Electrical faults are the single most significant identifiable cause of both domestic and workplace fires in the UK. They are also among the most preventable — identifiable through regular inspection and testing long before they cause harm. Electricity is responsible for over 20,000 home fires a year, around 18% of workplace fires are caused by electrical distribution failures, and fire as a whole costs the UK economy an estimated £12 billion annually. This guide draws together the latest verified data from the Ministry of Housing, Communities & Local Government (MHCLG), Electrical Safety First, the Fire Industry Association (FIA) and Gov.UK.

Key facts and figures

  • 53.4% of accidental dwelling fires in England are caused by electrical hazards.
  • 20,000+ home fires a year are linked to electricity.
  • 18% of the 6,665 workplace fires in 2024/25 were caused by electrical distribution faults — around 2,126 incidents.
  • 1,140 white goods fires were recorded in England in 2024.
  • 58% of domestic electrical fires start in the kitchen.
  • £12 billion is the estimated total annual cost of fire to the UK.

Electrical fires: the UK's leading preventable cause

Electrical hazards are the most common identifiable cause of accidental fires in the home. According to MHCLG, 53.4% of accidental dwelling fires in England are attributed to electrical sources — a category that includes faulty appliances and leads, distribution faults in fixed wiring, and the misuse of electrical equipment. In absolute terms, electricity is behind more than 20,000 home fires every year.

What sets electrical fires apart from many other causes is how preventable they are. The faults that cause them — degraded insulation, loose connections, overloaded circuits, ageing consumer units and failing appliances — develop gradually and can be detected through routine inspection and testing before they ignite.

Domestic electrical fires

The home is where most electrical fires occur. Beyond the headline 53.4% figure, the data shows a clear concentration in the kitchen: around 58% of domestic electrical fires start in the kitchen, where high-powered appliances, heat and the constant cycling of equipment combine to create the greatest risk.

The appliances most frequently involved reflect this. Cookers and ovens dominate, followed by smaller kitchen and cooking appliances:

Appliance involved in domestic electrical firesShare
Cookers and ovens45%
Grills and toasters13%
Hot plates10%
Microwave ovens8%

Faulty appliances and leads — the focus of portable appliance testing — account for approximately 25.9% of domestic electrical fires, underlining the value of checking the equipment people plug in as well as the fixed installation behind the wall.

Workplace electrical fires (2024/25)

There were approximately 6,665 fires in non-residential (workplace) buildings in 2024/25. Of these, around 18% — roughly 2,126 incidents — were caused by electrical distribution faults: failures in fixed wiring, distribution boards and consumer units rather than portable equipment.

The picture varies by sector. Electrical faults are responsible for approximately 32% of office fires and around 28% of retail fires, making the fixed electrical installation one of the most important risks for employers to manage. Under the Regulatory Reform (Fire Safety) Order 2005, the responsible person must assess these risks and ensure the premises and its equipment are maintained in a safe condition — and appoint enough trained fire wardens to support prevention and evacuation.

The white goods problem

Large domestic appliances — washing machines, tumble dryers, dishwashers, fridges and freezers — remain a persistent source of serious fires. There were 1,140 white goods fires recorded in England in 2024. These incidents are particularly concerning because the appliances often run unattended or overnight, and because non-compliant imported products and outstanding recall notices continue to put faulty units in people's homes.

Acting promptly on manufacturer recall notices, registering appliances and buying only UK-certified products are simple steps that materially reduce this risk.

For years, UK fire numbers fell steadily as smoke alarm ownership rose and regulation tightened. Workplace fires alone fell 29% over the decade from 2015/16 to 2024/25. More recently, however, several of the key trends have reversed.

Total fires rose 2.5% year-on-year in 2024/25, fire-related deaths are around 12% higher than five years ago, and the year ending September 2025 recorded the highest total incident count since comparable data became available. Analysts point to several contributing factors: increased electrical load on homes and businesses from electric vehicles and heat pumps, an ageing housing stock with outdated installations, and the proliferation of non-compliant imported electrical products.

The cost of fire

The total annual cost of fire to the UK is estimated at around £12 billion. For businesses, the consequences of a single fire can be existential: business fire insurance claims run to approximately £940 million a year, the average cost of a major fire is around £657,074, and roughly a quarter of businesses never reopen after a serious fire. Against figures like these, the cost of inspecting an installation or training a handful of fire wardens is negligible.

Prevention: inspection, testing and maintenance

Because electrical fires develop gradually, they are largely preventable through routine inspection and testing. Three interventions address the bulk of the risk:

  • EICR testing. An Electrical Installation Condition Report addresses the leading workplace fire cause — electrical distribution faults in fixed wiring, distribution boards and consumer units. Commercial premises should have an EICR carried out at least every five years.
  • PAT testing. Portable Appliance Testing addresses faulty appliances and leads, which are responsible for approximately 25.9% of domestic electrical fires, by identifying damaged equipment before it fails.
  • Product safety. Buying UK-certified products, registering appliances and acting promptly on recall notices keeps non-compliant and recalled equipment out of use.

Combined with trained staff who know how to spot warning signs and respond to an emergency, these measures turn the most preventable cause of fire into one of the most manageable.

Sources & references

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Mark McShane
Mark McShane
Fire Safety Training Specialist, Online CPD Academy

Mark writes about workplace fire safety, compliance and accredited training for Fire Marshal Training, part of Online CPD Academy.