Electrician Day Rate and Hourly Rate in the UK: What to Expect
Most UK electricians charge around £45 to £60 an hour, with a typical day rate of about £400, according to Checkatrade's cost guide (figures last updated May 2026). Emergency and out of hours work typically runs at around £80 to £100 an hour, and many electricians add a call out fee or a minimum charge for small jobs. These are national market ranges, not our prices, and most real jobs are priced per job after a look at the work.
The hourly figure is only a starting point. What the job involves, when you need it, where you live and whether testing and paperwork are included can matter more than the rate itself.
Typical UK electrician rates in 2026
Two sources from 2026 give a consistent picture of the UK market, though prices move every year.
Hourly rate: around £50 an hour on average, usually £45 to £60 (Checkatrade, May 2026). Total Skills, a trade training provider (guide last reviewed April 2026), gives the same £45 to £60 range for self employed electricians, rising to £80 to £100 in London and the South East.
Day rate: around £400 for an eight hour day (Checkatrade). Total Skills puts self employed domestic day rates at £250 to £350 and commercial work at £300 to £500.
Emergency rate: around £90 an hour on average, typically £80 to £100 for urgent call outs (Checkatrade).
The gap between those day rate figures comes partly from who they are written for. The Total Skills guide is aimed at electricians setting their own rates, and its fixed prices are labour only, while Checkatrade's consumer guide reflects what households are quoted. Expect something nearer the consumer figure when you hire an electrician for your home.
Why most electrical jobs are priced per job
For anything bigger than a quick repair, most electricians quote a fixed price rather than an hourly rate. A fixed quote includes labour, materials, testing and any certificate, so you know the total before work starts.
Checkatrade's 2026 cost guides list these typical UK job prices, which show how per job pricing works in practice:
replacing a light fitting: around £55 to £75;
installing a socket: around £55 to £75;
replacing a fuse box (consumer unit): around £350 to £800, with an average of about £485;
an electrical safety certificate (EICR): about £150 for a one-bed flat up to about £375 for a five-bed house;
rewiring a three-bedroom house: roughly £4,450 to £8,000 plus VAT, and up to about £12,500 for a five-bedroom house.
A fixed price protects you if a job takes longer than expected. An hourly rate protects you if it turns out quicker. For small repairs and fault finding, hourly or a minimum charge is normal because nobody knows how long the fault will take to find.
Electrician call out charges explained
A call out charge covers getting to you, and many firms set a minimum charge that includes the first hour on site. Checkatrade gives the example of a minimum call out charge in a major city like London, where the first hour may be £100 and later hours £45.
Call out fees make the most difference on short jobs. A thirty minute repair can cost the same as a full first hour, so if you have several small jobs, such as a dead socket, a faulty light and an extra outdoor socket, it is usually cheaper to have them done on one visit.
What emergency electricians cost, and why
Emergency and out of hours rates are higher because the electrician is working evenings, weekends, bank holidays or overnight, often dropping other work to get to you. On top of the higher hourly rate, a separate emergency call out fee may apply.
An emergency electrician is worth the premium when there is a genuine safety risk or you have no power: a burning smell, scorch marks, water in fittings, a shock, or a breaker or RCD that will not reset. Our guide on whether it is dangerous if a circuit breaker keeps tripping covers when a trip needs urgent attention.
If the problem can safely wait until the next working day, booking a normal appointment is almost always cheaper. An RCD that trips once and resets, for example, can often be traced yourself first with the checks in our post on why your RCD keeps tripping.
What pushes the price up or down
Beyond the headline rate, these are the things that change what you pay:
Location. London and the South East charge the most, and rates vary between firms in every region, so compare more than one local quote.
Urgency and timing. Evenings, weekends and bank holidays cost more.
The type of work. Total Skills says specialists in testing and inspection or EV charging command the highest rates.
Testing and certification. Notifiable work under Part P, such as a new circuit or a consumer unit replacement, has to be tested and certified. A registered electrician who can self-certify includes that in the price. Using building control instead adds a separate fee.
Materials. Check whether a quote includes parts, and what quality of parts.
Access. Lofts, floor voids and making good after chasing walls all take time.
VAT. The standard rate is 20%. A business must register for VAT once its taxable turnover over the last 12 months goes over £90,000, so a smaller sole trader may not charge it at all. Always check whether a quote is plus VAT.
How to compare electrician quotes
A low hourly rate does not guarantee a low bill. A more experienced electrician with proper test equipment may find a fault in one hour that takes someone else three. When comparing quotes, check:
whether the price is hourly, daily or fixed for the whole job;
whether there is a call out fee or minimum charge, and what it includes;
whether materials and VAT are included;
whether testing and the certificate are included for notifiable work;
that the electrician is registered with a competent person scheme and can self-certify notifiable work under Part P;
what happens if they find something extra, such as a C1 or C2 fault on an EICR, and how that will be priced.
Ask for the quote in writing. A clear written quote is the best protection against a surprise on the final invoice.
Electrician rate questions, answered
How much should an electrician charge per hour?
Around £45 to £60 an hour is the typical UK range in the 2026 figures above, with more for emergency work and in London and the South East. A rate far below the range can mean the price leaves out testing, certification or insurance.
Is it cheaper to pay by the hour or by the job?
For small repairs, hourly is normal and usually fair. For anything over a few hours, a fixed quote is easier to budget for and puts the risk of overruns on the electrician.
Do electricians charge for quotes?
Many give free quotes for planned work after a visit. Fault finding is different: diagnosing a problem is the work itself, so expect it to be charged.
If you need a price for a job around Shifnal, Telford, Wolverhampton or the wider West Midlands, contact our team and we will give you a clear written quote after looking at the work.
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