Quick answer: A mini skip usually costs £75 to £175 a week and a builder’s skip £190 to £450, according to Checkatrade (June 2026); London is dearer. A man and van runs about £64 to £94 an hour, and house clearances start from about £175 for a quarter-van load. For a few bulky items, the council is often cheapest: from free to about £50 in the cities we checked.
Waste removal cost checker
Pick a service to see typical UK price ranges and where each figure comes from.
Prices change and depend on the size of the job, the property, access and location. Figures were last checked . Always get a written quote before work starts.
Request a free quoteTypical private prices
These are reported ranges from Checkatrade’s cost guides, not quotes. VAT and council permits may be extra. Checked September 2026.
| Service | Typical range | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Mini skip, 2 to 3 yards (per week) | £75 to £175 (average £125) | Skip Hire Prices: Cost Breakdown 2026 (checkatrade.com, updated June 2026) |
| Midi skip, 4 to 5 yards (per week) | £130 to £320 (average £225) | Same |
| Builder’s skip, 6 to 8 yards (per week) | £190 to £450 (average £320) | Same |
| Lockable skip | £50 to £150 on top | Same |
| Man and van | £64 to £94 an hour | How much does rubbish removal cost in 2026? (checkatrade.com) |
| Rubbish removal job | £75 to £595 (average £335); about £75 per cubic yard or £60 an hour | Same |
| House clearance | From £175 (quarter van, up to 250kg) to from £595 (full van, up to 1,000kg) | House Clearance: Cost Breakdown 2026 (checkatrade.com) |
| Extra items on a clearance | About £20 per TV, £25 per mattress, £75 to £120 per fridge or freezer | Same |
| Grab lorry | £170 to £420 per load, by lorry size (plus VAT) | What Does A Grab Truck Hire Cost in 2026? (checkatrade.com) |
Skip prices by region
| Skip size | North | South | London |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2 to 3 yards | £65 to £110 | £90 to £150 | £135 to £175 |
| 4 to 5 yards | £120 to £240 | £150 to £275 | £220 to £350 |
| 6 yards | £190 to £245 | £210 to £375 | £290 to £400 |
| 8 yards | £250 to £320 | £290 to £360 | £330 to £450 |
Source: Skip Hire Prices: Cost Breakdown 2026 (checkatrade.com, June 2026). Checkatrade does not define its regions in detail.
Council fees in five UK cities
Councils set their own bulky waste and skip permit charges, so these vary a great deal. We read each council’s page in September 2026.
| City | Council bulky waste collection | Skip permit on the road |
|---|---|---|
| London (sample of boroughs) | Free (2 a year in Tower Hamlets and Wandsworth) to £116 for 10 items (Lambeth) | £33 a week (Tower Hamlets) to £91 a month (Westminster), plus parking suspension in many streets |
| Birmingham | £49.50 for up to 10 items (new bookings paused during strike action) | £42 a week |
| Manchester | 1 free collection of up to 3 items a year; then £32 for 3 or £64 for 6 | £44, valid up to 7 days |
| Glasgow | £5 per item; £25 per white good; £80 per special uplift | £55 first week (£92 in the city centre) |
| Leeds | 1 free collection of up to 5 items a year; then £30 each | Not published on the council page we read |
Council permit fees are usually built into a skip quote, because in every city above the skip company, not the householder, applies. See skip permits and the public highway.
Why quotes differ
- Volume and weight. Heavy waste such as soil and rubble fills a skip’s weight limit before its volume. See soil and rubble removal.
- Landfill tax and disposal costs are passed on in the price: why waste removal quotes vary.
- Problem items. Fridges, mattresses, sofas and plasterboard are charged separately because they need separate handling.
- Access and labour. Stairs, long carries and dismantling add time.
- Permits and parking. A skip on the road adds a council permit, and in parts of London a parking suspension that can cost more than the permit.
For a line-by-line checklist, see comparing waste removal quotes.
Local guides
- Waste removal in London
- Waste removal in Birmingham
- Waste removal in Manchester
- Waste removal in Glasgow
- Waste removal in Leeds
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Frequently asked questions
How much does a skip cost in the UK?
Checkatrade reports £75 to £175 a week for a 2 to 3 yard mini skip, £130 to £320 for a 4 to 5 yard midi skip and £190 to £450 for a 6 to 8 yard builder’s skip. London prices are higher.
Is a man and van cheaper than a skip?
For small loads it can be. Checkatrade reports £64 to £94 an hour for a man and van, and the crew does the loading. For large amounts of heavy waste, a skip or grab lorry usually works out cheaper.
Is the council cheaper for bulky items?
Often. In the cities we checked, a council collection of a few items cost between nothing (using a free allowance) and about £50.
Do I pay for the skip permit?
The skip company applies and normally adds the fee to your quote. Ask whether it is included.
What should I check before I pay?
That the collector is registered to carry waste, where the waste will go, and that you get a receipt or waste transfer note.
Sources
- Skip Hire Prices: Cost Breakdown 2026 (checkatrade.com)
- How much does rubbish removal cost in 2026? (checkatrade.com)
- House Clearance: Cost Breakdown 2026 (checkatrade.com)
- What Does A Grab Truck Hire Cost in 2026? (checkatrade.com)
- Council bulky waste and skip permit pages for Camden, Croydon, Lambeth, Tower Hamlets, Wandsworth and Westminster (borough .gov.uk sites)
- About the bulky waste collection service; Apply for a skip permit (birmingham.gov.uk)
- Get rid of a large unwanted item; Skip permit (manchester.gov.uk)
- Collection of bulky waste items; Book of Charges: Road Permits (glasgow.gov.uk)
- Book an unwanted items collection (leeds.gov.uk)
Last checked: September 2026. Council fees usually change each April, so confirm the current price when you book.
Compare Waste Removal is a comparison and referral service, not a waste carrier or skip company. We do not collect waste, and a listing here is not a recommendation.