Cleaning is one of the most flexible ways to work in the UK. You can be employed by a cleaning company, placed through an agency, or work for yourself with your own clients. Most cleaning jobs need no qualifications. What changes between the three routes is how you are paid, who handles your tax and what rights you have.
In short: employment gives you security and guaranteed rights, agency work gives you speed and flexibility, and self-employment gives you control over your rates but also all the responsibility. This guide helps you choose. You can browse live cleaning roles on our jobs page.
Types of cleaning work
Domestic cleaning
You clean private homes: kitchens, bathrooms, hoovering, dusting, changing beds and sometimes ironing. Many domestic cleaners work for several households each week on regular slots. Trust matters a lot here, because you are often given keys and work alone.
Commercial and office cleaning
You clean offices, shops, gyms, schools or public buildings, usually early mornings or evenings when the building is empty. Contract cleaning companies employ most of these staff. Shifts are often short, such as two or three hours, so some people combine two jobs.
Specialist cleaning
This includes end-of-tenancy cleans, carpet and upholstery cleaning, window cleaning, after-builders cleans, and hospital or food-production hygiene. These usually pay more because they need equipment, training or extra safety knowledge.
Hotel and holiday let housekeeping
Turning rooms around between guests to a set standard and time. Holiday let changeovers are often weekend-heavy and seasonal.
What the job involves day to day
- Following a cleaning schedule or checklist for each site or home.
- Using chemicals safely. Under COSHH rules, employers must give you information and training on the hazardous products you use.
- Working to time. Commercial contracts often set a fixed number of hours per site.
- Reporting damage, faults or security issues.
- Lifting, bending and a lot of time on your feet.
Requirements
Most cleaning roles do not ask for formal qualifications. Employers usually look for:
- Right to work in the UK, checked by employers and agencies before you start.
- Reliability and references. For domestic work, a good reference is often worth more than any certificate.
- A DBS check for some roles. Schools, care homes and hospitals often require an enhanced check. Self-employed domestic cleaners often get a basic DBS check to reassure clients. From 5 October 2026 the official fee is £20 for a basic check and £41 for an enhanced check.
- A driving licence if you cover several homes or sites, or carry equipment.
Short courses in COSHH, infection control or professional cleaning techniques can help you stand out, but they are rarely essential for entry-level roles.
Employed, agency or self-employed: how they compare
| Employed | Agency | Self-employed | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Who sets your pay? | Employer | Agency (with hirer) | You |
| Minimum wage applies? | Yes | Yes | No |
| Paid holiday (5.6 weeks)? | Yes | Yes | No |
| Statutory Sick Pay? | Yes, from day one since April 2026 | Yes, if eligible | No |
| Tax handled by | PAYE through payroll | PAYE through the agency | You, via Self Assessment |
| Equipment and products | Provided | Usually provided | Usually yours |
| Insurance | Employer’s responsibility | Agency or hirer | You arrange your own |
Employed cleaning
You work for a cleaning contractor, a facilities company or directly for a business such as a hotel, school or hospital. You get a contract, payslips, paid holiday and a workplace pension if you qualify. Hours might be fixed or part-time, and some roles are zero-hours.
Agency cleaning
The agency places you with clients and pays you. It is quick to start and good for filling gaps, though hours can change week to week. After 12 weeks in the same role with the same hirer, you are entitled to the same basic pay and conditions as comparable direct staff.
Some domestic “agencies” are actually introduction services. They put you in touch with households, then you work for those households on a self-employed basis. Always ask which arrangement you are signing up to.
Self-employed cleaning
You find your own clients, set your own rates and run your own diary. This can pay well per hour once you have regular clients, but you carry the costs and risks.
- Tax: if your gross trading income is more than £1,000 in a tax year (the trading allowance), you must register for Self Assessment. The deadline to register is 5 October after the end of the tax year you started.
- Making Tax Digital: from 6 April 2027, sole traders with qualifying income over £30,000 must keep digital records and send quarterly updates. The threshold falls to £20,000 from April 2028.
- Insurance: public liability insurance is close to essential. If you break something in a client’s home or someone trips over your equipment, you could be liable. Some clients also ask for cover for lost keys. If you employ anyone, employer’s liability insurance is a legal requirement.
- Costs: products, equipment, travel and insurance come out of your earnings, so price your time with these in mind.
Being called “self-employed” does not make it so. If a company controls your hours, supervises your work and you cannot send someone in your place, you may legally be a worker entitled to minimum wage and holiday pay. GOV.UK has a clear guide to checking your employment status.
Cleaning pay and hours in 2026
If you are employed or work through an agency, you must be paid at least these legal minimums:
| Age or category | From 1 April 2026 | From 1 April 2027 (confirmed) |
|---|---|---|
| 21 and over (National Living Wage) | £12.71 | £13.21 |
| 18 to 20 | £10.85 | £11.27 |
| 16 to 17 | £8.00 | £8.31 |
| Apprentice | £8.00 | £8.31 |
Many employed commercial cleaning jobs pay at or just above the National Living Wage. Some employers pay the voluntary real Living Wage, set at £14.10 across the UK and £15.45 in London for 2026–27. Rates vary by region and type of work, with specialist and end-of-tenancy cleaning usually higher.
Self-employed cleaners set their own hourly or per-job prices. Look at what established local cleaners charge and remember your rate needs to cover travel, products, insurance, tax, and the holiday and sick days you will not be paid for.
Watch out for travel time
If you are employed and travel between client homes or sites during the working day, that time counts as working time for minimum wage. Your total pay divided by your total hours, including that travel, must not fall below the minimum.
How to find cleaning work
- Decide which route suits you using the table above.
- Search local listings. See live vacancies for cleaning jobs in London, Birmingham, Glasgow, Liverpool and Reading.
- Self-employed? Advertise your services in your area. You can post a free ad on NextDealUK describing what you offer, the areas you cover and whether you bring your own products.
- Ask happy clients for reviews and referrals. Word of mouth is still the biggest source of domestic cleaning work.
CV tips for cleaning jobs
- State your availability first, especially early mornings, evenings and weekends.
- List the types of places you have cleaned: offices, homes, kitchens, hotels, healthcare.
- Mention any COSHH, food hygiene or infection control training.
- Note if you have a DBS check, driving licence or your own equipment.
- Keep it short and clear. One page is plenty.
Avoiding cleaning job scams
Cleaning jobs attract scammers because they are easy to advertise and quick to fill. Red flags include:
- A “registration fee” to join an agency’s books. Under the Conduct of Employment Agencies and Employment Businesses Regulations 2003, agencies cannot charge you for finding you work, apart from a few entertainment and modelling roles.
- Paying upfront for a “starter kit”, uniform or training before you have a confirmed job.
- Overpayment scams aimed at self-employed cleaners. A “client” sends too much money and asks you to refund the difference. The original payment later bounces.
- Pressure to share your passport, bank details or National Insurance number before an interview or any verifiable company details.
- Vague ads with very high pay and contact only through messaging apps.
Our full guide to avoiding scams on classified ads has more checks you can run on any listing.
Cleaning job checklist
- Chosen your route: employed, agency or self-employed
- Right to work proof ready
- References from previous clients or employers
- DBS check if the role or clients need one
- Clear availability on your CV or ad
- Self-employed: registered for Self Assessment if you earn over £1,000
- Self-employed: public liability insurance in place
- Employed or agency: confirmed hourly rate, travel time pay and holiday pay
- No upfront fees paid to anyone for finding you work
FAQs
Do I need qualifications to be a cleaner in the UK?
No. Most cleaning jobs need no formal qualifications. Some roles ask for a DBS check, and short courses in COSHH or infection control can help for commercial and healthcare cleaning.
Is it better to be employed or self-employed as a cleaner?
Employment gives you guaranteed minimum wage, holiday pay and sick pay. Self-employment lets you set your own rates and hours but you cover your own tax, insurance, costs and time off. Many cleaners start employed and go self-employed once they have regular clients.
Do self-employed cleaners need insurance?
Public liability insurance is not legally required for sole traders, but it is strongly recommended and many clients expect it. If you employ staff, employer’s liability insurance is a legal requirement.
Do I pay tax on cash cleaning jobs?
Yes. Income is taxable whether you are paid in cash or by bank transfer. If your self-employed income is over £1,000 a year, you need to register for Self Assessment and declare it.
