BCC’s latest research report is available now

Some interesting insights on the cleaning, hygiene and waste sectors are revealed by the British Cleaning Council’s 2022 research report, published today.

The number of sector businesses grew to 69,005 in 2021 and the number of employees working in the sector remained static at 1.47 million, according to the latest statistics available. The number of people employed in the cleaning, hygiene and waste sectors in 2021 was approximately 5% of the UK workforce, ensuring that the industry remains one of the top 10 biggest industries in the UK, the report said.

According to the latest information available, the industry contributed £58.9 billion to the UK economy in 2019, up from the previous year, showing that it went into the COVID-19 pandemic in robust health. All sub-sectors, bar landscape service activities, saw a year-on-year growth in turnover up to 2021.

The report recorded that turnover in the sector increased by 22% from 2015 to 2021, a similar figure to growth in the economy as a whole, further showing the strength of the industry.

Sector staff had been on the frontline in the fight against the COVID-19 pandemic, the report also noted, with the current pressures, increased workloads and ongoing uncertainty leaving many exhausted.

The BCC releases a research report packed with revealing facts and figures about the sector every year. Free, digital copies of the report are available on request.

The report said that the cleaning and hygiene industry directly employed over 941,000 people in 2021, 2% less than the previous year. The much higher figure quoted above includes cleaning across other industries such as public services and hospitality. Many BCC member organisations have also reported a greater interest in firms joining.

A BCC survey of the sector during the first year of the pandemic demonstrated how variable the impact of COVID-19 had been on the industry, with some sectors and businesses seeing work drying up and staff going into furlough, while others saw a boom in demand. The research also found that the cleaning and hygiene industry was quite competitive and nearly nine in 10 firms were micro businesses, employing less than 10 individuals.

The report also identified some challenges for the sector, including a record number of job vacancies. Employers in the cleaning sector need to adapt to a rapidly changing workforce if they are to win the ‘frantic’ battle for workers, it said. With 27% of the workforce aged over 55 years, the industry needs to attract younger staff, the report said.

In terms of training, the report also highlighted the ‘good headway’ made with the proposal for a Cleaning Hygiene Operative apprenticeship. A repeated request across all areas of the industry is the need for basic, entry level qualifications, the report noted.

BCC chairman, Jim Melvin, said: “It is clear going into the pandemic that the industry was arguably in good shape in as much as it was growing and maintaining its position as one of the top 10 biggest sectors in the UK and continuing to contribute a huge amount to the UK economy. Clearly, we do not yet have the more recent figures which will show the full impact of the pandemic immediately and in the longer term. It also is possible that the decline in numbers directly employed by the industry in 2021 is the first sign of the current severe staffing problems, and next year’s report will give a clearer picture. The latest report is full of interesting and revealing facts and figures about the cleaning, hygiene and waste industry, which will be useful and interesting to anyone working in the sector. We will be pleased to be able to provide a free copy to industry colleagues, on request.”

For a free digital copy of the research report, visit the BCC stand at the Manchester Cleaning Show or email: [email protected]