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 is the one decision on this page with a cost attached that nobody quotes for.
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
18 of the 204 cleaning companies listed on this site take on housekeeping.
Spread across: Belfast (2), Coventry (2), Liverpool (2), Newcastle upon Tyne (2), Southampton (2).
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.