Electrician Salary Calculator UK

Typical UK Electrician salaries

Source: JIB National Working Rules 2026 (Section 2); ONS ASHE Table 14.7a (SOC 2020 code 5241, April 2025) (2026). Pay scales change; check the source before relying on a figure.

How much do electricians earn in the UK?

A qualified electrician in the UK earns between £35,841 and £44,265 a year on JIB national standard rates (transport provided), depending on grade. The ONS ASHE 2025 provisional median for full-time electricians and electrical fitters (SOC 5241) is £39,647 gross per year. That figure captures PAYE full-time employees only; a large share of electricians work as self-employed sole traders or CIS sub-contractors and sit outside it, often earning more per hour but carrying their own overheads.

JIB rates set the floor for employers who are party to the Joint Industry Board agreement. The 2026 determination gave an increase of about 3.9% across qualified grades — Electrician, Approved Electrician and Technician — while apprentice rates were frozen. The JIB Handbook 2026 sets rates for January 2026, 2027 and 2028. All rates are based on a standard 37.5-hour week with national transport provided (NTP); if you supply your own transport, the hourly rate is roughly £1.10–£1.20 higher to cover vehicle costs.

Career ladder: Apprentice to Technician

Electrical careers in the UK follow a clear JIB grading structure, and each step up brings a meaningful pay rise.

Apprentice (Stages 1–4)

A four-year apprenticeship typically combines college study with on-site work. Pay in 2026 ranges from £8.16/hr (Stage 1) to £14.03/hr (Stage 4), all frozen at 2025 levels under the current industrial determination. London apprentices receive a premium of roughly £0.98–£1.69/hr on top. On completion of the AM2 assessment you qualify as a JIB Electrician.

Electrician

The base JIB grade after qualification. The 2026 NTP rate is £18.38/hr (£35,841/yr on a 37.5-hour week, 52 weeks). Most electricians spend one to three years here while building experience and working toward Approved status.

Approved Electrician

Requires BS 7671 (IET Wiring Regulations), inspection and testing qualifications (typically City & Guilds 2391) and employer endorsement. The 2026 NTP rate is £20.08/hr (£39,156/yr). This is the most common grade for experienced employed electricians.

Technician

The highest standard JIB grade. Technicians hold additional qualifications in design, commissioning or a specialist discipline (fire alarm, data, BMS). The 2026 NTP rate is £22.70/hr (£44,265/yr). Some employers also recognise a Senior Authorised Person role for HV work, which typically commands a further premium negotiated locally.

Tax, National Insurance and pension impact

Understanding gross-to-net is essential because deductions take a significant share of an electrician's pay. The 2026/27 UK tax year uses the following key thresholds:

• Personal Allowance: £12,570 — the first £12,570 of earnings is tax-free.
• Basic rate: 20% on earnings between £12,571 and £50,270.
• Higher rate: 40% on earnings between £50,271 and £125,140.
• Additional rate: 45% on earnings above £125,140 (Personal Allowance tapers to zero between £100,000 and £125,140).
• Employee National Insurance: 8% on earnings between £12,570 and £50,270, then 2% above that.

Worked example: Approved Electrician on £39,156

Gross salary: £39,156. Income Tax on £26,586 taxable (£39,156 minus £12,570) = £5,317. Employee NI on £26,586 at 8% = £2,127. If the employer auto-enrols the worker into a pension at 5% employee contribution, that costs £1,958 (with a 3% employer contribution on top). After these deductions the approximate annual take-home is £29,754, or around £2,480/month.

Enter your exact figures in the calculator above for a precise breakdown including student loan repayments and salary sacrifice.

Regional and additional pay

Location and working pattern make a big difference to an electrician's actual earnings.

London weighting

The JIB 2026 London premium adds £2.20/hr for Electricians and £2.40/hr for Approved Electricians on the NTP rate. On a 37.5-hour week, 52 weeks, that adds £4,290 and £4,680 a year respectively. A London Electrician therefore earns £40,131/yr and a London Approved Electrician £43,836/yr on NTP rates. London Technicians earn £49,667/yr with a premium of £2.77/hr. This compensates for higher living costs in the M25 corridor.

Overtime

Under JIB National Working Rules, overtime beyond 37.5 hours per week is paid at time-and-a-half. Sunday work attracts double time. An Approved Electrician regularly working 5 hours of overtime a week at time-and-a-half would earn an extra £7,831 a year (5 × £20.08 × 1.5 × 52). Be aware that overtime pushing gross pay past £50,270 will be taxed at 40%.

Own transport

If you provide your own vehicle, the JIB own-transport rate is higher — £21.19/hr for Approved Electricians versus £20.08 NTP. That adds about £2,165/yr (£1.11/hr × 1,950 hours). Travel to jobs beyond a defined radius may also attract separate travel-time payments set locally.

Regional variation

ONS ASHE data shows that electricians in London and the South East tend to earn above the national median, while those in the North East and Wales tend to earn below it. Scotland and the North West sit close to the national figure. The JIB London-weighted rates above quantify the largest regional difference.

Self-employed vs employed electricians

A significant share of UK electricians work for themselves rather than through PAYE employment. The economics are quite different.

Employed (PAYE)

You receive JIB-rate pay with employer pension contributions (minimum 3%), holiday pay (typically 30 days including bank holidays under JIB), sick pay, and tool allowances. Your employer handles Income Tax and NI through payroll. Stability and predictable income are the main advantages.

Self-employed / CIS sub-contractor

Self-employed electricians set their own day rates, which vary widely by specialism, location and demand. Gross earnings can be higher than PAYE equivalents, but you bear your own costs: public liability insurance, tools, vehicle, fuel, accountancy fees, and no paid holiday or employer pension. Class 4 National Insurance applies instead of employee NI (Class 2 is no longer compulsory), and you file a Self Assessment return each year.

Many electricians start employed, gain their Approved status and qualifications, then transition to self-employment once they have a steady client base or agency contacts. Both routes can work well financially — the right choice depends on your risk tolerance, specialism and career stage.

How to increase your electrician salary

Several practical steps can lift your earnings beyond the standard JIB rate:

• Gain Approved or Technician status. Moving from Electrician to Approved adds roughly £3,315/yr on JIB NTP rates; reaching Technician adds a further £5,109/yr.
• Specialise. Disciplines such as high-voltage (HV), fire alarm, building management systems (BMS), EV charger installation and solar PV attract premiums because they require additional training and certification.
• Work in London or the South East. JIB London weighting alone adds £4,290/yr for an Electrician and £4,680/yr for an Approved Electrician.
• Take overtime strategically. Time-and-a-half and double-time rates can meaningfully boost annual gross, but watch the tax impact — overtime that pushes you past £50,270 will be taxed at 40%.
• Consider self-employment when ready. Experienced Approved Electricians with good industry contacts can often earn more gross as self-employed, though net gains depend on your business costs and financial discipline.