Whether you are employed or running your own electrical business, enter your salary or annual earnings to see your take-home pay after Income Tax, National Insurance, pension and student loan for 2026/27.
Salary · pension · 2026/27
Electrician pay depends on whether you are employed (often on JIB-graded rates), self-employed or running a firm, plus your location — London and the South East pay a premium. Domestic, commercial and industrial work command different rates, and gold-card approved electricians earn more than improvers.
| Role / level | Typical salary 2026 |
|---|---|
| Apprentice electrician | £14,000 – £22,000 |
| Newly qualified electrician | £30,000 – £36,000 |
| Approved / gold-card electrician | £38,000 – £48,000 |
| Self-employed / London | £45,000 – £60,000+ |
Employed electricians pay tax and National Insurance through PAYE, which this calculator models. If you are self-employed, your Income Tax and Class 4 NI are worked out on your profit (income minus expenses) instead — use the self-employed tax calculator. Many electricians also do overtime and call-out work, which is taxed at the marginal rate; model it with the overtime calculator.
A qualified electrician typically earns £30,000 to £48,000 a year employed, with approved gold-card electricians and those in London or running their own business often earning £50,000 or more. Apprentices earn less while they train.
Yes. Self-employed electricians pay Income Tax and Class 4 National Insurance on their profit (turnover minus allowable expenses), reported through Self Assessment, rather than through PAYE. This calculator assumes employed (PAYE) pay; for sole-trader profits use the self-employed tax calculator.
Overtime, weekend and call-out pay is added to your earnings and taxed at your marginal Income Tax and National Insurance rate. Because it stacks on top of your basic pay, each extra pound can be taxed at 20% plus NI, or 40% plus NI if it pushes you into the higher band.
On a £40,000 salary with a 5% pension contribution, an employed electrician takes home roughly £30,500 a year, about £2,540 a month, after Income Tax, National Insurance and pension. Enter your own figures above for a precise result.
