In England, waste from a householder’s own DIY construction or demolition work is treated as household waste at a council recycling centre, so cannot be charged for, if each visit is under 100 litres and fits in two 50 litre bags or is a single item no bigger than 2000mm x 750mm x 700mm, there are no more than four visits per household in any four weeks, and the work was not paid for.

What changed on 31 December 2023

Before the change, around a third of local authorities charged householders to dispose of DIY waste at household waste recycling centres (HWRCs), according to a Defra press release. The Controlled Waste (England and Wales) (Amendment) (England) Regulations 2023 came into force on 31 December 2023. They extend to England and Wales but apply to England only, so the free allowance described here does not follow automatically into Wales. Defra’s announcement on 1 January 2024 said the change meant all councils in England would treat DIY waste the same as other household waste when it met certain conditions, and gave the example of charges of up to £10 an item, such as a piece of plasterboard, being scrapped.

How the law does it

The regulations amend Schedule 1 of the Controlled Waste (England and Wales) Regulations 2012. Waste from construction or demolition works is classed as industrial waste, on which a council may charge, but the amended entry says such waste is treated as household waste for the purposes of section 34 of the Environmental Protection Act 1990 and for section 51 of that Act, which covers the functions of waste disposal authorities, where four conditions are met. The explanatory note says that if the waste does not meet the description, it remains industrial waste for section 51 and waste disposal authorities can charge to dispose of it.

The four conditions

First, the waste must be produced at a domestic property by occupiers of that property carrying out their own construction or demolition works, including preparatory works. Second, it must not come from works for which payment has been or is to be made. Third, the amount delivered to any waste disposal site in a single visit must either be less than 100 litres and capable of fitting into two 50 litre bags, or be a single article of waste no larger than 2000mm x 750mm x 700mm. Fourth, the household must not make more than four single visits in any four week period. Where all four are met, the waste is treated as household waste and cannot be charged for as if it were industrial waste.

Who is left out

The second condition matters for anyone who hires a trader. Waste from works that have been or will be paid for, for example where a builder or decorator is engaged to do the job, does not qualify for the free allowance, and a council may treat it as industrial waste. Our guide to builders’ waste removal covers the skip and grab options for larger jobs. Waste from a job that exceeds the size or frequency limits is also outside the allowance, so a bathroom strip-out or an extension, which produce far more than two 50 litre bags a visit, will usually need another route, such as those in our guides to disposing of a bathroom suite and soil and rubble removal.

Types of DIY waste

The regulation is worded by source and quantity, not by material. It does not itself list which materials count, so a householder should check the council’s site rules for items that need separate handling. A plasterboard sheet was one of the examples used by Defra when explaining the change, and our guide to plasterboard disposal explains why it still needs its own waste plan.

Charges beyond the allowance

The allowance does not prevent every charge. Because waste above the per-visit limit, over four visits in four weeks, or from paid works remains industrial waste under the regulations, a council may charge for it. The government’s 2023 announcement also recalled that the law was clarified in 2015 so that local taxpayers should not be charged for disposing of ordinary household waste at civic amenity sites, and that ministers had repeatedly said councils should not charge for DIY household waste. Councils may also apply site rules such as the permit and vehicle restrictions covered in our guide to recycling centre permits.

Why it matters for fly-tipping and waste carriers

Defra presented the change as part of tackling fly-tipping and waste crime, which it estimated cost the economy £924 million a year in England, and as a way of reducing the temptation to use unregistered operators. A householder who cannot use the free allowance and pays a remover must still check the carrier, as our guide to checking a waste carrier explains.

FAQs

How much DIY waste can I take free of charge in England?

Less than 100 litres per visit that fits into two 50 litre bags, or one item up to 2000mm x 750mm x 700mm, with no more than four visits per household in any four week period.

Does the rule apply if I hire a builder?

No. The regulations exclude waste from construction or demolition works for which payment has been or is to be made.

Does it apply in Wales?

The regulations extend to England and Wales but apply to England only.

Can a council still charge for larger amounts?

Yes. Waste outside the conditions remains industrial waste and a waste disposal authority can charge to dispose of it.

The bottom line

Since 31 December 2023 English councils cannot charge for small amounts of a householder’s own DIY waste at recycling centres, provided each visit stays within two 50 litre bags or one item of 2000mm x 750mm x 700mm, visits stay within four in four weeks and the works were not paid for. Larger or contractor-generated waste can still be charged, so householders should plan bigger jobs around a skip or a registered carrier. This is general information; council site rules apply in practice.

Sources

This guide draws on the following primary sources, current as of 24 September 2026:

• legislation.gov.uk, “The Controlled Waste (England and Wales) (Amendment) (England) Regulations 2023”
• GOV.UK, “Charges for disposing of DIY waste at recycling centres scrapped” (1 January 2024)
• GOV.UK, “Council DIY waste charges abolished” (18 June 2023)

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