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IMO let anyone do it, and those who can't install and test competently can still hire electricians. To be fair, part P hardly covers anything now. But enforce the law severely if anyone, electrician or not, doesn't follow BS7671 to the letter. Competence instead of credentialism.
On a related note, how does one become an electrician? I am a software engineer working in the energy sector anyway. I have been thinking about starting a company installing smart home systems with custom software and being a qualified electrical installer would be handy.
Invent-
I mean, you could literally do all of that, what’s stopping you just getting building control down to have a look at it, telling them your plans, then getting them back to sign it off once completed? That’s perfectly legal AFAIK.
I’ve never done it via building control, but I’d assume you’d need a schedule of test results.
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You should do the training and exams. It's roughly 4-6 weeks to do BS7651 and Part P. That doesn't make you an electrician but it gets you started on what's involved. It's probably about £2k (oddly).
** You still won't be allowed to do your own garden electrics without getting it signed off by building control and ** you'll no longer be able to claim ignorance if anything goes wrong!
edit ** you can carry out your own garden electrics without building control sign off **
Unless you need to add a new circuit.
Nef
Airhead
The other thing is there's regulation everywhere. Window manufacture and fitting is regulated. Insulation fitting etc. etc. With electrics the skills required are commonly underestimated. If it was easier there wouldn't be a shortage.