Commercial cleaning in the UK typically costs GBP16-GBP30 per hour per cleaner or GBP300-GBP5,000-plus a month, depending on site type, floor area and frequency. Offices run GBP300-GBP2,000-plus, warehouses GBP1,000-GBP4,000-plus and retail GBP1,200-GBP3,500-plus a month. All figures are indicative for 2026 and attract 20% VAT.
How much does commercial cleaning cost in the UK?
As a 2026 guide, UK commercial cleaning is charged at roughly GBP16-GBP30 per cleaner per hour or GBP1.50-GBP4 per square metre per clean, and most often bought as a monthly contract. By site: a small office is GBP300-GBP800 a month, a medium office GBP800-GBP2,000, a large or multi-floor site GBP2,000-GBP5,000-plus, a warehouse or industrial unit GBP1,000-GBP4,000-plus and retail GBP1,200-GBP3,500-plus. Overall, UK commercial contracts span GBP300-GBP5,000-plus a month. These are indicative ranges - your figure depends on the specification.
What drives the price of commercial cleaning?
Labour is the largest cost, so hours on site, the wage rate and cleaning frequency move the number most. After that come floor area and layout, the standard required, access and out-of-hours or weekend working, security and keyholding, consumables, and periodic tasks such as carpets, hard floors and windows. Higher-compliance environments (food, healthcare, industrial) cost more because of frequency, vetting and documented method statements.
Hourly rate or fixed monthly contract?
Ongoing commercial cleaning is best bought as a fixed monthly fee against a written scope: the budget is fixed for the year, there are no call-out surprises, and the incentive is a clean building rather than hours on the clock. Hourly pricing suits one-off work. For every service line and its price, see the commercial cleaning prices pillar guide.
How does the wage floor and VAT affect the price?
The National Living Wage is GBP12.71 an hour from April 2026, and the real Living Wage - often required in tenders - is GBP13.45 UK / GBP14.80 London. Adding employer's National Insurance, holiday pay, supervision, equipment, insurance and margin puts the charge-out at about 1.3x-2.5x the wage. On top of that, commercial cleaning is standard-rated at 20% VAT, so the headline invoice price includes it.
How do you get an accurate commercial cleaning quote?
Ranges only get you so far. We survey the site, agree a documented specification and return one fixed monthly price, delivered by directly employed, background-checked staff on a single invoice across every location. Request a fixed monthly quote and we will price your actual building.
Indicative UK commercial cleaning costs by site (2026 guide only)
| Site type | Typical monthly range | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Small office | GBP300 - GBP800 | Low footfall, a few visits a week |
| Medium office | GBP800 - GBP2,000 | Daily service and consumables |
| Large / multi-floor | GBP2,000 - GBP5,000+ | Daily teams and periodic tasks |
| Warehouse / industrial | GBP1,000 - GBP4,000+ | Area, frequency and access driven |
| Retail | GBP1,200 - GBP3,500+ | High footfall, front-of-house standard |