In April 2026 the UK's wiring regulations, the standard every electrician works to, were updated. The new version is BS 7671:2018 Amendment 4, and while most of the detail matters more to electricians than to customers, there are a few things worth knowing if you're having electrical work done this year.
What's changed
The wiring regulations are the rulebook for safe electrical installation in the UK. They're updated every few years to keep pace with how we actually use electricity. Amendment 4, published on 15 April 2026, brings in new rules aimed mostly at newer technologies:
- A new chapter covering battery storage systems, as home and commercial battery installations become more common.
- New guidance for Power over Ethernet, where equipment is powered through data cabling.
- Updated rules on earthing for IT and communications equipment.
- Revised requirements for certain specialist settings.
For most homes, the day-to-day impact is small. The bigger point is simple: the standard your electrician works to has moved on, and work done from now should meet it.
The bit that matters for you
There's a transition period. The previous version of the regulations stays valid until 15 October 2026, after which only Amendment 4 applies. In practice a good electrician is already working to the new standard, and it's a perfectly fair thing to ask before you book anyone.
Certificates you already hold don't suddenly expire. An EICR or installation certificate issued under the previous version stays valid for its normal life. But new work, such as a rewire, a consumer unit upgrade or an EV charger, should be carried out and certified to the current standard. The same applies to commercial installations, where the battery-storage and data-cabling changes are most likely to come up.
Why it matters who you hire
This is exactly why using a registered electrician is worth it. Keeping up with changes like this is part of the job: they follow the updates so you don't have to. A registered electrician is qualified to the current standard, works to it, and issues certification that stands up.
We're NAPIT registered and TrustMark endorsed. We work to the current edition of BS 7671, and every job is tested and certified.
In short
The regulations have moved forward, as they do every few years. There's nothing here that should worry you, but if you're having electrical work done in 2026, it's worth making sure whoever does it is working to the current standard. If you'd like a free written quote from a registered team, get in touch.
