JIB Rates 2026: Every Grade

The Joint Industry Board for the Electrical Contracting Industry (JIB) is the negotiating body for pay and conditions in the UK electrical contracting industry. Founded 1968, the JIB represents both employers (via ECA — the Electrical Contractors Association) and employees (via Unite the Union). Member firms agree to use JIB pay scales and follow JIB working rules. JIB membership is voluntary — many smaller firms are not JIB members.

JIB National Standard rates from 5 January 2026, shown as Transport Provided / Own Transport / Shop Employed. Site or Installation Technician: £22.70 / £23.87 / £21.24. Approved Electrician: £20.08 / £21.19 / £18.61. Electrician (including Domestic): £18.38 / £19.54 / £16.95. Trainee Electrician Stage 3: £17.51 / £18.57 / £16.12. Stage 2: £16.54 / £17.62 / £15.29. Stage 1 and Electrical Labourer: £14.60 / £15.69 / £13.09. Apprentices are paid a single rate covering all hours including off-the-job training: Stage 1 £8.16, Stage 2 £10.60, Stage 3 £13.05, Stage 4 £14.03. The London Zone rates are higher — see the London table. These are base rates; overtime, weekend, bank holiday and lodging allowances are additional.

Since January 2017 the JIB has paid mileage instead of travel time. For jobs 15 miles or more from the Shop, operatives and apprentices receive 22p a mile (non-taxable Mileage Allowance, own transport) or 12p a mile (taxable Mileage Rate, transport provided), paid both ways and measured on the RAC route planner’s fastest route. Jobs under 15 miles pay nothing. Where you must lodge away, the Lodging Allowance is £53.09 a night from 6 January 2026, with weekend retention at £53.09 and holiday retention up to £17.46 a night (JIB Handbook 2026, rule 11).

The JIB standard week is 37½ hours, Monday to Friday. Hours beyond that are paid at time and a half. On Saturday, hours after the first six, or after 3.00 pm, whichever comes first, and everything until normal starting time on Monday, are paid at double time. Emergency call-outs after you have gone home are paid at time and a half home to home, plus a call-out allowance of £20 for a graded operative or £7.50 for an apprentice (£10 and £3.50 for each further call-out). The JIB discourages systematic overtime (JIB Handbook 2026, rule 8).

Many small electrical contractors and smaller firms are not JIB members. Their pay structures vary: some pay below JIB for junior staff (taking advantage of inexperience), some pay above JIB for senior staff (competing for talent). Use the JIB rate as your floor when negotiating: "The JIB rate for an Approved Electrician is £20.08 an hour — I need at least that."

A self-employed electrician has to cover what an employer pays on top of the JIB rate: holiday, sick days, pension, employer’s National Insurance, insurance, scheme fees, tools, van and the hours that cannot be billed. That is why a sustainable charge-out rate sits well above the JIB hourly figure. Work yours out from your own costs with the hourly rate calculator rather than a rule of thumb.

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