The most significant changes facing UK commercial cleaning businesses in 2026 are not confined to cleaning methods or products. Wage rates have risen, employment law is changing in stages, workplace recycling rules are already in force in England, packaging reporting is becoming more consequential, and the Government has signalled a different approach to some outsourced public services.
Together, these developments affect the cost of delivering a contract and the evidence clients may expect from a cleaning provider. Some changes apply directly to cleaning businesses as employers. Others depend on where a business operates, what packaging it supplies, or whether it works with public sector clients.
Here are five developments worth tracking, and the practical questions they raise for facilities managers, contract cleaners, hospitality businesses and janitorial teams.
1. The April wage increase has changed the cost base
From 1 April 2026, the National Living Wage for workers aged 21 and over rose to £12.71 an hour. The National Minimum Wage rates are £10.85 for workers aged 18 to 20 and £8.00 for workers under 18. The apprentice rate is also £8.00 for eligible apprentices. These are statutory hourly floors, not recommended rates for cleaning roles.
For labour intensive services, the direct effect is only part of the calculation. Employers also need to account for paid leave, employer contributions, training, recruitment, absence cover and the time required to supervise and check work. A shift in hourly pay can affect an entire contract budget, particularly where service delivery depends on a large team working across several sites.
The Low Pay Commission recommended the adult rate after considering living costs, earnings and expected effects on employers and the labour market. Its 2025 report also records that low paid employers often face a combination of wage and other cost pressures. The report does not provide a specific cost forecast for cleaning contracts, so businesses should assess the effect against their own staffing patterns rather than assume a single sector wide figure.
For contract buyers, the practical issue is whether the tender or renewal price still reflects the hours and service standard required. A low headline price is not useful if the rota cannot cover the agreed tasks reliably. Contractors should be ready to explain how labour costs, staffing levels and service expectations fit together.
Employers should also check that pay calculations reflect the hours that legally count as working time. Uniform costs, deductions and particular working arrangements can affect minimum wage compliance. GOV.UK provides the current National Minimum Wage and National Living Wage rates and links to further guidance for employers.
2. Employment rights are arriving in stages
The Employment Rights Act 2025 is being implemented through a phased programme. That matters in commercial cleaning, where shift patterns may vary between sites and where early starts, evening work and short notice cover are common.
As at 15 October 2026, the Government’s published timetable sets out measures already introduced during the year as well as changes planned for later. Among the confirmed 2026 changes, the time limit for bringing an Employment Tribunal claim increased from three months to six months on 1 October. Other measures took effect earlier in the year, including changes to statutory sick pay and day one paternity and unpaid parental leave. Employers should consult the official timetable because dates and later implementation details may be updated.
The right to guaranteed hours, reasonable notice of shifts and payments for short notice cancellations is listed for introduction in 2027. It is not accurate to treat these provisions as already in force in October 2026. However, cleaning companies using flexible or variable hours have reason to review how they record shifts and the actual hours people work. Keeping reliable records now should make it easier to assess future obligations when the detailed rules are confirmed.
A sensible review includes checking employment status, written terms, rota practices, cancellation processes and how frequently employees work beyond their contracted hours. Managers responsible for scheduling should know which arrangements are in place at each site, especially where a contract uses agency staff or a mix of part time and full time workers.
The Government says the timetable remains subject to parliamentary processes and further consultation. Cleaning employers should therefore distinguish between changes already effective and those expected later. The current Employment Rights Act implementation timetable is the most useful reference for that distinction.
3. Workplace recycling has become part of the cleaning specification in England
England’s Simpler Recycling rules came into force for workplaces on 31 March 2025. They require businesses and public sector organisations to separate dry recyclable materials, food waste and residual waste before collection. The rules apply across many settings where cleaning teams work, including offices, hotels, restaurants, healthcare sites, retail premises and schools.
There is an important exception to the timetable. Micro firms with fewer than 10 full time equivalent employees have until 31 March 2027 to comply. The exemption is assessed across the business, not simply by counting the staff at one site. The rules described here apply to England. Businesses operating in Scotland, Wales or Northern Ireland should check the separate arrangements in their nation.
For cleaning teams, the change can affect routine tasks as well as the layout of a site. Staff may need to empty separate bins into the correct collection streams, keep waste areas orderly, identify recurring contamination and report where signs or bin locations are causing confusion. These tasks should be agreed with the client rather than left to assumption.
Responsibility at the workplace and responsibility under a cleaning contract are not always the same thing. The workplace must meet its legal duties, while the service agreement should make clear who supplies bins, checks them, separates waste and presents it for collection. It should also explain who speaks to the waste contractor when a stream is contaminated or a collection is missed.
The rules require separate dry recycling, food waste and residual waste. Paper and card must also be collected separately from plastic, metal and glass, unless the waste collector has completed the required written assessment allowing co collection. The GOV.UK guidance for workplace recycling in England explains the requirements and the micro firm deadline.
A practical first step is to walk the site with the client and waste collector. Check where waste is generated, whether the available containers match the collection arrangements, and whether employees and visitors can understand the signs. Clear responsibilities and simple checks can help reduce contamination and avoid extra collection charges.
4. Packaging reporting and fees are becoming more material
Extended Producer Responsibility for packaging, often called EPR, is not a rule that applies only to cleaning products. It can apply to any organisation that undertakes relevant packaging activities, such as importing packaged goods, filling packaging or selling filled packaging to an end user. That means some manufacturers, importers, distributors and retailers in the cleaning supply chain may have obligations.
A cleaning business that buys and uses packaged products is not automatically an obligated producer simply because it handles the bottles. The question is whether the business carries out a relevant producer activity and meets the applicable size thresholds. Current GOV.UK guidance says an organisation generally needs to be established in the UK, have supplied or imported more than 25 tonnes of packaging in the previous year, and have annual worldwide turnover of at least £1 million to be an obligated producer. Further thresholds determine whether it is treated as a small or large producer.
For businesses that are in scope, obligations can include registration, packaging data reporting and record keeping. Large producers have additional reporting and recycling responsibilities and may need to pay a waste disposal fee for household packaging. Reporting and compliance dates vary by producer type and reporting period.
As of 15 October 2026, the deadline for large producers to submit data for packaging supplied between January and June 2026 was 1 October. An obligated business that has not confirmed its position or completed its reporting should check the current regulator guidance promptly. The Government updated its guidance on who is affected in August 2026, so older summaries may not reflect the latest wording.
For cleaning suppliers, a useful exercise is to map the packaging components in a product range and identify who is responsible at each stage. A bottle, cap, trigger, label, outer carton and transport packaging may need to be considered as separate components when data is collected. This is especially relevant to a cleaning supplies shop or distributor that imports goods, sells packaged products to end users or operates its own branded range.
The wider commercial effect may reach buyers even when they are not obligated producers. A client may ask suppliers for clearer packaging information, or compare products based on the material and format of the pack. Buyers reviewing professional cleaning products can include packaging information in a procurement checklist, alongside safe use information and product suitability. The official EPR guidance on who is affected and what to do sets out the thresholds and activities to check.
5. Public sector cleaning contracts face a change in direction
On 18 June 2026, the Cabinet Office announced a new Public Interest Test for some expiring government contracts. The stated aim is to consider long term value and service quality rather than rely on outsourcing by default. The Government said the test would apply to contracts over £1 million and that building management services, including cleaning and security, could be brought in house as current contracts end from 2028.
The announcement refers to central government buildings, with the test expected to cover services across 83 buildings. It does not mean that all public sector cleaning contracts will end, or that every government site will be brought back in house. The announcement describes a process for assessing whether services should be delivered directly by government or through a supplier.
For contractors, this creates a reason to review the public contract pipeline and contract expiry dates, particularly where a business relies on central government work. Buyers and providers should follow the specific notices and procurement documents for each contract rather than draw conclusions from the announcement alone.
The same development may influence how buyers assess value. Government guidance says decision makers should look beyond short term pricing, and that is relevant to the wider conversation in facilities management. Service continuity, workforce arrangements, management oversight and demonstrable cleaning outcomes all matter when deciding how a service should be delivered.
For suppliers seeking public work, contract evidence remains important. A provider should be able to describe its staffing model, service checks, escalation process and how it maintains a consistent standard across sites. These are practical details, not simply tender language. They also help clients assess whether an outsourced service is delivering the quality and reliability they need.
The Cabinet Office’s announcement on the Public Interest Test and insourcing provides the Government’s description of the proposed approach and its plans for building management services.
What cleaning businesses should do next
These shifts do not call for the same response from every business. A small domestic customer, a regional janitorial contractor and a large packaging producer have different duties. A short review can still identify where action is needed.
First, recalculate labour costs using the rates that took effect in April, and check that current contract prices allow for the hours and cover required. Then review employment records and rota practices, keeping future rules separate from measures already in force. At client sites in England, agree who manages waste separation and inspect whether containers, signs and collection arrangements work together. If your organisation imports or supplies packaging, check the updated EPR thresholds and confirm which reporting duties apply.
Public sector providers should also review contract expiry dates and monitor client procurement notices for specific changes. Across all these areas, clear records are valuable. They help managers make decisions, support client conversations and show that the organisation understands its responsibilities.
The practical lesson for buyers is equally straightforward. When comparing trade cleaning supplies or professional cleaning supplies UK businesses rely on, look beyond the product name or headline cost. Consider whether staff can use products safely, whether the packaging suits site waste arrangements, and whether the supplier can provide the information your operation needs. For routine and demanding tasks alike, heavy duty cleaning products and everyday janitorial supplies should be selected as part of a workable system, not in isolation. A cleaning supplies shop can support that decision with clear product information, but the site still needs suitable training, storage and procedures.
For an overview of product categories used across workplaces and homes, see KleanPro Supplies’ cleaning products index.
