What does an HV engineer earn?
Our modelled 2026 figures put the UK median for high voltage work at £64,700 a year. A quarter of people earn under £48,900 and a quarter earn over £86,100. These figures come from the ONS Annual Survey of Hours and Earnings for electrical engineers, adjusted to 2026. Engineers on HV networks fall in that group. Tradespeople doing HV jointing or switching under an engineer may earn less than these figures.
Region matters. The modelled London median is £80,700. The East is £66,400 and the South East £66,200. The North East is lowest at £56,300, with Yorkshire and The Humber on £57,500 and Wales on £57,300. Scotland sits at £62,700. Even the lower-paid regions beat the London median for electricians.
How big is the gap from an electrician?
The modelled median for electricians across the UK is £41,800, so HV work pays about £22,900 more at the midpoint. The gap is bigger near the top: £86,100 at the 75th percentile for HV, against £51,300 for electricians.
Here is the JIB comparison. From 5 January 2026 the National Standard Rate for a job-employed Electrician with transport provided is £18.38 an hour. For an Approved Electrician it is £20.08 and for a Technician £22.70. Over a 37.5-hour week for 52 weeks that comes to roughly £35,800, £39,200 and £44,300 before overtime. An HV engineer at the median earns around £20,000 more than a JIB Technician on basic rate.
Authorised person roles and what they add
On HV systems the big pay step comes with authorisation. That means your employer formally trusting you to switch, isolate and issue safety documents under its safety rules. National Grid's adverts show what this is worth. One substation role in Bangor starts at £49,625 to £57,000. After qualifying as a Senior Authorised Person (SAP), base pay rises and you get a £5,000 a year SAP allowance.
An HV cables role in London advertised a package of £59,512 to £67,070 during training, plus a company car. Finishing SAP training adds a £10,000 a year allowance. A supervisory substation role in Gravesend offered £64,317 including allowance, plus bonus and paid overtime. SAP training on these programmes is expected to take 24 to 36 months.
Call-out, standby and what moves pay up
Basic salary is only part of it. Network operator adverts often list paid overtime, standby allowance, call-out payments and an annual bonus on top of base pay. If you are on a standby rota, those extras can add a lot to your annual earnings. How much depends on how often you are on call and how often you get called out.
Four things move HV pay most: the level of authorisation you hold, where you work, whether you join the standby rota, and whether you lead others. Senior Authorised Persons who run teams of fitters and contractors earn more. Pension matters too. National Grid advertises combined contributions of up to 18%, which is worth counting when you compare offers.
Pay
GBP a year, before tax. HV and electrician ranges are modelled from the ONS Annual Survey of Hours and Earnings, April 2026 (provisional), moved to 2026 with a wage index; regional figures are modelled. JIB rows are the official National Standard Rates from 5 January 2026, annualised at 37.5 hours for 52 weeks. Authorisation level, standby and call-out, and region move pay most. Refer to the High Voltage salary guide for figures from live adverts.
What you need
- Electrical backgroundYou need a solid electrical engineering or electrical trade foundation before you start HV training. Network operators build their programmes on top of that.
- Employer authorisationAuthorised Person and Senior Authorised Person status is given by your employer under its own safety rules. You cannot carry it from one employer to the next without being assessed again.
- SAP trainingAt National Grid, SAP training is expected to take 24 to 36 months. It includes short stays at its training facility at Eakring in Nottinghamshire.
- Standby availabilityMany HV posts include a standby rota and call-out work. This brings extra pay on top of salary.
- Offshore HV certificateIn offshore wind, OPITO runs a High Voltage Training Certificate for people training to be the nominated person in control of HV work.
How to get there
- StartQualify as an electrician or engineerGet your electrical qualifications. Basic JIB pay for an Electrician is £18.38 an hour from January 2026.
- After qualifyingMove up to Approved Electrician or TechnicianJIB basic pay rises to £20.08 an hour for Approved Electrician and £22.70 for Technician.
- Entry to HVJoin an HV trainee or engineer postNetwork operator entry roles advertised £49,625 to £67,070 during training, depending on role and experience.
- 24 to 36 monthsComplete Senior Authorised Person trainingBuild up your safety authorisations through a structured programme. At National Grid an allowance of £5,000 to £10,000 a year follows.
- Alongside SAP trainingTake a supervisory engineer postLead a team of fitters and coordinate contractors while working towards SAP status. One advert offered £64,317 including allowance, plus bonus and overtime.
Open now on ElectricalRoles.co.uk
Questions people ask
What is the average HV engineer salary in the UK?
Our modelled 2026 median is £64,700 a year, with the middle half earning £48,900 to £86,100. These figures are based on ONS earnings data for electrical engineers, adjusted to 2026.
Where do HV engineers earn the most?
London is highest, with a modelled median of £80,700 and a 75th percentile of £107,400. The East and South East come next at around £66,000. The North East is lowest at £56,300.
How much is a Senior Authorised Person allowance?
Recent National Grid adverts offered a SAP allowance of £5,000 a year on one substation role and £10,000 a year on an HV cables role. Base salary also goes up once you qualify. The allowance is paid on top of base salary.
Do HV engineers get paid for call-outs?
Usually, yes. National Grid adverts for HV engineers list paid overtime, a standby allowance, call-out payments and an annual bonus on top of base salary. How much you get depends on the rota and how often you are called out.
Is HV work better paid than being an electrician?
At the midpoint, yes. The modelled HV median of £64,700 is about £22,900 above the £41,800 median for electricians. JIB basic rates for graded electricians work out at roughly £35,800 to £44,300 a year before overtime.
Sources
- Joint Industry Board: Industrial Determination 2026-2028
- IET Engineering Jobs: National Grid Electrical Engineer, HV Substations, Bangor
- IET Engineering Jobs: National Grid Electrical Engineer, HV Cables, London
- IET Engineering Jobs: National Grid Supervisory Engineer, HV Substations, Gravesend
- OPITO: Training Certificate, High Voltage
