jobfacts

Elementary cleaning occupations n.e.c.

SOC 2020 9229

Job holders in this unit group perform elementary cleansing service occupations not elsewhere classified in minor group 922: Elementary cleaning occupations.

Also calledChimney sweepCarriage service manBin cleanerSanitary orderlyChimney cleanerCleansing attendantand 16 more titles
Typical full-time pay£25,8002025 Provisional
People in the job14,000across the UK
New adverts a month178↓ 18%on last year · 353rd of 412

Pay

ONS · ASHE 2025
What full-time elementary cleaning occupations n.e.c. earn, 2025
£25,800 typicaln/ptop 10%
n/p: top 10% not published by ONS
Show as table
Lowest 10% earn less thanNot published
Lowest 20% earn less thanNot published
25%Not published
Median£25,800
75%Not published
Top 20% earn more thanNot published
Top 10% earn more thanNot published
Typical pay by regionUK median £25,800
Scotland!£26,000
North West!£24,800
North EastNot published by ONS–
Yorkshire and The HumberNot published by ONS–
East MidlandsNot published by ONS–
West MidlandsNot published by ONS–
East of EnglandNot published by ONS–
LondonNot published by ONS–
South EastNot published by ONS–
South WestNot published by ONS–
WalesNot published by ONS–
!Small sample: treat with caution
Show as table
UK median, £25,800
Scotland£26,000 (small sample)
North West£24,800 (small sample)
North EastNot published by ONS
Yorkshire and The HumberNot published by ONS
East MidlandsNot published by ONS
West MidlandsNot published by ONS
East of EnglandNot published by ONS
LondonNot published by ONS
South EastNot published by ONS
South WestNot published by ONS
WalesNot published by ONS
Typical pay over 3 years
  • 2023 £25,000
  • 2024 £25,900
  • 2025 Provisional£25,800
↑ 3.1% since 2023Provisional figures are revised when ONS publishes the next year’s survey.

Jobs and demand

ONS · Textkernel adverts · DfE

About 178 jobs for elementary cleaning occupations n.e.c. are advertised each month.

New job adverts a month, Jan 2017 to Aug 2026
New advertsMonth not published by ONS (2 in all)
Show as table
Aug 2026152
Jul 2026195
Jun 2026Not published
May 2026148
Apr 2026155
Mar 2026Not published
Feb 2026172
Jan 2026169
Dec 202583
Nov 2025216
Oct 2025218
Sept 2025267
Aug 2025312
Jul 2025235
Jun 2025204
May 2025225
Apr 2025193
Mar 2025194
Feb 2025207
Jan 2025185
Dec 2024117
Nov 2024221
Oct 2024234
Sept 2024237
Aug 2024279
Jul 2024269
Jun 2024274
May 2024244
Apr 2024254
Mar 2024175
Feb 2024167
Jan 2024187
Dec 2023134
Nov 2023190
Oct 2023183
Sept 2023178
Aug 2023254
Jul 2023233
Jun 2023240
May 2023214
Apr 2023183
Mar 2023184
Feb 2023188
Jan 2023189
Dec 2022167
Nov 2022275
Oct 2022349
Sept 2022287
Aug 2022266
Jul 2022197
Jun 2022220
May 2022225
Apr 2022202
Mar 2022185
Feb 2022205
Jan 2022252
Dec 2021193
Nov 2021191
Oct 2021175
Sept 2021169
Aug 2021149
Jul 2021203
Jun 2021181
May 2021127
Apr 2021126
Mar 2021139
Feb 202186
Jan 202165
Dec 202079
Nov 202081
Oct 2020109
Sept 2020148
Aug 2020108
Jul 2020141
Jun 2020123
May 2020108
Apr 202095
Mar 2020139
Feb 2020180
Jan 2020144
Dec 2019102
Nov 2019157
Oct 2019114
Sept 2019113
Aug 2019120
Jul 2019156
Jun 2019166
May 2019157
Apr 201998
Mar 2019145
Feb 2019115
Jan 2019148
Dec 201893
Nov 2018131
Oct 2018121
Sept 2018200
Aug 201899
Jul 2018111
Jun 2018130
May 201899
Apr 2018123
Mar 201888
Feb 2018111
Jan 2018111
Dec 201763
Nov 201787
Oct 2017108
Sept 201781
Aug 2017104
Jul 2017100
Jun 2017161
May 2017122
Apr 2017104
Mar 2017102
Feb 201790
Jan 201781
Vacancies hard to fill because of skills
5.4%against 27% for all jobs
Broader groupFigure for elementary cleaning occupations, which includes elementary cleaning occupations n.e.c.. DfE Employer Skills Survey 2024.
Where the most jobs are advertisedadverts a quarter
London66
Wiltshire10
Glasgow City10
Fife9
Cornwall8
Newcastle upon Tyne8
Bournemouth, Christchurch and Poole8
City of Edinburgh8
Leeds8
Liverpool8
London is published as one area. Averages leave out quarters ONS withheld.
Where elementary cleaning occupations n.e.c. are most concentratedShare of local job adverts, compared with the UK.

Recruitment from abroad. Fewer than 10 sponsored work visas were granted for this job from July 2025 to June 2026. Home Office

Who does it

ONS · Annual Population Survey · April 2025 to March 2026
WomenToo few in the survey to give a reliable figure
Age of elementary cleaning occupations n.e.c.
n/p
n/p
21%!
n/p
38%!
n/p
!Small sample: treat with cautionn/p: too few in the survey to publish
Show as table
16–24Not published
25–34Not published
35–4421% (small sample)
45–54Not published
55–6438% (small sample)
65+Not published
Highest qualification
Degree or equivalent!28%
Higher education below degree–
Not published
A levels or equivalent!30%
GCSEs or equivalent!31%
Other qualifications!11%
No qualifications!19%
!Small sample: treat with caution
Show as table
Degree or equivalent28% (small sample)
Higher education below degreeNot published
A levels or equivalent30% (small sample)
GCSEs or equivalent31% (small sample)
Other qualifications11% (small sample)
No qualifications19% (small sample)

Main employers: general cleaning of buildings (26%), other building and industrial cleaning activities (18%), warehousing and storage (18%), other cleaning activities (6.6%).

How to get in

Hold a degree
28%
as their highest qualification
Most common qualification
GCSEs or equivalent
held by 31%
Apprenticeships
None
none leads directly into this work

The work

ONS · ESCO · O*NET

Typical tasks

  • selects appropriate brush head, pushes it through flue or chimney and collects soot and other dislodged deposits from flue or chimney with brush or vacuum equipment
  • cleans toilets, washrooms, rest rooms and other similar amenities
  • replenishes supplies of soap, toilet paper and towels
  • reports acts of vandalism and any defects in sanitary equipment
  • completes worksheets to note the date and time that amenities were last cleaned

Skills

  • clean glass surfaces
  • follow organisational guidelines in the cleaning industry
  • maintain the cleanliness of the toilet facilities
  • perform cleaning activities in an environmentally friendly way
  • clean furniture
  • clean surfaces
  • handle chemical cleaning agents
  • maintain cleaning equipment
  • maintain customer service
  • maintain inventory of cleaning supplies
  • manage routine waste
  • carry out pressure washing activities
  • clean building floors
  • clean particular areas manually

Knowledge

  • cleaning industry health and safety measures
  • cleaning techniques
  • personal protective equipment

Suits people who like

  • Practical, hands-on work
  • Organising and following procedures

Outlook

DfE · Skills Imperative 2035
Broader groupThese projections are for elementary administration and service occupations, a group of 26 jobs that includes elementary cleaning occupations n.e.c..
Change in jobs, 2020 to 2035↓ 1.5%about 48,000 fewer jobs
Workers needed by 20351.5 millionincluding people replacing those who retire or leave

Sources

Pay
ONS, Annual Survey of Hours and Earnings, 2025 provisional
People in the job, who does it
ONS, Annual Population Survey, April 2025 to March 2026
Job adverts
ONS, online job adverts (Textkernel), to Aug 2026
Demand, skill shortages
Department for Education and Skills England, Occupations in demand and the Employer Skills Survey
Outlook
The Skills Imperative 2035 (2024), NFER/Nuffield/DfE/IER/CE
Routes in
National Careers Service job profiles
Apprenticeships, qualifications
Skills England occupational maps
Skills, interests
ESCO classification of the European Commission; O*NET data, U.S. Department of Labor (CC BY 4.0, modified)
Visas
Home Office, immigration system statistics

Figures as of 10 October 2026.

Contains public sector information licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0. Source: Office for National Statistics licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0. Occupations in demand and the Employer Skills Survey: Department for Education and Skills England. Immigration system statistics: Home Office. Contains public sector information from the National Careers Service licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0.

© Skills England 2025. This information is licensed under the Open Government Licence https://www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/doc/open-government-licence/version/3/

Source: The Skills Imperative 2035 (2024), NFER/Nuffield/DfE/IER/CE.

This service uses the ESCO classification of the European Commission.

This service includes information from the O*NET 31.0 Database by the U.S. Department of Labor, Employment and Training Administration (USDOL/ETA). Used under the CC BY 4.0 license. O*NET® is a trademark of USDOL/ETA. This service has modified all or some of this information. USDOL/ETA has not approved, endorsed, or tested these modifications. CC BY 4.0 licence.

jobfacts is independent. It is not part of, affiliated with or endorsed by the Office for National Statistics, the Department for Education, Skills England, the National Careers Service, the Home Office, the European Commission or the U.S. Department of Labor.