National Living Wage rises to £13.21 in April 2027: what it means for cleaners and cleaning contracts
Key Takeaways
- 1The National Living Wage rises 50p (3.9%) to £13.21 an hour from 1 April 2027.
- 2A full-time cleaner on 37.5 hours earns £25,759.50 a year from April 2027; on 40 hours, £27,476.80.
- 3Any quote or 12-month contract running past 31 March 2027 should be priced at £13.21 from April.
From 1 April 2027 the National Living Wage for workers aged 21 and over rises by 50p, or 3.9%, to £13.21 an hour. A cleaner working 20 hours a week will earn £10 a week more, about £520 a year. Because wages are most of the cost of contract cleaning, prices for most cleaning contracts will rise from April too.
The new rates from April 2027
| Rate | Now (April 2026) | From April 2027 | Increase |
|---|---|---|---|
| National Living Wage (21 and over) | £12.71 | £13.21 | 50p (3.9%) |
| 18 to 20 year olds | £10.85 | £11.27 | 42p (3.9%) |
| 16 to 17 year olds and apprentices | £8.00 | £8.31 | 31p (3.9%) |
What it means for a cleaner's pay
Examples at the adult rate, before tax, based on 52 paid weeks.
Full-time equivalent (FTE): a full-time cleaner on 37.5 hours earns £25,759.50 a year from April 2027, up from £24,784.50. On 40 hours it's £27,476.80, up from £26,436.80.
| Hours a week | Weekly pay now | Weekly pay from April 2027 | Extra each week | Annual pay now | Annual pay from April 2027 | Extra each year |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10 hours | £127.10 | £132.10 | £5.00 | £6,609.20 | £6,869.20 | £260 |
| 15 hours | £190.65 | £198.15 | £7.50 | £9,913.80 | £10,303.80 | £390 |
| 20 hours | £254.20 | £264.20 | £10.00 | £13,218.40 | £13,738.40 | £520 |
| **37.5 hours (FTE)** | £476.63 | £495.38 | £18.75 | £24,784.50 | **£25,759.50** | £975 |
| **40 hours (FTE)** | £508.40 | £528.40 | £20.00 | £26,436.80 | **£27,476.80** | £1,040 |
What it means for cleaning contracts
Labour is the largest part of any cleaning price. When the National Living Wage rises, so do employer National Insurance and pension contributions on every hour worked. So the cost of each cleaning hour rises by a little more than 3.9%.
- Contracts already running: most include a clause to pass on National Living Wage rises each April. Check what your contract says, and talk to your cleaning provider early so the change is in your budget.
- New quotes: any quote for cleaning after 31 March 2027, or a 12-month contract that runs past that date, should be priced at £13.21 an hour from April.
- Tenders: check bids show the hours and pay rates behind the price, and how April 2027 has been allowed for. A price that ignores the rise often leads to cuts in hours later.
Schools and academies: budgeting for 2027/28
School budgets for 2027/28 are set from spring, so allow for the rise now. If your cleaning contract passes National Living Wage rises on, the labour part of the price will go up by a little over 3.9% from 1 April 2027. Our school cleaning services and school cleaning tender assistant can help you plan.
How ICS Cleaning prices fairly
Every ICS Cleaning quote shows the hours, the pay rate and what's included. We price from a site visit, and we tell you upfront how National Living Wage rises will be handled over the contract.
Sources
- LPC recommendations take the National Living Wage to £13.21, GOV.UK, 28 October 2026
Reviewed by the ICS Cleaning team.
Planning your cleaning budget for 2027/28?
We'll show you the hours, pay rates and how the April 2027 rise affects your price, before you commit.
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