Last Updated on November 9, 2026
Short answer: Checkatrade puts an emergency plumber call-out at £100 to £120, with emergency hourly rates of £75 to £150 (June 2026). But when Whito read 179 emergency plumber websites in eight UK towns on 2 October 2026, 117 published no call-out price at all. The 24 that gave a figure ranged from £50 to £190, and the most common published price was “no call-out charge”.
The quick version
- Checkatrade puts an emergency plumber call-out at £100 to £120, and emergency hourly rates at £75 to £150 (June 2026).
- Of 179 emergency plumber websites Whito read in October 2026, 117 published no call-out price.
- “No call-out charge” usually means the cost has moved into the hourly rate.
- Agree the total for the first visit, including VAT, before anyone sets off.
- For a suspected gas leak, call the National Gas Emergency Service. Do not wait for a plumber.
What the price guides say
| Checkatrade (updated June 2026) | WaterSafe blog (“2026”, no date) | |
|---|---|---|
| Emergency call-out fee | £100 to £120 (average £110) | £60 to £120 |
| Emergency hourly rate | £75 to £150 (average £100) | Not stated |
Both are third-party estimates. Neither publishes how many quotes sit behind its figures, and neither is a price you can hold a plumber to.
What emergency plumbers actually publish
- 117 of 179 websites published no call-out price.
- 62 published something, but only 24 gave a call-out figure in pounds: £50 to £190.
- “No call-out charge” was the most common published price: 38 of the 62.
- 50 of the 62 did not say whether VAT was included.
- The highest published figure was £190 plus VAT in Manchester, covering the first 90 minutes.
Full method and town-by-town figures: Emergency plumber call-out prices: what 179 UK firms actually publish. We re-read these prices every month in Emergency Plumbers Monthly; in November 2026, 61 of 62 firms showed the same price as in October.
Why “no call-out charge” is not the same as cheap
Important: Of the 38 firms that said they charge no call-out fee, 37 gave no hourly rate. The cost does not disappear. It moves into the hourly rate, which you usually learn once someone is at your door, with water still coming through the ceiling.
Can you cancel an emergency plumber?
Usually not for the repair itself. The 14-day cancellation right in the Consumer Contracts Regulations 2013 does not cover a visit you asked for to carry out urgent repairs or maintenance (regulation 28(1)(e)). It does still apply to any extra work or goods the plumber supplies on that visit beyond the urgent repair (regulation 28(2)). So agree the price for the urgent job before the work starts.
Is it really an emergency?
Uncontrolled water, no heating or hot water with a vulnerable person in the house, and any suspected gas leak are emergencies. For gas, call the National Gas Emergency Service and do not wait for a plumber. Many other problems can wait until normal hours once the water is off at the stopcock, which avoids out-of-hours rates.
What to ask before they come
- What is the total for the first visit, including any call-out, minimum charge and the first hour?
- What is the hourly rate after that, and is VAT included?
- How are parts charged?
- For gas work: what is your Gas Safe licence number? (Check it on the register.)
The sharp takeaway
The price guides say £100 to £120 for a call-out. Most emergency plumbers publish nothing, and the ones that say “no call-out charge” rarely say what the hour costs. Ask for the total for the first visit before anyone sets off. For everyday rates, see how much a plumber costs, by source.
Questions people ask
How much is an emergency plumber call-out in the UK?
Checkatrade puts it at £100 to £120 (June 2026). Of 179 emergency plumber websites Whito read on 2 October 2026, 117 published no call-out price, and the 24 that gave a figure ranged from £50 to £190.
Do emergency plumbers charge a call-out fee?
Many say they do not. “No call-out charge” was the most common published price in Whito’s October 2026 study (38 of 62 firms that published anything), but 37 of those 38 gave no hourly rate.
Can I cancel an emergency plumber within 14 days?
Not for the urgent repair itself. The Consumer Contracts Regulations 2013 exclude visits you asked for to carry out urgent repairs, but the cancellation right still applies to extra work or goods supplied on that visit.
Sources: Checkatrade plumber cost guide (updated June 2026); WaterSafe, how much does a plumber cost (2026); Consumer Contracts (Information, Cancellation and Additional Charges) Regulations 2013, regulation 28, legislation.gov.uk; Whito emergency call-out study (2 October 2026) and Emergency Plumbers Monthly (4 November 2026).
