Day December 23, 2025

The 2026 JIB Industrial Determination delivers a 3.95% pay increase for graded electrical operatives and 2% for apprentices, effective 5 January 2026, as the first stage of a three-year wage agreement negotiated between the Electrical Contractors' Association and Unite the Union. Industry forums, trade publications, and apprenticeship providers frequently assert that "higher pay will solve skills shortages" or "better wages will fix apprenticeship completion problems," creating expectation that this pay rise will materially improve electrician recruitment and increase apprenticeship starts and completions across England, Wales, and Northern Ireland.

The 2026 JIB pay rise, effective Monday 5 January 2026, delivers a 3.95% increase to hourly rates for graded electrical operatives across England, Wales, and Northern Ireland as the first year of a three-year wage agreement negotiated between the Electrical Contractors' Association and Unite the Union. Industry coverage of this pay determination frequently focuses on the percentage figure alone, leaving electricians uncertain about the practical monetary impact: how many additional pounds per hour, how much more per week, what this means for annual gross pay, and how overtime patterns amplify or diminish these gains depending on working hours and grade progression.