What Impact will the Increase in National Living Wage have on the Cleaning Industry?

Jeff Whitton • January 28, 2020

National Living Wage Increase



If you’re familiar with Rapid Clean, then you’ll know how much we value good workers. We are passionate about rewarding hard work through our quarterly Superstar Award and we ensure that all cleaning operatives are paid well for their work.

In this industry, wages have traditionally been low. The introduction of a minimum wage back in 1999, was something that we celebrated. Not all cleaning companies felt the same way, but we truly believe that our cleaners work hard and deserve to be paid ahead of the minimum requirement wherever possible.


Paying cleaners in excess of what is now known as the National Living Wage (25 year old workers and over), is something that we have always tried to do. It enables us to secure the best cleaning operatives, which in turn, ensures that our customers receive an excellent service that we are proud to deliver.

The National Living Wage has recently been increased to £8.72 per hour , effective from April 2020. In order to stay ahead of this we are having to increase charges to our customers. In our contract it states that prices remain fixed for a 12 month period but that excludes any change in legislation that we were unaware of at the time of pricing.

 

We understand that this hasn’t been a popular letter for our customers to receive but we hope that customers, and potential customers, agree with our reasons behind doing so. Margins are tight in the cleaning industry which means that we (and probably most) cleaning companies will be forced to pass this increase of 6.2% onto customers.

 

We are of course always flexible so if this increase is affecting you, we are happy to discuss ways of making savings by decreasing cleaning frequencies or adjusting the cleaning schedule.

A person wearing yellow gloves is cleaning a window. There are spring flowers in the background.
April 10, 2025
Spring is the perfect time to reassess your commercial cleaning contract. Rapid Clean has outlined signs it’s time to switch providers and what to expect from a reliable contract cleaner.
By Jess White April 2, 2025
Employee Appreciation Day (EAD) is a very important day to us at Rapid Clean. While we appreciate our employees every day, we welcome the opportunity to dedicate some time for celebration. With more colleagues now than ever, 2025 marks the third year of celebrating EAD and we upped the ante. Read on to find out how we are celebrating employees in 2025...
Professional school classroom cleaning company
By Suzanne Whitton March 14, 2025
Choosing the perfect professional cleaning company for your school with our ultimate guide. Expert tips & insights to ensure a clean & safe environment.
Superstar on blue background
By Jess White February 19, 2025
We've had some fantastic feedback on our cleaning team last quarter. Every person mentioned here will receive a letter and a small gift of appreciation; keep reading to the end of the post, when the winner will be announced.
A man is throwing a plastic bottle into a recycling bin.
February 10, 2025
Big changes are coming to workplace recycling! Starting on March 31, 2025, the UK government will roll out Simpler Recycling, a new policy designed to standardise waste management across England.
Balloons Celebration Happy Work Anniversary
By Jess White February 4, 2025
Celebrate our 5, 10 and 20 year work anniversaries with us! We enjoy not being the norm in the industry. Read more..
More Posts