How much do electricians make in the UK? 

Electricians sit at the heart of the UK’s energy transition, building upgrades, and data-centre boom. That demand shows up in pay packets: from apprenticeships through to specialist testers and supervisors, earnings rise as competence and scope increase. Below is a clear, evidence-based guide to what electricians earn in 2025, with realistic examples and the exact steps that tend to boost income fastest. 

Quick routes if you are just starting: read how to become an electrician, add the inspection and testing course to unlock higher-value work. 

The headline numbers 

There is no single “electrician salary,” because pay varies by route, region, and specialism. Three official datapoints frame the market: 

1. Typical salary level for fully qualified roles. The UK government’s Skilled Worker “going rate” for electricians and electrical fitters (SOC 5241) is £38,800 a year, based on the latest Annual Survey of Hours and Earnings (ASHE) data. This is not a cap, it is a benchmark used for visas and salary setting and it tracks the median earnings for the occupation.
   
   
2. What full-time UK employees earn in general. Across all jobs, the 2024 median annual pay for full-time employees was £37,430, up 6.9 percent on 2023. That means the electrician benchmark above sits slightly above the all-jobs median. Office for National Statistics
    
3. Day rates for self-employed work. For domestic and small commercial jobs, trade sources put the average electrician day rate around £300 to £500, with many guides quoting about £400 per day as a typical figure, depending on region and scope.  

Those three figures help you translate titles and job ads into realistic expectations. 

What affects an electrician’s pay 

1) Stage on the qualification ladder. 
Apprentices and improvers will obviously earn less than fully qualified electricians. The National Careers Service gives a broad range of £26,000 for starters to £45,000 for experienced PAYE roles, which aligns with what we see among newly qualified and time-served sparkies across regions. National Careers Service 

2) Employment model. 
PAYE roles trade lower headline rates for stability, holidays and pensions. Self-employed contractors set day rates and keep the upside, but must cover overheads, travel, gaps between jobs and insurances. 

3) Region. 
London and the South East tend to pay more. Rural areas can be lower on salary but steadier for self-employed domestic work. 

4) Specialism. 
Adding inspection and testing, EV charging, PV and battery systems, or commercial maintenance widens the scope of jobs you can safely and legally deliver, which usually means better rates. 

A realistic pay ladder 

Below is a typical, conservative progression for someone starting today, moving from training to specialist: 

1. Apprentice (employed) 
   You are learning while earning, building site evidence and classroom theory. Expect pay aligned to apprenticeship stage and age, with increases each year until completion. Official apprentice rates vary, but the key value here is paid experience that converts directly into your NVQ portfolio. 
   
   
2. Newly Qualified (PAYE) 
   Once you complete your NVQ Level 3 and competence assessment, typical salaries range from £28,000 to £35,000 outside London, rising with responsibility for small teams or shifts. Completing your nvq level 3 electrical is the point where your earnings start to separate from improver rates, because you can work unsupervised and sign certificates. 
   
   
3. Time-served Electrician (PAYE) 
   With three to five years on the tools, targeting the £36,000 to £42,000 range is realistic in many regions, higher in the South East and on major commercial or industrial sites. The £38,800 ASHE-based going rate is a useful anchor when negotiating.  
   
   
4. Self-employed Electrician (day-rate) 
   If you run your own diary, pricing at £300 to £500 per day is common, with regional and scope variation. Assume 170 to 190 chargeable days a year once you factor holidays, admin and gaps. On £350 per day at 180 chargeable days, gross turnover would be £63,000. After tools, van, fuel, insurances, software, accountancy and tax, many sole traders report £42,000 to £52,000 take-home before personal tax.  
   
   
5. Specialist or Supervisor 
   Inspection and testing, commercial maintenance with call-out, or site supervision push earnings higher. A tester with steady EICR and periodic work will often command a premium versus a general installer, because the work carries design judgement and paperwork responsibility. 

Three worked examples 

Example 1: Newly qualified on PAYE 
Amira completes her NVQ Level 3 and joins a regional contractor on £34,000 plus overtime. In year one she logs remedials, small installs and assist roles on periodic inspections. She studies evenings for the inspection and testing course, passes, and moves onto more testing shifts at an uplifted rate the following year. 

Example 2: Domestic self-employed 
Ben prices at £360 per day in a Midlands town, doing consumer-unit upgrades, kitchen refits and fault-finding. He aims for 185 chargeable days, which gives 185 × £360 = £66,600 gross. He keeps tight overheads, but after van finance, fuel, tools, calibration, PI and PL insurance, software and accountancy, he budgets roughly 25 percent as overhead. That leaves around £49,950 before personal tax. On weeks where he mixes in two EICRs, his average jumps, since reports are admin-heavy but efficient with practice. 

Example 3: Commercial tester on shifts 
Kiran works nights on a retail chain’s maintenance contract. His base is £39,500 with paid travel and a night premium. Overtime is available during roll-outs. With his testing ticket and experience completing clear, error-free certificates, he moves to £42,000 within a year and starts mentoring juniors on safe isolation and paperwork. 

None of those numbers are extreme. They are typical of what we see when people pair solid site evidence with the right add-on qualifications. 

How qualifications translate into higher pay 

1) Complete the core route 
Your first priority is simply becoming employable as an unsupervised electrician. If you are new to the trade, read how to become an electrician to choose the pathway that fits your life. For most, the critical milestone is the nvq level 3 electrical because it proves competence on real jobs. Contractors and clients pay more once you can sign the work you install. 

2) Add inspection and testing 
Next, bolt on the inspection and testing course. Why it moves the needle: 

• You can deliver periodic inspections and EICRs for landlords, facilities managers and insurers. 

• You become the person who can complete handover packs on small works without calling in a separate tester. 

• Employers view you as “plug-and-play” on compliance work, so your salary band or day rate tends to rise. 

3) Specialise where demand is strongest 
EV charging, battery systems and commercial maintenance are busy right now. The occupation code for UK immigration purposes even lists EV charging point installers and solar panel installers under the same electrician umbrella, a signal that these tasks sit within the trade’s core and are priced accordingly. GOV.UK 

Negotiating your salary or rate 

Use data, not guesses: 

• For PAYE roles, anchor your ask against the ASHE-based going rate of £38,800 for SOC 5241, then add or subtract for region and responsibility. Bring evidence of what you can sign off solo.  

• For self-employed work, cost your day realistically. If the local average is £300 to £500 per day, place yourself based on speed, quality and responsiveness. Keep written scopes and tidy certificates to justify your price.  

Frequently asked questions 

Is £40k realistic within a few years? 
Yes, for many electricians it is. A combination of NVQ Level 3 completion, a year or two of varied site work, and an inspection-and-testing ticket puts you near or above the ASHE benchmark in most regions.  

Do day rates always beat PAYE? 
Not always. Remember to account for holidays, sick days, quiet months, your van, tools and insurances. Some electricians prefer the stability of PAYE with overtime, especially when mortgages are involved. 

Which region pays best? 
London and the South East usually top the table, but higher costs chase those wages. National Careers Service ranges reflect the difference between starter and experienced roles and are a fair reality check when reading job ads. National Careers Service 

The way to grow your earnings 

1. Learn the craft properly and safely. 
   
   
2. Finish your NVQ Level 3 so you can work unsupervised. 
   
   
3. Add inspection and testing to access compliance-led work and better rates. 
   
   
4. Keep immaculate paperwork and communicate well. Clients pay for trust as much as for time on the tools.