Helpful video reference. The team at LEARN ELECTRICS covers kitchen socket placement, cooker installation requirements and the differences between standard and Welsh kitchens under the relevant UK wiring regulations. The video is aimed at those learning the trade, but the rules it explains apply to every UK kitchen.
1. Socket position rules around sinks
BS 7671 requires that socket outlets are not installed where they could be reached by someone in contact with water. The practical rule for kitchens is 300 mm minimum horizontal clearance from the edge of a sink to the nearest edge of the socket plate. This applies to the sides and the front of the sink bowl — not just above it.
Height above the worktop surface matters too. Sockets fitted below the worktop surface are not prohibited, but they are awkward to use and are often in a zone where water can pool. The usual practice is to position sockets at least 150 mm above the finished worktop. This keeps them accessible and away from the main splash area.
2. Clearance from hobs and cookers
No socket outlet should be positioned directly above a hob. The IET guidance and standard good practice require at least 300 mm horizontal clearance from the edge of a hob — gas or electric — to any socket outlet. A socket above a hob receives direct heat, steam and grease, which will damage its internal components over time and is a fire risk.
The cooker control switch (the double-pole switch on the wall that isolates the cooker) should be in a position where the person using it can see the cooker, typically at eye level to one side of the appliance and at least 300 mm from the edge of the hob.
3. The cooker circuit: cable size and MCB rating
Most domestic cookers are wired on 6 mm² twin and earth cable, protected by a 32 A or 45 A MCB. The correct choice depends on the cooker's rated power. BS 7671 includes a diversity calculation for cooker circuits — you do not size the circuit for the full output of every burner running simultaneously, because that never happens in practice.
The diversity calculation for cookers gives a demand of the first 10 A of the rated current, plus 30 per cent of the remaining rated current, plus 5 A if there is a socket on the cooker control unit. Work through this before specifying the MCB rating. For most standard domestic electric cookers rated up to around 12 kW, a 32 A MCB and 6 mm² cable is correct. Larger range cookers may need 10 mm² cable and a 45 A MCB.
4. The cooker control switch
The cooker control switch is the double-pole isolator mounted on the kitchen wall. It interrupts both live and neutral simultaneously, which is required for an appliance of this size. It is not just a socket — it is the correct means of isolation for the cooker circuit.
Some cooker control switches include a 13 A socket outlet on the front, typically on the right-hand side. If yours does, add 5 A to the diversity calculation above when sizing the MCB. Position the switch where the person controlling the cooker can see both the switch and the cooker — safety regulations require this.
5. Dedicated circuits for fixed kitchen appliances
Dishwashers, washing machines and American-style fridge freezers draw significant current and need their own circuits. A dishwasher or washing machine should be on a dedicated 20 A circuit, connected via a 13 A fused connection unit (FCU) or an unswitched socket outlet. The FCU provides a means of isolation without needing to reach behind the appliance.
Do not run these appliances from a spur off the kitchen ring circuit. The ring final circuit already carries a significant load from kitchen sockets, and a dishwasher on a spur adds to that. A dedicated radial circuit on its own 20 A MCB is the correct approach.
6. Extractor fan and waste disposal connections
A kitchen extractor fan connected to mains power (rather than a battery unit) should be wired via a fused connection unit or a plug and socket, with the FCU fuse rated for the fan's wattage. The FCU can be sited in a cupboard or above the wall unit, out of sight, as long as it is accessible.
A waste disposal unit is wired through a switched FCU positioned where the user can reach it — typically under the sink. Fit an FCU fused at 5 A for most domestic disposal units. The switch should be in a position where it cannot be accidentally turned on while someone has their hands inside the unit.
7. Part P: why kitchen electrical work is always notifiable
In England, any new circuit installed in a kitchen is Part P notifiable under the Building Regulations. This includes a new cooker circuit, a new socket circuit, a new circuit for a dishwasher or under-floor heating, or any other new circuit that serves the kitchen.
The reason kitchens are in the notifiable category is straightforward: they have water, gas and high-power appliances in close proximity. The risk of a poorly installed electrical circuit is higher than in, say, a bedroom.
If a registered competent person (such as a qualified electrician registered with a Part P scheme) does the work, they self-certify and issue the correct certificate. If you do the work yourself, you must notify building control before starting and pay the notification fee. They will arrange an inspection and certification.
When to call us
Replacing an existing socket front on an established circuit is generally fine to do yourself, as long as you isolate properly. Any new cable run in a kitchen — even a single socket — is Part P notifiable and really should be done by a registered electrician who can self-certify. Richard handles kitchen electrical installations across Sandwich, Deal, Dover, Ramsgate and Canterbury.
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