What is LED lighting upgrades?
A commercial LED lighting upgrade replaces old fluorescent, halogen, metal halide or sodium fittings with complete LED luminaires, usually on the existing circuits. Most businesses cut lighting energy by roughly 30–60% against fluorescent, and more against metal halide, with a simple payback that often falls between two and five years.
What's included
- A walk-round survey counting fittings, wattages, running hours and ceiling types
- Like-for-like or re-planned layouts so light levels meet BS EN 12464-1
- Complete LED luminaires rather than tube swaps, so old control gear is removed
- Safe removal and recycling of old fluorescent tubes as hazardous waste
- Optional presence and daylight sensors to cut running hours further
- Testing and a BS 7671 certificate for the work, with a schedule of what was fitted
How we deliver LED lighting upgrades
Survey
We count every fitting, note its wattage and hours, and check ceilings, circuits and access.
Proposal
You get a fixed-price quote with energy and payback figures based on your own hours and unit rate.
Install
Teams work zone by zone, out of hours where needed, so the business keeps running.
Handover
Testing, certification, a fitting schedule and recycled waste documentation.
Guide prices
National guide budgets, supplied and installed, excluding VAT. Your fixed price follows a free survey.
| Item | Guide budget (ex VAT) | Basis |
|---|---|---|
| LED panel (600×600) | £50 – £150 | per fitting, supplied and fitted |
| LED batten (complete luminaire) | £80 – £200 | per fitting, supplied and fitted |
| LED high bay | £150 – £400 | per fitting, supplied and fitted |
| Presence (PIR) sensor | £40 – £80 | per sensor, installed |
Example: 40 LED panels replacing fluorescent fittings in a 400 m² office: about £2,000 – £6,000 excluding VAT. Get a figure for your site.
Standards and rules we work to
| Topic | Current position |
|---|---|
| Wiring | BS 7671:2018+A4:2026, the 18th Edition IET Wiring Regulations. Every installation is tested and certified. |
| Workplace light levels | BS EN 12464-1:2021, for example 500 lux on office task areas and 150 lux at the floor of rack storage. |
| Emergency lighting | BS 5266-1:2025 code of practice, BS EN 1838:2024 light levels and BS EN 50172:2024 testing and records. |
| Energy efficiency of new lighting | England: Approved Document L (95 luminaire lm/circuit-W, rising above 105 from 24 March 2027). Wales: Welsh Approved Document L (new edition from 4 March 2027). Scotland: Section 6. Northern Ireland: Technical Booklet F2. |
| Fire safety duties | England and Wales: Regulatory Reform (Fire Safety) Order 2005. Scotland: Fire (Scotland) Act 2005. Northern Ireland: Fire Safety Regulations (Northern Ireland) 2010. |
| Waste | Fluorescent tubes are hazardous waste and are recycled through authorised routes, with paperwork. |
LED lighting upgrades FAQs
Is it worth replacing fluorescent tubes with LED?
Usually, yes. Common T8 fluorescent tubes were caught by GB ecodesign rules from September 2023 and the mercury exemptions for ordinary T5 and T8 lamps ended in February 2024, so replacements are getting harder to source. LED fittings typically use 30–60% less energy for the same light.
Do you just change the tubes?
We recommend replacing the whole luminaire. Retrofit LED tubes leave old ballasts and holders in place, which can fail and complicate future maintenance. A complete fitting is cleaner, more efficient and simpler to certify.
How long does an office LED upgrade take?
A typical 400 m² office with around 40 fittings is often a one- or two-day job. Larger sites are phased zone by zone, and we can work evenings or weekends.
What does an LED upgrade cost?
As a budget, LED panels run at about £50–£150 per fitting supplied and installed, battens £80–£200 and high bays £150–£400, excluding VAT. Access equipment, rewiring and controls are extra.
Can the upgrade be claimed against tax?
Many businesses can claim capital allowances on lighting, for example through the Annual Investment Allowance. Lighting in a building is usually treated as an integral feature, so ask your accountant how it applies to you.
LED lighting upgrades by area
We provide LED lighting upgrades in every part of the UK. Choose your area:
- Bedfordshire
- Berkshire
- City of Bristol
- Buckinghamshire
- Cambridgeshire
- Cheshire
- Cornwall
- Cumbria
- Derbyshire
- Devon
- Dorset
- County Durham
- East Riding of Yorkshire
- East Sussex
- Essex
- Gloucestershire
- Greater London
- Greater Manchester
- Hampshire
- Herefordshire
- Hertfordshire
- Isle of Wight
- Kent
- Lancashire
- Leicestershire
- Lincolnshire
- Merseyside
- Norfolk
- North Yorkshire
- Northamptonshire
- Northumberland
- Nottinghamshire
- Oxfordshire
- Rutland
- Shropshire
- Somerset
- South Yorkshire
- Staffordshire
- Suffolk
- Surrey
- Tyne and Wear
- Warwickshire
- West Midlands
- West Sussex
- West Yorkshire
- Wiltshire
- Worcestershire
- Clwyd
- Dyfed
- Gwent
- Gwynedd
- Mid Glamorgan
- Powys
- South Glamorgan
- West Glamorgan
- Aberdeen and Aberdeenshire
- Dundee and Angus
- Argyll and Bute
- Ayrshire
- Dumfries and Galloway
- Edinburgh and the Lothians
- Fife
- Falkirk, Stirling and Clackmannanshire
- Glasgow and Dunbartonshire
- Highlands and Islands
- Lanarkshire
- Moray
- Perth and Kinross
- Renfrewshire and Inverclyde
- Scottish Borders
- County Antrim
- County Armagh
- County Down
- County Fermanagh
- County Londonderry
- County Tyrone
Related services
Office lighting
Glare-free LED lighting for desks, meeting rooms and receptions.
Warehouse lighting
LED high bays and aisle lighting for warehouses and distribution sites.
Lighting controls
Presence detection, daylight dimming and DALI systems.
Emergency lighting installation
Escape route lighting and exit signs designed to BS 5266-1.
Guides
How much does commercial LED lighting cost in the UK?
Guide prices for LED panels, battens, high bays, emergency lighting, controls and external lighting, with worked examples.
LED vs fluorescent: savings and payback for businesses
How much energy LED saves against fluorescent, metal halide and sodium lighting, and how to work out payback.
Fluorescent tube phase-out: what UK businesses need to know
Which fluorescent tubes have been phased out in Great Britain and Northern Ireland, what it means for existing fittings and how to plan.