As we sweep into 2026, sustainability and smart tech are shaping the future of the UK cleaning industry.
The sector has grown steadily in recent years. More young people are using apps to book home cleaning services while demand for specialist commercial cleaning keeps rising.
But the same challenges continue to thwart the industry. Labour shortages since Brexit, rising unemployment, and staff shortages continue to put pressure on many cleaning businesses.
In 2024, the BCC (British Cleaning Council) called on the government to recognise cleaning and hygiene as a national priority. That same year, a new industry apprenticeship was launched to boost recruitment and drive high standards.
This article breaks down the latest cleaning industry statistics for the UK, covering both domestic and commercial cleaning services, and looks at what's new for the sector.
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UK cleaning industry statistics at a glance
- The UK cleaning industry employs 1.51 million people in total – up from 1.49 million in 2024.
- In 2023, the cleaning industry contributed nearly £72 billion to the UK economy.
- In 2025, there were 75,565 cleaning businesses in the UK – up from 73,655 in 2022 (but down from 77,540 in 2024).
- If you include sub-industries like waste and facilities management and landscaping, then there are 78,915 businesses operating in the UK cleaning industry in 2025.
- A new cleaning hygiene operative apprenticeship scheme was launched in January 2024 and has seen growing uptake since then.
- 70% of apprentices who complete the scheme opt for a commercial cleaning route.
- Cleaners can expect to earn an average salary of between £19,000-£25,000 depending on experience.
- 17% of UK households employ a cleaner.
- 67% of people working in the cleaning industry are part-time.
- Most cleaning businesses are micro-businesses, with nearly five out of six (83%) employing less than 10 people.
- Almost all cleaning businesses (99%) are independently owned.
- The industry as a whole employs more women than men, with 56% of workers female and 44% male. However, there are some notable differences across different roles. Landscaping services and the waste and resource management industry are dominated by men.
The state of the UK cleaning market
So, how much is the cleaning industry worth? It contributed a whopping £59.8 billion to the UK economy in 2021, and it looks as though it’s continuing to grow.
The most recent UK cleaning industry statistics show continuous year-on-year growth since 2014. Then, just under 50,000 companies were in operation.
In 2025, the total number of cleaning businesses in the UK was around 75,565. (Or 78,915 if you include sub-industries like waste and facilities management, and landscaping services.)
As a result, industry turnover has increased by 22.2% since 2019, in line with all economic growth. With facilities management (46%) making up nearly half of all turnover, followed by waste and resource management (26%), cleaning activities (18%), and landscaping services (10%).
All subsectors, bar landscaping services, saw their revenue increase after facing a dip in 2020.
Trends and predictions for the UK cleaning industry
The commercial cleaning market continues to perform strongly, with growing demand for specialist services. Many clients now outsource cleaning and related services, such as security or catering, to keep costs down – helping fuel further growth.
Automation is also on the rise. Cleaning robots and other automated cleaning services are becoming more common, reflecting a global trend. In fact, the robot cleaning market is expected to grow by 22.9% by 2030.
Demand is increasing for niche services too, including carpet and upholstery cleaning.
On the domestic side, the UK residential cleaning market is growing as lifestyles change. An ageing population and longer working hours means more households are getting help at home. In fact, 40% of homeowners under 35 now employ a cleaner.
That said, the future’s not all rosy. Despite a fall of around 200,000 vacancies between 2023 and 2025, hiring staff is still difficult. Rising unemployment hasn't eased the pressure, with 1.8 million people out of work between August and October 2025 – the highest level since 2015.
UK cleaning industry employment statistics
The British Cleaning Council (BCC) found that the UK cleaning industry directly employs just over 1 million (1,012,400) people. This is an increase of 0.8% from the previous year.
Most roles are part-time, accounting for 67% of the workforce.
Around 22% of workers are foreign-born, although this varies widely by region. In London, for example, overseas workers make up about 60% of the cleaning workforce.
Employees in the cleaning, hygiene, and waste disposal sector combined continue to make up around 5% of the UK’s entire workforce – roughly 1.51 million people in total. This includes people working in hospitality or as cabin crew, who clean as part of their job.
Despite growing uptake of the Level 2 Cleaning Hygiene operative apprenticeship, recruitment remains a concern. The workforce is ageing, with only 9% of workers under 25 and 29% aged over 55.
However, the UK still ranks fifth globally for the number of people employed as cleaners, making the cleaning and hygiene industry a ‘top ten’ employer.
Cleaning industry growth statistics
The UK cleaning industry continues to grow, although the total number of cleaning businesses has dipped. There were 75,565 businesses operating in 2025, down from 77,540 in 2024.
Growth varied widely by region. London and the East Midlands saw above average increases in cleaning businesses, followed by the northwest of England and Northern Ireland.
At the other end of the scale, the southwest of England recorded the weakest growth, with the number of cleaning businesses rising by just 0.21% in 2025.
The formation of new businesses has also slowed. The number of new cleaning start-ups fell from 8,295 to 6,810 between 2021 and 2024. While 6,145 existing start-ups stopped trading in 2024 alone.
Number of cleaning businesses by UK nation in 2026
England – 66,365
Scotland – 4,775
Wales – 3,055
Northern Ireland – 1,370
UK total – 75,565
Number of cleaning businesses by region in 2026
East – 8,245
East Midlands – 4,645
London – 13,655
North East – 2,055
North West – 7,375
South East – 12,755
South West – 7,005
West Midlands – 5,680
Yorkshire and Humber – 4,950
Commercial cleaning statistics
The commercial cleaning services market has the biggest share in the industry. Around 397,500 people work in commercial cleaning services.
The importance of health-driven cleaning to maintain hygiene and cleanliness in hospitals, offices, schools, hotels, retail outlets, and other public spaces more widely recognised since the COVID-19 pandemic. And this has lead to impressive growth in demand for commercial cleaning services.
In a survey carried out after the COVID-19 pandemic, 61% of people said that seeing a cleaning and hygiene operative in a public space gave them confidence that health and safety measures were being taken seriously.
It’s particularly important for commercial cleaning companies to keep up with technological advancements in the cleaning industry, as smart technology and automation become increasingly popular.
Cleaning industry trends for 2026
There are two major trends emerging as we head into 2026: tech and green cleaning.
Industrial cleaning trends show that many commercial cleaning companies are now turning to robotic cleaners that can perform simple tasks, such as vacuum cleaning and floor scrubbing, without supervision.
While still in its infancy, the use of IoT ('Internet of Things') devices and smart technology in commercial cleaning is on the rise too. By using this kind of technology, cleaning services can monitor cleanliness levels as well as things like when equipment needs attention or dispensers needs topping up etc.
Both commercial and home cleaning trends show that being eco-friendly is no longer seen as a ‘nice-to-have’ or a luxury. The environmental impact of the cleaning industry is now at the forefront of everyone’s minds.
As we move into 2026, cleaners are moving away from the use of harsh chemicals and throw-away products. Instead, they’re opting for eco-friendly products and more sustainable practices.
Clean up your business protection
The cleaning industry provides a vital public service. The role it played during the COVID-19 pandemic and the desire to maintain high hygiene standards post-pandemic, underline the fact that there’ll always be a need for it.
However, any cleaning company, no matter what size and whether in the domestic, commercial, or waste management fields, needs cleaners’ insurance.
Because, unfortunately, the very nature of your business means things get broken, chemical fluids get spilled, and sometimes people get hurt. Especially when staff are under pressure.
All that costs money to fix, which is where self-employed cleaner insurance can help you. If damage is done, either in someone’s home or on a business’s premises, public liability insurance mops up the legal costs and any compensation you have to pay.
And if you have anyone working for you, you’ll need employers’ liability insurance to protect them in case of illness or injury at work. It’s the law.
You can find out more about insurance for cleaners on our website. Or call 0345 222 5391 to speak to our team.
Images used under license from iStock.
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