Updates to the agreed JIB rates of pay for Apprentices which come into effect from Monday 6 January 2025 are outlined below. One change to note is that from 2025, in England, Wales and Northern Ireland, there will no longer be a different rate for apprentices ‘At College’. The same rate of pay will apply to hours of work and hours at college.
Apprentice Pay Review
To address the impact of recent national minimum wage changes on apprentice rates of pay, ECA, SELECT, and Unite the Union have collaborated to implement a solution. This measure aims to ensure fairness and stability for apprentices throughout their apprenticeships. The electrical industry is facing a pressing need for skilled workers to support the low carbon transition, with an estimated requirement for 15,000 newly qualified electricians per year over the next five years. To meet this demand, the recruitment of at least 12,000 electrical apprentices annually is crucial, significantly higher than the current average of 8,000 per year. Ensuring fair pay is a critical element in attracting and retaining this talent pipeline.
The agreed updated rates of pay for 2025 are as follows:
JIB Table of Rates and Differentials
| National Standard Rates 2025 | London Rates 2025 |
| Stage | NEW (2025) At Work | Current At Work | Stage | NEW (2025) At Work | Current At Work |
| 1 | £8.16 | £6.44 | 1 | £9.14 | £7.21 |
| 2 | £10.60 | £9.09 | 2 | £11.88 | £10.21 |
| 3 | £13.05 | £13.02 | 3 | £14.62 | £14.58 |
| 4 | £14.03 | £13.99 | 4 | £15.72 | £15.69 |
Part of this updated agreement is to remove the ‘At College’ rate of pay for England, Wales and Northern Ireland. This means there is one rate of pay which applies to all hours of work or as part of off the job learning during an apprenticeship.
The agreement between ECA, SELECT, and Unite takes effect from Monday 6 January 2025 and retains the benefits of grading by encouraging apprenticeship completion and progression to electrician status, and the obtainment of a gold card in a structured way.
This is set against the backdrop of upcoming pay negotiations for 2026 onwards, which will commence in in 2025.
Please note that rates differ for apprentices employed in Scotland and are published by the SJIB.
The JIB Handbook 2025, available shortly, will contain all updated rates for 2025.
