It is common to find homes more than 30 years old with the original consumer unit, with ceramic fuses and no RCD or individual circuit breakers per circuit. Updating it isn't an aesthetic whim: it's a matter of safety and, in many cases, a requirement for registering the supply again.
Why ceramic fuses no longer comply
Ceramic fuses protect against overload and short circuit, but don't include residual-current protection against earth faults, which is what prevents electrocution. An installation without an RCD doesn't comply with the current REBT and can't be regularised with a new certificate without replacing the whole consumer unit.
What the change includes
The update means replacing the whole consumer unit with one that has a main switch (IGA), one or more RCDs according to the number of circuits, and an independent circuit breaker for each circuit. If the installation is very old, it's usually also necessary to review part of the cabling and accessory boxes, because the original cable cross-section may not be enough for current regulations.
Why it's best to quote the whole thing, not just the unit
Changing only the consumer unit without checking the cabling and circuits leaves an installation protected on the outside but potentially unsafe inside. A serious electrical upgrade quote always includes a prior inspection of the state of the cabling before giving a fixed price.
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