Tax for cleaners

Domestic or commercial, on your own or building a round, if you clean for yourself you're self-employed — and the tax side is refreshingly simple once you know what to claim.

If you earned more than £1,000 from cleaning in the tax year — the trading allowance — you'll need to file a Self Assessment return and pay tax on your profit after costs.

How much tax will you actually pay?

You're taxed on your profit — your income after allowable costs — not on everything you take. For the 2026/27 tax year:

• The first £12,570 is tax-free (your personal allowance).
• 20% income tax on profit between £12,570 and £50,270.
• 6% Class 4 National Insurance on that same slice — Class 2 is treated as paid automatically.
• Above £50,270 it steps up to 40% tax and 2% National Insurance.

A worked example. Say you take £16,000 from cleaning and, after £2,000 of products, travel and insurance, your profit is £14,000 — your only income for the year. You'd pay nothing on the first £12,570, then 20% tax on the £1,430 above it (£286) and 6% Class 4 NI on the same £1,430 (£86) — about £372 for the year.

If you also have an employed job, that salary usually uses your personal allowance first, so more of your self-employed profit is taxed — we work out both sides together. Our how-much-tax guide has the full breakdown.

Costs you can usually claim

• Cleaning products and supplies — everything from sprays and cloths to bin bags.
• Equipment — vacuum, mop, steamer, buckets — and replacing them.
• Travel between jobs — 55p per mile for the first 10,000 business miles and 25p after, or your actual vehicle costs. (Getting to one regular workplace doesn't count.)
• Uniform, gloves and protective gear.
• Public liability insurance.
• Your phone, advertising and any booking or admin costs.

How to file, step by step

• 1. Register with HMRC for Self Assessment by 5 October after the tax year you started. You'll get a UTR (Unique Taxpayer Reference). Here's how →
• 2. Keep records through the year — what you earned, and receipts for what you spent.
• 3. File your return online by 31 January (or on paper by 31 October). The dates that matter →
• 4. Pay what you owe by 31 January.

Making Tax Digital

Making Tax Digital is already here: since 6 April 2026 it applies if your gross self-employment and property income — your turnover, before expenses — was over £50,000. The threshold drops to £30,000 in April 2027 and £20,000 in April 2028. It means keeping digital records and sending HMRC a short update every quarter — 7 August, 7 November, 7 February and 7 May — on top of your year-end return. We keep everything in order and file it for you.

Common questions

Do self-employed cleaners pay tax? Yes — if you earn more than £1,000 from cleaning in a tax year you must file a Self Assessment return and pay tax on your profit after costs.

What can cleaners claim as expenses? Cleaning products and supplies, equipment like vacuums and mops, travel between jobs (55p per mile for the first 10,000 miles from April 2026), uniform and protective gear, public liability insurance, and your phone and advertising.

How much tax will I pay as a cleaner? You pay no tax on the first £12,570, then 20% income tax and 6% Class 4 National Insurance on profit above it. On £14,000 of profit that's about £372 for the year.

This guide is general information, not personal tax advice. Figures are for the 2026/27 tax year and can change at each Budget — always confirm the current numbers on GOV.UK or ask us to check your situation.