Cleaner pay in the UK

Early, late and in between

Office and school cleaning usually happens before people arrive (often 5am to 8am) and after they leave (often 5pm to 8pm). Many cleaners fill the middle of the day with domestic or hospital work for another employer.

Your commute to your first site and home from your last isn't paid, but travel between two sites for the same employer during your working day is working time for the minimum wage.

A worked example

A cleaner works three 2-hour office jobs in an evening for one contractor, paid £13.00 an hour for 6 hours: £78.00. The travel between the three offices takes 1 hour in total. Divide the pay by all 7 working hours and the real rate is £11.14, below the £12.71 minimum. The contractor owes at least £10.97 more for that evening.

When the cleaning contract changes

Building owners re-tender cleaning contracts every few years. When a new contractor takes over, the TUPE rules usually transfer you to the new company on your existing pay and terms. Keep copies of your contract, your rota and recent payslips before the change, and check your first payslip from the new company carefully.

Living Wage contracts

Many public-sector, university and large office clients require their cleaning contractors to pay the Real Living Wage, £14.10 an hour (£15.45 in London). Two cleaners employed by the same company can be on different rates depending on the building, so check the rate for each site.

Equipment and chemicals

Your employer must give you free the protective equipment you need, such as gloves for cleaning chemicals, and train you on the products you use. You can't be charged for equipment in a way that takes your pay below the minimum wage.

Track it shift by shift

With Shiftaan you can mark each shift paid, part-paid or disputed, and see what every employer still owes you. It's free for up to 3 companies.

Common questions