Cyber Security in Lancashire: PCI, Cyber Essentials and Testing From Accrington

Sovereign Secure provides cyber security in Lancashire from its head office at 16 Whalley Road, Accrington, BB5 1AA. From Accrington we provide PCI DSS assessments, Cyber Essentials and Cyber Essentials Plus certification, ISO consultancy and penetration testing to organisations across Lancashire, the wider North West and internationally. We are a PCI SSC-approved Qualified Security Assessor (QSA), Qualified PIN Assessor (QPA) and Card Production Security Assessor (CPSA) company, an IASME-licensed Cyber Essentials certification body and ISO 27001 certified.

If your organisation is in Greater Manchester, our page on cyber security Manchester covers the city region. This page is about our Lancashire base, the county around it and the cyber security services we deliver from Accrington.

Where is Sovereign Secure based?

Our head office and registered office are in Accrington, in the borough of Hyndburn in East Lancashire, so if you are looking for cyber security in Accrington or Hyndburn, we are local. Our company and contact details:

How do you get to the Accrington office?

Accrington sits between Blackburn and Burnley, just off the M65. The A56 links the town south to the M66 and Manchester, and Accrington railway station is on the East Lancashire line. Meetings at the office are by arrangement, so please call ahead on +44 161 523 5276. You can read more about the company, our approvals and how to verify them on our about us page.

Do you work on site in Lancashire?

Yes, whenever the work needs someone physically present. Most work is delivered remotely because it is quicker to arrange, but some can only be done in the building.

Work that needs a visit:

• Wireless penetration testing, because the tester must survey and test the Wi-Fi at each site.
• Physical social engineering, such as tailgating and access tests.
• Internal network testing, where a VPN, virtual machine or testing device is not practical.
• PCI DSS assessment steps where a testing procedure calls for observation, for example physical security of card data.

Work that is usually remote but can be done on site:

• Cyber Essentials Plus audits.
• ISO 27001 gap analysis workshops and internal audits.

Work that is normally remote: basic Cyber Essentials (an online self-assessment that we assess), external, web application, API, cloud and mobile penetration testing, and external vulnerability scanning.

Visits within East Lancashire are easy to fit around your working week, and visits further afield are planned into the project timetable at the quoting stage.

Which parts of Lancashire do we cover?

All of it, from East Lancashire to the Fylde coast, including Blackburn with Darwen and Blackpool:

What can we help Lancashire organisations with?

The same verified services we deliver nationally, from our Lancashire base:

• PCI DSS, PIN and card production. Scoping, SAQ support and formal QSA assessments, plus PIN and card production audits. See our PCI compliance services.
• Cyber Essentials and Cyber Essentials Plus. We assess and issue certificates as an IASME-licensed certification body, with basic packages from £320 + VAT. Start with Cyber Essentials certification.
• ISO consultancy. ISO 27001 and other ISO standards, with certification audits carried out by our partner certification body, MQA International. See ISO 27001 consultancy.
• Penetration testing and vulnerability scanning. Web, API, network, cloud, mobile, hardware and IoT, wireless and social engineering testing, with external ASV scans delivered through a PCI SSC Approved Scanning Vendor partner. See penetration testing services.

Cyber Essentials in Lancashire: is it done locally or remotely?

Mostly remotely, with a local option where it helps. For basic Cyber Essentials you answer the IASME question set online and we assess it as an IASME-licensed certification body, so nobody needs to visit. Cyber Essentials Plus adds a hands-on technical audit within three months of the basic certificate, which we can run remotely or at your premises anywhere in Lancashire.

Check where you stand first with our free Cyber Essentials readiness check, and read our guide on how to get Cyber Essentials certification for the steps.

Which cyber security standards do Lancashire organisations need?

It depends on who you sell to and how you take payments. Four drivers come up most often:

• Defence and aerospace supply chains. MOD contracts that carry DEFCON 658 require Cyber Essentials at every Cyber Risk Profile level, and Cyber Essentials Plus at Levels 2 and 3, alongside further controls from DEF STAN 05-138.
• Card payments. Retailers, hospitality businesses and visitor attractions that take cards must comply with PCI DSS, usually through a Self-Assessment Questionnaire.
• Public sector contracts. Cyber Essentials is required for many central government contracts that involve personal information, and many public bodies ask their suppliers for it. The NCSC’s Cyber Essentials overview explains the scheme.
• Enterprise customers. Software and digital firms are often asked for a recent penetration test report or ISO 27001 certification before a contract is signed.

Why choose Sovereign Secure for cyber security in Lancashire?

When you compare cyber security companies in Lancashire, check each one’s approvals at the source rather than its website. Sovereign Secure Ltd (company no. 08334453, est. 2012, Accrington, Lancashire, UK) is a PCI SSC-approved QSA, QPA and CPSA company, a member of the PCI SSC Global Executive Assessor Roundtable for 2026 to 2028, an IASME-licensed certification body for Cyber Essentials, IASME Cyber Assurance and Defence Cyber Certification Levels 0 and 1, and an ISO 27001-certified firm, with offices in Los Angeles, Singapore, Dubai and Dhaka.

• A local firm with approvals you can check. Our PCI approvals and GEAR membership are published by the PCI Security Standards Council, our Cyber Essentials licence comes from IASME, and we are registered with the ICO.
• Compliance and testing from one team. One set of evidence can support Cyber Essentials, PCI DSS and ISO 27001.
• Clients well beyond the county, including The Growth Company, Fiserv, Accor, Cashplus and Kuwait Finance House.

How do you get started?

1. Call or enquire. Ring +44 161 523 5276, use the enquiry form on this page or see our contact details for every office.
2. Share your scope. For Cyber Essentials or CE+, complete our Cyber Essentials scoping questionnaire. For testing, PCI or ISO, a short call is enough.
3. Get a fixed quote for the agreed scope before any work starts.
4. Book dates, remotely or at your premises in Lancashire.