The ABP 2026 Guide goes live on 1st January, and it brings some of the clearest, and most impactful, changes to repair pricing we’ve seen in years. Whether you’re an insurer, accident management company, solicitor, or repairer, these updates will shape how claims are estimated, negotiated, and validated for the year ahead.
Here’s what you need to know about the upcoming 2026 ABP Guide:
Labour Rates Up Across the Board
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Standard labour: £83.28/hr
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Prestige/specialist: £103.06/hr
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Vans: £83.28/hr
Even small percentage increases significantly raise total repair costs, especially on labour-heavy repairs.
Big Structural Changes to Repair Planning Fees
The traditional “appraisal” and “research” charges are gone.
Now replaced with a single, all-inclusive Assessment Compilation Fee: £176.96 per job.
This fee must include:
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Method research
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ADAS identification
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Documented evidence
This is one of the biggest cost-shifting changes for 2026.
Diagnostics & ADAS: The Real Cost Movers
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System diagnostic sweep: 1hr pre + 1hr post
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First ADAS calibration: £312.30
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Subsequent calibration: £156.15
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Mandatory post-calibration road test: 0.5hr
As vehicles become more complex, these costs become non-negotiable and much higher than previous years.
EV Operations Slightly More Expensive
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Full recharge: £52.05 (EV)
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Power-down/reinstate: 3hrs
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Quarantine: 4hrs
EV costs will continue to push claims higher as EV adoption grows.
Environmental Fees Increase
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EPA: £31.23
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Environmental sustainability: £26.02
Small numbers, big yearly impact.
What This Means for Claims
For Insurers, expect higher repair costs, more ADAS-related disputes, and more borderline total losses.
For AMCs, higher repair baselines meaning more scrutiny of repair vs replace.
For Solicitors, more detailed engineering evidence required to justify cost reasonableness.
For Repairers, clearer structure, but more documentation required.
As the ABP 2026 changes take effect, the claims and repair landscape will become more complex, more technical, and more heavily scrutinised. That’s exactly where Laird adds value. Our engineers bring deep expertise in OEM methodology, ADAS requirements, EV processes, repair economics and liability reasoning ensuring every report is fair, justified, and clearly evidenced. We help insurers control costs, support accident management companies in delivering smooth repair journeys, and give solicitors the defensible, independent reporting they rely on.
In a year where costs are rising and assessment structures are evolving, Laird is here to provide clarity, accuracy and confidence. Whatever 2026 brings, you can trust Laird Assessors to help you navigate it with certainty.
(All values shown in the ABP Guide are sourced from page 1 of the official document and our internal 2025–2026 comparison.)