EAS Changes October 2026: New Electrician Competence Rules Explained

From 1 October 2026, the Electrotechnical Assessment Specification (EAS) changed. New competence categories were introduced specifically for low-carbon technologies: EV charging installation, heat pump electrical connections, and solar PV with battery storage. There are no grandfather rights for these new categories. If you carry out this work under a registration scheme, you need to evidence the relevant qualification.

What Is the EAS?

The Electrotechnical Assessment Specification is the competence framework underpinning Part P approved schemes in England and Wales — NICEIC, NAPIT, ELECSA, and others. It defines the technical qualifications and competence requirements an individual must hold to be considered competent to carry out electrical installation work in dwellings.

Under Part P of the Building Regulations in England, most electrical work in dwellings must either be carried out by a competent person registered with an approved scheme, or notified to the local authority. The EAS is what those schemes use to assess whether you're competent.

If you're registered with NICEIC or NAPIT, the EAS is the technical backbone of your registration. When your scheme assesses your competence at registration or renewal, they're measuring you against it.

What Changed on 1 October 2026?

The revision introduced three new competence categories for emerging and low-carbon technology work. These did not formally exist as distinct EAS categories before — they were treated as extensions of general electrical competence. From October 2026, they are separate categories with specific qualification requirements.

New Category: EV Charging Installation

EV charging is now a distinct EAS competence category. To install EV charge points within an approved scheme, you need evidence of specific competence covering:

• Mode 3 AC charge point installation (the standard home charge point)
• PME earthing assessment and mitigation — this is the critical safety element. Most domestic UK properties have TN-C-S (PME) supplies. Connecting an EV charger directly to a PME earth creates a risk of dangerous touch voltage if the neutral conductor fails. The EAS now requires demonstrated competence in assessing this risk and, where required, installing a separate earth electrode. This aligns with the BS 7671 Amendment 4 updates to Section 722.
• Smart charging compliance — OZEV-approved charge points and the Electric Vehicles (Smart Charge Points) Regulations

New Category: Heat Pump Electrical Connection

With the Boiler Upgrade Scheme driving demand and the Future Homes Standard arriving in March 2027, heat pump electrical work is becoming a core part of the domestic electrical market. The EAS now requires specific competence for:

• Dedicated heat pump circuits and consumer unit modifications
• Controls wiring (thermostats, zone controls, immersion override)
• Commissioning the electrical elements
• Understanding heat pump operating characteristics relevant to electrical design (lower flow temperature systems, weather compensation)

Important distinction: This EAS category covers the electrical connection of heat pumps. The MCS certification required to carry out a full heat pump installation — design, sizing, pipework, commissioning of the heat pump itself — sits with the plumber/heating engineer. An electrician with EAS heat pump competence can wire up the heat pump; they cannot design and commission the system as an MCS installer unless they also hold MCS certification.

New Category: Solar PV and Battery Storage

Solar PV has been within approved schemes for some time, but the October 2026 revision updated the competence requirements to reflect the prevalence of battery energy storage systems (BESS) alongside PV arrays. Separate competence is now expected for:

• PV array installation and DC wiring
• Inverter commissioning
• Battery storage system connection and commissioning (a genuinely new area — battery technology and its interaction with the grid, protective devices, and safe working near DC systems requires specific training)

MCS certification remains the industry standard for installer schemes doing grant-funded solar PV work. The EAS update aligns scheme competence requirements with the BS 7671 Amendment 4 changes to Section 712.

What "No Grandfather Rights" Actually Means

Legacy qualifications — the City & Guilds 2382-18 (18th Edition), 2391-series (inspection and testing) — remain fully valid for the core electrical installation, inspection, and testing work they cover. Your existing qualifications are not being invalidated.

"No grandfather rights" means specifically: you cannot assume that your existing qualifications cover the new EV, heat pump, and PV categories. Previous practice installing EV chargers or wiring heat pumps before October 2026 does not count as evidence of competence under the new EAS categories. You need a recognised qualification or accredited training.

In practice, this is enforced at scheme renewal. When your NICEIC or NAPIT registration comes up, the assessor will check whether you have the relevant EAS competence for each work type on your registration. If EV charging is listed and you have no evidence of competence in the new category, that work type may be removed from your scheme registration — meaning you would need to notify the local authority for any such work, or stop doing it under the scheme.

Why Does This Matter Now?

Three structural trends converge:

1. Heat pump demand is accelerating. The UK needs 600,000 heat pump installations per year by 2028 — currently running at under 100,000. Every heat pump installation needs a qualified electrician. The EAS now defines what "qualified" means.

2. Every new home needs EV charging. Part S of the Building Regulations already requires EV charging provision in new dwellings. The market is only going to grow. EV charger installation without the new EAS competence means working outside your scheme from October 2026.

3. Future Homes Standard arrives March 2027. Gas boilers are banned in new builds. Heat pumps, solar PV, and EV charging become standard kit in every new home. The EAS change is the competence framework catching up with where the market is already going.

Electricians who hold the new EAS categories are commanding a significant premium for low-carbon technology work. Use the day rate calculator to ensure your rate reflects your qualifications.

How to Get Qualified

EV Charging:

• City & Guilds 2919-01 (Electric Vehicle Charging Equipment Installation) — one or two days, widely available
• OZEV-approved training providers (check the OZEV approved installer scheme list)
• NICEIC Training and NAPIT Academy both offer EAS-aligned EV charging courses

Heat Pump Electrical Connections:

• Manufacturer training (Mitsubishi Electric, Daikin, Vaillant, Samsung — all offer electrician-specific installation courses)
• Many are one or two days and often free or subsidised if you're becoming an approved installer for that manufacturer

Solar PV and Battery Storage:

• City & Guilds 2399 (Solar Photovoltaic Installation)
• Battery storage courses from inverter manufacturers (SolarEdge, SMA, Growatt, etc.) and training providers
• MCS certification for the full installer pathway

Check your existing scheme's training arm first — NICEIC Training and NAPIT Academy offer EAS-aligned courses and may offer member discounts.

Checking Your Registration

Log into your NICEIC or NAPIT member portal and check which work categories are listed against your registration. If you intend to carry out EV charging, heat pump electrical, or solar PV work from October 2026, confirm those categories are on your registration and that you have the competence evidence documented.

This is also a good time to review how your competence and qualifications are positioned in your marketing — both for customer trust and for pricing. The Sleepless Tradesman app lets you manage job records and generate professional quotes that reflect your specialist qualifications.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the EAS and who does it apply to? The Electrotechnical Assessment Specification defines the qualification and competence requirements for electricians registered with Part P approved schemes in England and Wales — NICEIC, NAPIT, ELECSA, and others. It applies to anyone registered with one of these schemes.

What new competence categories were introduced in October 2026? Three: EV charging installation (including PME earthing assessment), heat pump electrical connections, and solar PV with battery storage systems. These were previously treated as informal extensions of general electrical competence — they are now distinct categories with specific qualification requirements.

Do I need the new qualifications if I was already doing EV or heat pump work before October 2026? Yes, for scheme registration purposes. Previous practice does not count as evidence of competence under the new EAS categories. You need a recognised qualification or accredited training for each category.

What happens at my next scheme renewal if I don't have the new qualifications? For any work type on your scheme registration that you cannot evidence EAS competence for, that work type may be removed from your registration. You would then need to either notify the local authority for such work, or stop doing it within the scheme framework.

How is the EAS different from BS 7671 Amendment 4? BS 7671 is the technical standard for how electrical work is designed and installed. The EAS is the competence framework — the qualifications you need to do that work within an approved scheme. Both changed in October 2026, but they are separate documents with separate requirements.

Does the EAS apply in Scotland? Part P does not apply in Scotland, which has its own building regulations. However, many Scottish registration scheme memberships use the EAS as a competence benchmark. Check with your specific scheme.

Where can I find the current EAS qualifications list? The NAPIT EAS Qualifications Guide (available from napit.org.uk) lists the qualifications that satisfy each EAS competence category. NICEIC also publishes its own guide to accepted qualifications.

Can I do EV charging work without being on an approved scheme? If you are not Part P registered, EV charging work that affects the fixed wiring of a dwelling must be notified to the local authority building control (LABC). This is slower and costlier than doing the work under a competent person scheme. Joining a scheme with the new EAS category is the practical route for most working electricians.

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Written by Russell Brooks, Founder of Sleepless Tradesman. Published 31 October 2026.