Straight answers for UK electricians: regs and testing, pricing, fault finding, training and the admin side of the job.https://sparkiehelp.uk/en-gbhttps://sparkiehelp.uk/fault-finding/why-does-an-rcd-keep-tripping/https://sparkiehelp.uk/fault-finding/why-does-an-rcd-keep-tripping/An RCD that keeps tripping is usually down to one of four things: a faulty appliance, an insulation fault (often damp or damaged cable), a neutral-to-earth fault, or too much normal earth leakage adding up across the circuits it protects. Occasionally the RCD itself is over-sensitive. Find it methodically: unplug everything, split the circuits, then isolate properly and insulation-test circuit by circuit, remembering that switching off an MCB doesn't disconnect the neutral.Thu, 22 Oct 2026 00:00:00 GMThttps://sparkiehelp.uk/pricing-and-business/how-much-should-an-electrician-charge-per-day/https://sparkiehelp.uk/pricing-and-business/how-much-should-an-electrician-charge-per-day/One 2026 index of self-employed tradespeople puts the median electrician day rate at about £240 outside London and £320 in London and the South East. Rates vary widely by area and type of work, so use those as a sense check, not a target. The right figure for you comes from your costs: what you need to earn plus your overheads, divided by the days you can actually bill.Thu, 22 Oct 2026 00:00:00 GMThttps://sparkiehelp.uk/regs-and-testing/what-changed-in-amendment-4-to-bs-7671/https://sparkiehelp.uk/regs-and-testing/what-changed-in-amendment-4-to-bs-7671/Amendment 4 (BS 7671:2018+A4:2026) was published on 15 April 2026 and replaced Amendment 3 on 15 October 2026. It adds a new chapter on stationary battery storage, new sections on functional earthing for ICT and on Power over Ethernet, brings PNB earthing in for the first time and revises medical locations. For most sparkies the biggest day-to-day change is on EICRs: an FI code no longer makes a report unsatisfactory on its own.Thu, 22 Oct 2026 00:00:00 GMThttps://sparkiehelp.uk/training-and-careers/how-long-does-it-take-to-become-an-electrician-in-the-uk/https://sparkiehelp.uk/training-and-careers/how-long-does-it-take-to-become-an-electrician-in-the-uk/Starting from scratch, about four years. In England, the Installation and Maintenance Electrician apprenticeship typically takes 48 months of training, then typically 6 months for the end-point assessment. The Domestic Electrician apprenticeship is shorter, typically 36 months of training before its assessment, but it only covers work in homes. In Scotland the Modern Apprenticeship is expected to take 4 years. If you've already worked as an electrician for years without the formal qualification, the Experienced Worker Assessment can get you there without starting again.Thu, 22 Oct 2026 00:00:00 GMT