diff --git a/.circleci/config.yml b/.circleci/config.yml
index 1cef8e9..4ff942a 100644
--- a/.circleci/config.yml
+++ b/.circleci/config.yml
@@ -81,8 +81,7 @@ jobs:
         enum: [ development, staging, production ]
     environment:
       SAM_CONFIG_FILE: samconfig.toml
-      SAM_LAMBDA_CONFIG_ENV: <<parameters.dc-environment>>
-      SAM_PUBLIC_CONFIG_ENV: <<parameters.dc-environment>>-public-access
+      DC_ENVIRONMENT: <<parameters.dc-environment>>
     steps:
       - checkout
       - attach_workspace:
@@ -98,7 +97,7 @@ jobs:
           command: |
             pipenv run sam deploy ${DASH_DASH_DEBUG} \
               --config-file ~/repo/${SAM_CONFIG_FILE} \
-              --config-env $SAM_LAMBDA_CONFIG_ENV \
+              --config-env $DC_ENVIRONMENT \
               --template-file ~/repo/.aws-sam/build/template.yaml \
               --parameter-overrides "GitHash='$CIRCLE_SHA1'"
       - aws-cli/setup
@@ -167,6 +166,7 @@ jobs:
           name: "Post deploy tests"
           command: |
             export FQDN=`aws ssm get-parameter --query Parameter.Value --name 'FQDN' --output text`
+            export DC_ENVIRONMENT=`aws ssm get-parameter --query Parameter.Value --name 'DC_ENVIRONMENT' --output text`
             pipenv run pytest .circleci/tests/
 
 
diff --git a/.circleci/tests/test_against_fqdn.py b/.circleci/tests/test_against_fqdn.py
index e567bd0..92a4b42 100644
--- a/.circleci/tests/test_against_fqdn.py
+++ b/.circleci/tests/test_against_fqdn.py
@@ -9,7 +9,17 @@
 
 
 def make_request(url):
-    req = httpx.get(url, timeout=20)
+    dc_env = os.environ.get("DC_ENVIRONMENT")
+
+    if dc_env == "development" or dc_env == "staging":
+        req = httpx.get(
+            url,
+            timeout=20,
+            auth=("dc", "dc"),
+        )
+    else:
+        req = httpx.get(url, timeout=20)
+
     req.raise_for_status()
     return req
 
diff --git a/postcode_lookup/app.py b/postcode_lookup/app.py
index e63a4e5..1d97019 100644
--- a/postcode_lookup/app.py
+++ b/postcode_lookup/app.py
@@ -15,6 +15,7 @@
     section_tester,
 )
 from mangum import Mangum
+from middleware import BasicAuthMiddleware
 from starlette.applications import Starlette
 from starlette.middleware import Middleware
 from starlette.requests import HTTPConnection
@@ -148,6 +149,11 @@ def current_language_selector(conn: HTTPConnection) -> str | None:
     return conn.scope["current_language"]
 
 
+# This function is used to enable basic auth in development and staging environments
+def enable_auth():
+    return os.environ.get("DC_ENVIRONMENT") in ["development", "staging"]
+
+
 app = Starlette(
     debug=True,
     routes=routes,
@@ -160,6 +166,7 @@ def current_language_selector(conn: HTTPConnection) -> str | None:
             selectors=[current_language_selector],
         ),
         Middleware(ForwardedForMiddleware),
+        Middleware(BasicAuthMiddleware, enable_auth=enable_auth()),
     ],
 )
 
diff --git a/postcode_lookup/middleware.py b/postcode_lookup/middleware.py
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..b729e4b
--- /dev/null
+++ b/postcode_lookup/middleware.py
@@ -0,0 +1,39 @@
+from starlette.requests import HTTPConnection
+from starlette.responses import Response
+from starlette.types import ASGIApp, Receive, Scope, Send
+
+
+class BasicAuthMiddleware:
+    def __init__(self, app: ASGIApp, enable_auth: bool) -> None:
+        self.enable_auth = enable_auth
+        self.app = app
+
+    async def __call__(
+        self, scope: Scope, receive: Receive, send: Send
+    ) -> None:
+        if scope["type"] not in ["http", "websocket"]:
+            await self.app(scope, receive, send)
+            return
+
+        conn = HTTPConnection(scope)
+
+        if not self.enable_auth:
+            await self.app(scope, receive, send)
+            return
+
+        required_auth_header = "Basic ZGM6ZGM="  # "dc:dc" in base64
+
+        # Check for authorization header:
+        auth_header = conn.headers.get("Authorization")
+        if auth_header and auth_header == required_auth_header:
+            await self.app(scope, receive, send)
+            return
+
+        # If authorization fails, return 401 Unauthorized and prompt for credentials
+        response = Response(
+            "Unauthorized",
+            status_code=401,
+            headers={"WWW-Authenticate": 'Basic realm="Restricted"'},
+        )
+        await response(scope, receive, send)
+        return
diff --git a/template.yaml b/template.yaml
index 738cb36..2121234 100644
--- a/template.yaml
+++ b/template.yaml
@@ -29,11 +29,17 @@ Parameters:
     Default: AppAPIKey
     Description: "The DC aggregator API key"
     Type: AWS::SSM::Parameter::Value<String>
+
   AppSentryDSN:
     Default: SENTRY_DSN
     Description: "The Sentry DSN"
     Type: AWS::SSM::Parameter::Value<String>
 
+  DCEnvironment:
+    Default: DC_ENVIRONMENT
+    Description: "The DC_ENVIRONMENT environment variable passed to the app."
+    Type: AWS::SSM::Parameter::Value<String>
+
 Resources:
   ECDeployerRole:
     Type: AWS::IAM::Role
@@ -64,6 +70,7 @@ Resources:
           FQDN: !Ref FQDN
           API_KEY: !Ref AppAPIKey
           SENTRY_DSN: !Ref AppSentryDSN
+          DC_ENVIRONMENT: !Ref DCEnvironment
       Events:
         HTTPRequests:
           Type: Api
diff --git a/tests/test_basic_auth.py b/tests/test_basic_auth.py
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..bf4aba8
--- /dev/null
+++ b/tests/test_basic_auth.py
@@ -0,0 +1,20 @@
+import importlib
+
+import app
+import pytest
+from starlette.testclient import TestClient
+
+
+@pytest.mark.parametrize(
+    "environment,status_code",
+    [("development", 401), ("staging", 401), ("production", 200)],
+)
+def test_basic_auth(monkeypatch, environment, status_code):
+    monkeypatch.setenv("DC_ENVIRONMENT", environment)
+    # We reload the app here because the original import happens before the monkeypatched DC_ENVIRONMENT
+    # variable and therefore it wouldn't see the new env variable when its called in the TestClient's instantiation
+    importlib.reload(app)
+
+    with TestClient(app=app.app) as client:
+        resp = client.get("/")
+        assert resp.status_code == status_code
diff --git a/tests/test_middleware.py b/tests/test_middleware.py
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..ecffae7
--- /dev/null
+++ b/tests/test_middleware.py
@@ -0,0 +1,50 @@
+from middleware import BasicAuthMiddleware
+from starlette.applications import Starlette
+from starlette.responses import PlainTextResponse
+from starlette.routing import Route
+from starlette.testclient import TestClient
+
+
+def create_app(enable_auth):
+    async def homepage(request):
+        return PlainTextResponse("Hello, world!")
+
+    routes = [Route("/", endpoint=homepage)]
+    app = Starlette(routes=routes)
+
+    app.add_middleware(BasicAuthMiddleware, enable_auth=enable_auth)
+    return app
+
+
+def test_no_auth_required():
+    app = create_app(enable_auth=False)
+    client = TestClient(app)
+    response = client.get("/")
+    assert response.status_code == 200
+    assert response.text == "Hello, world!"
+
+
+def test_auth_required_success():
+    app = create_app(enable_auth=True)
+    client = TestClient(app)
+    response = client.get("/", headers={"Authorization": "Basic ZGM6ZGM="})
+    assert response.status_code == 200
+    assert response.text == "Hello, world!"
+
+
+def test_auth_required_failure():
+    app = create_app(enable_auth=True)
+    client = TestClient(app)
+    response = client.get("/")
+    assert response.status_code == 401
+    assert response.headers["www-authenticate"] == 'Basic realm="Restricted"'
+    assert response.text == "Unauthorized"
+
+
+def test_auth_required_invalid_credentials():
+    app = create_app(enable_auth=True)
+    client = TestClient(app)
+    response = client.get("/", headers={"Authorization": "Basic invalid"})
+    assert response.status_code == 401
+    assert response.headers["www-authenticate"] == 'Basic realm="Restricted"'
+    assert response.text == "Unauthorized"