How to Replace a UK Plug Safely
Plug broken or the cable damaged? Here's how to replace it safely yourself — no electrician needed.
Replacing a UK plug is one of those jobs that looks fiddly but is actually very straightforward once you know what you're doing. The whole thing takes about five minutes with a screwdriver and a new plug.
Before you start — UK wiring colours
Always double-check your wiring against UK plug standards before you connect anything:
Brown — Live (connects to the fuse side, marked L)
Blue — Neutral (marked N)
Green/Yellow — Earth (marked E or the earth symbol)
Never guess on wiring. If the cable colours on your appliance don't match these, stop and consult an electrician.
How to replace a UK plug
Unscrew the large central screw on the back of the old plug and open it up.
Note how the existing wires are connected before you remove them — take a photo if it helps.
Loosen the three terminal screws and remove the wires. Also loosen the cable grip at the bottom of the plug.
If the cable end is damaged, use wire strippers to trim it back to clean wire and strip about 6mm of insulation from each core.
Open the new plug and connect each wire to the correct terminal — brown to L, blue to N, green/yellow to E. Push each wire in fully and tighten the terminal screws firmly.
Make sure the cable grip clamps onto the outer sheath of the cable, not the individual wires.
Check the correct fuse is fitted — 3A for low-powered appliances, 13A for high-powered ones.
Close the plug, tighten the central screw, and test.
Which fuse do I need?
3A — lamps, phone chargers, small electronics
13A — kettles, toasters, washing machines, most high-powered appliances
If in doubt, check the wattage on the appliance label and divide by 240 to get the amperage — then fit the next size up.
Things you'll need
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