Cost guide
How much does housekeeping cost?
A housekeeper costs £15 to £25 an hour outside London and £18 to £32 inside it. Two full days a week is roughly £220 to £380 outside London. Where the arrangement is employment rather than self-employment, employer's National Insurance and pension contributions come on top of that.
Typical prices
Ranges, not quotes. A quote depends on the hours and what you want doing in them.
| Work | Typical UK price |
|---|---|
| Hourly rate, outside London | £15 to £25 |
| Hourly rate, London | £18 to £32 |
| Two days a week, outside London | £220 to £380 |
| Three days a week, outside London | £330 to £570 |
| Employer's National Insurance | on top, where employed |
| Agency placement fee, one-off | £500 to £2,000 |
Settle the employment status before the rate. A housekeeper on set days for one household is often an employee whatever both sides call the arrangement, and HMRC treats the household as the employer, so this decision carries a cost that no quote will show.
What moves the price
- Where you are. London and the higher-cost commuter belt run several pounds an hour above the rest.
- The breadth of the brief. Laundry, shopping and letting people in are hours, not favours.
- Employed or self-employed, which changes the total cost more than the rate does.
- Regularity. Two fixed days a week prices better per hour than scattered visits.
- Whether it is live-in, which changes the tax and minimum wage position entirely.
- Experience with a particular household type, such as one with small children or a listed building.
Who quotes for it
280 of the 2,228 cleaning companies listed on this site take on housekeeping.
Spread across: Macclesfield (5), Barrow-in-Furness (4), Canterbury (4), Woking (4), York (4).
Questions about housekeeping
What is a live-in housekeeper?
Accommodation forms part of the package, which changes both the tax treatment and the National Minimum Wage calculation. It is a genuinely different arrangement and worth advice before entering one.
How many hours is usual?
Two or three full days a week for most households. Fewer than that and it is a cleaning round with extras attached, which is fine and is a different thing.