training. Larger packages add cloud backup, alerts when a login is stolen, regular checks for weak spots, firewall and network reviews, written security policies and a quarterly review.
Micro Business and Business Pro also include a short monthly summary showing what's protected, what changed and what needs attention — written in plain English rather than as a long technical report.
What size businesses do you work with?
From sole traders up to businesses of around 250 staff. There are three packages: Sole Trader for one person, Micro Business for one to nine people, and Business Pro for ten to 250. Business Pro has a minimum of ten accounts.
Do you only work with businesses in West Sussex?
No. Systems Secure is based in Copthorne, West Sussex, and works with businesses across the UK. Almost all of the work is done remotely, so your location doesn't affect the service or the price.
On-site visits are available and charged separately: £240 for a visit of up to two hours, £400 for a half day and £760 for a full day.
Can you help us get Cyber Essentials?
Yes. Cyber Essentials readiness support is included in the Business Pro package. That means reviewing your current setup against the requirements, telling you what needs to change, and getting you to the point where you can pass.
Worth knowing: Cyber Essentials reflects the day of assessment, not a permanent state. Ongoing patching, access reviews and vulnerability checks are what keep the certificate meaningful between renewals.
Who you're dealing with
Who will I actually be dealing with?
James Batt. Systems Secure deliberately caps its managed security client list at 20, so you deal with the same person every time rather than a rotating support desk.
Systems Secure will also never take on a direct competitor of an existing client.
What qualifications does James Batt hold?
James Batt holds CISSP, C|CISO (Certified Chief Information Security Officer), CEH (Certified Ethical Hacker), NCSP Practitioner and CompTIA Security+.
Behind those: 21 years designing multi-million-dollar IT systems for the oil and gas industry, and 16 years running Systems Secure. The company was named Cybersecurity Company of the Year at the West Sussex Business Awards 2025, and Security Solution Specialists of the Year at the E2 Media Awards 2025.
Why do you only take on 20 clients?
Because security oversight is only worth paying for if someone is genuinely paying attention. Capping the list at 20 clients means each one gets real scrutiny rather than an automated dashboard nobody reads.
It also means Systems Secure can be honest about capacity rather than selling a service it can't properly deliver.
Thirty minutes, free, and nothing to decide on the call
A conversation, not a pitch. We'll confirm which package fits — and if the honest answer is that you don't need us, we'll say so.
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Systems Secure® Limited·Registered in England and Wales, company no. 07295869 6 The Meadow, Copthorne, West Sussex RH10 3RG·07702 896 910·[email protected]
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