Data last verified: 5 November 2026. Figures re-checked against their primary sources under the Whito rolling re-verification programme.
Finding
The UK had 51,010 electrical installation businesses in March 2026, up 30.9% since 2010, but London's count fell between 2021 and 2026 (5,675 to 5,610) while every other region grew.
Source: Whito, whito.co.uk/electricians/research/uk-electrical-industry, 2026-11-05. Free to quote with a link to this page.
Last Updated on November 6, 2026
Short answer: the UK had 51,010 electrical installation businesses registered for VAT or PAYE in March 2026, according to the Office for National Statistics. That is 30.9% up on 2010 (38,975) and 7.2% up on 2021 (47,605). 93.1% employ fewer than ten people. East of England has the most per head, 99.7 per 100,000 residents; Scotland has the fewest, 57.0.
This page uses official counts you can rerun yourself, the rules that apply to the trade, and Whito’s published research. The regional and change figures are Whito’s calculations.
The key figures
| Figure | Value | Source and date |
|---|---|---|
| Electrical installation businesses (UK, SIC 43210) | 51,010 | ONS UK Business Counts, March 2026 (official statistic) |
| Change since 2010 | +30.9% (from 38,975) | Same dataset (Whito calculation) |
| Change since 2021 | +7.2% (from 47,605) | Same dataset (Whito calculation) |
| Fewer than 10 employees | 47,510 (93.1%) | Same dataset |
| 250 or more employees | 45 | Same dataset |
| Most per head | East of England, 99.7 per 100,000 residents | Whito calculation, ONS data |
| Fewest per head | Scotland, 57.0 per 100,000 residents | Whito calculation, ONS data |
How big are electricians?
| Employees | Businesses | Share |
|---|---|---|
| 0 to 9 | 47,510 | 93.1% |
| 10 to 49 | 3,125 | 6.1% |
| 50 to 249 | 330 | 0.6% |
| 250 or more | 45 | 0.1% |
| Total | 51,010 |
Source: ONS UK Business Counts, enterprises, SIC 2007 code 43210 “Electrical installation”, 2026, via Nomis (dataset NM_142_1). Counts are rounded to the nearest 5, so bands may not add exactly to the total.
Where electricians are based
| Region or nation | 2010 | 2021 | 2026 | Per 100,000 residents | Change 2010 to 2026 | Change 2021 to 2026 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| East of England | 4,830 | 6,095 | 6,595 | 99.7 | +36.5% | +8.2% |
| South East | 6,620 | 8,135 | 8,725 | 90.0 | +31.8% | +7.3% |
| Northern Ireland | 1,335 | 1,475 | 1,715 | 88.9 | +28.5% | +16.3% |
| South West | 3,610 | 4,285 | 4,685 | 79.3 | +29.8% | +9.3% |
| East Midlands | 3,205 | 3,570 | 3,890 | 76.5 | +21.4% | +9.0% |
| Yorkshire and The Humber | 3,155 | 3,665 | 4,015 | 70.8 | +27.3% | +9.5% |
| West Midlands | 3,400 | 3,785 | 4,085 | 65.8 | +20.1% | +7.9% |
| Wales | 1,530 | 1,855 | 2,025 | 63.8 | +32.4% | +9.2% |
| North West | 3,915 | 4,670 | 4,855 | 62.5 | +24.0% | +4.0% |
| London | 3,945 | 5,675 | 5,610 | 61.5 | +42.2% | -1.1% |
| North East | 1,150 | 1,555 | 1,645 | 59.5 | +43.0% | +5.8% |
| Scotland | 2,290 | 2,840 | 3,160 | 57.0 | +38.0% | +11.3% |
| United Kingdom | 38,975 | 47,605 | 51,010 | 73.4 | +30.9% | +7.2% |
Population: ONS mid-2025 estimates. Per-head and change figures are Whito calculations. A business is counted once, where it is registered, which is not always where it works.
What stands out
- East of England has about 1.7 times as many per head as Scotland (99.7 against 57.0 per 100,000 residents).
- Fastest growth since 2010: North East (+43.0%). Slowest: West Midlands (+20.1%).
- Fewer businesses than in 2021: London (-1.1%).
- The data cannot say why counts rise or fall. New firms, firms crossing the VAT threshold, mergers, closures and businesses registering elsewhere all move the count.
Rules that apply
Electrical work in homes in England and Wales has to meet Part P of the Building Regulations. Electricians registered with a government-approved competent person scheme, such as NICEIC or NAPIT, can certify their own work instead of going through building control.
The Registered Competent Person Electrical register is a single register agreed by all the government-approved scheme operators in England and Wales. It is free to search by postcode or business name and has run since 30 June 2014.
Anyone can call themselves an electrician. Membership of a scheme is what you can check.
What Whito’s research adds
<strong>Most emergency electricians publish no price.</strong> On 2 October 2026 Whito read 135 emergency electrician websites in eight UK towns: 113 published no call-out price and 14 published a figure, from £30 to £171. See Emergency electrician call-out prices.
<strong>Landlord checks.</strong> On 4 November 2026, 16 of 46 electricians on the first page of Google for “landlord EICR” in eight English cities published a price, and none promised to remind landlords when the next check was due. See Landlord EICR prices.
Whito-measured figures are collected in UK electrician statistics.
What we do not know yet
- How many people work in the trade. This page counts businesses, not workers.
- The smallest sole traders. Businesses that are neither VAT registered nor employers are not in the ONS count.
- Turnover. We only publish figures we can check at source.
Method and limits
- Business counts: ONS UK Business Counts, enterprises, SIC 2007 code 43210, all legal statuses, March 2026 snapshot, with 2010 and 2021 for comparison, via the Nomis API (dataset NM_142_1), read 5 November 2026.
- Population: ONS mid-2025 estimates via Nomis (NM_2002_1).
- Counts are rounded to the nearest 5 by ONS. Business counts are March 2026; population is mid-2025.
Compare with other industries: see UK trade businesses in 2026: ten industries compared, one table with each count, its date and the change since 2010 and 2021.
Common questions
How many electricians are there in the UK?
51,010 registered for VAT or PAYE in March 2026, according to the ONS (SIC 43210).
Is the number of electricians growing?
It rose 7.2% between 2021 and 2026 and rose 30.9% since 2010 (Whito calculation from ONS data).
Which part of the UK has the most electricians?
By number, South East (8,725). Per head, East of England, with 99.7 per 100,000 residents.
Are most electricians small?
Yes. 47,510 of 51,010 (93.1%) employ fewer than ten people.
Sources (opened 5 November 2026)
- ONS UK Business Counts via Nomis, NM_142_1: https://www.nomisweb.co.uk/api/v01/dataset/NM_142_1
- ONS mid-2025 population estimates via Nomis, NM_2002_1
- GOV.UK, use a competent person scheme (updated 24 Jan 2025): https://www.gov.uk/building-regulations-approval/use-a-competent-person-scheme
- Registered Competent Person Electrical, about: https://electricalcompetentperson.co.uk/About-Us
If your business is named here and you think we have a fact wrong, email hello@whito.co.uk and we will check it and correct it. If you want to respond, send us a statement and we will publish it alongside. Full detail: Corrections, right of reply and removals.
