AI agents for business finance: what they can and can't do
What AI agents can do in bookkeeping, close, collections and compliance today, where a person must stay in charge, and how to judge a product.
The short answer
A UK cleaning business must have employers' liability insurance once it employs anyone (insurers describe the minimum as £5 million of cover). Public liability insurance is not compulsory but almost every commercial client asks for it. Price each job from your true hourly cost (wages, travel time, supplies, insurance and tax) plus a margin, rather than copying a competitor's rate.
Cleaning is one of the quickest businesses to start in the UK: low equipment costs, steady demand from homes, offices, Airbnb hosts and end-of-tenancy work, and the ability to begin alone and hire as contracts grow. The two places new owners lose money are insurance gaps and prices set too low. This guide covers both.
Insurance: what is compulsory and what is expected
| Cover | Legal requirement? | Why it matters |
|---|---|---|
| Employers' liability | Yes, once you employ anyone (minimum £5m cover, as insurers describe it) | Covers claims by staff injured or made ill at work. Fines of up to £2,500 a day for going without |
| Public liability | No, but most clients ask for it | Covers damage to a client's property or injury to a member of the public |
| Contract works or "keys and locks" cover | No | Pays to replace locks if you lose a client's keys |
| Goods in transit and equipment | No | Covers vacuums, steam cleaners and products in your van |
| Business use on motor insurance | Yes, if you drive to jobs | Standard personal car cover may not include travel between clients |
If you work alone with no employees, employers' liability does not apply, but it does once you take on even one part-time cleaner. Subcontractors who work under your direction may count as employees for insurance purposes; ask your insurer.
Other set-up steps
- Register as a sole trader or form a limited company (see registering as a sole trader).
- Check your visa permits self-employment; many work routes restrict it.
- Do right-to-work checks on every cleaner you hire, and run payroll once you employ (see setting up PAYE).
- Keep COSHH data sheets for the chemicals you use, and train staff on them.
- Write simple terms: what is included, cancellation notice, key handling, how complaints are handled.
Hiring your first cleaners
Most cleaning businesses grow by adding staff, and that is where the legal duties start. Before anyone works for you, check their right to work in the UK and keep a copy of the check. Decide early whether people will be employees or truly self-employed subcontractors: if you set their hours, supply the products and tell them how to clean, they are likely to be treated as workers or employees, with holiday pay and the minimum wage. Getting this wrong is a common and expensive mistake in the sector.
If you hold a work visa, check what it allows before taking on your own clients. On a Skilled Worker visa, for example, GOV.UK limits extra work to 20 hours a week alongside the sponsored job, within set conditions, and time spent on admin counts toward those hours.
How to price a cleaning job
Start with your true cost per hour of cleaning, not the rate a competitor advertises. A cleaner paid for one hour of cleaning also costs you travel time, employer costs and unpaid gaps between jobs.
Worked example
Example figures, to show the method:
| Cost per hour of cleaning (example) | Amount |
|---|---|
| Cleaner's pay | £13.00 |
| Employer costs (holiday pay, pension, National Insurance), say 20% | £2.60 |
| Travel time and mileage, spread across billable hours | £2.00 |
| Products and equipment wear | £0.80 |
| Insurance, software and phone, spread per hour | £0.60 |
| Cost per hour | £19.00 |
| Margin at 25% of price (price = cost ÷ 0.75) | £6.33 |
| Price per hour | £25.33, rounded to £25.50 |
In this example, charging £20 an hour would leave £1 an hour for profit, admin and growth. Before using any figure, check the current National Minimum Wage rates on GOV.UK, since pay below them is unlawful.
Pricing by job, not by hour
- Regular domestic cleans: usually hourly, with a minimum visit length.
- End of tenancy: priced per property size, because the work is heavier and often checked against an inventory.
- Offices: priced per visit or per month after a site survey; ask about access times and who supplies consumables.
- Short-let turnovers: priced per turnover, with laundry as a separate line.
Winning and keeping commercial clients
Offices, gyms, churches and letting agents buy differently from households. They usually want a written quote after a site visit, a copy of your insurance certificate, a method statement for the work, and evidence that staff are vetted. They also pay on invoice, often 30 days after the month ends, so a contract that looks profitable can still strain cash while you pay wages weekly. Build that gap into your planning, and agree payment terms before you start, not after the first invoice.
What to check first
- Get quotes for public liability and, if hiring, employers' liability.
- Calculate your cost per hour with your own figures.
- Set a minimum visit and a cancellation charge.
- Write a key-handling procedure.
- Decide how clients will pay you and how you will pay staff.
Where Pryme fits
A Pryme Business Account can send invoices to clients and pay cleaners through payroll tools, with the Finance agent preparing the run and a person approving it. Outside Nigeria, Pryme works through regulated partners.
Questions people ask
Do I need insurance to start a cleaning business in the UK?
Employers' liability is compulsory once you employ anyone. Public liability is not legally required, but most clients ask to see it before you start.
How much should I charge per hour for cleaning?
Work out your cost per hour including pay, employer costs, travel, supplies and insurance, then add a margin. The worked example in this guide arrives at £25.50 an hour from example costs; your figure will differ.
Do self-employed cleaners need employers' liability insurance?
Not if you work alone with no employees. Once you hire, even part-time, you need it.
What happens if I lose a client's keys?
You may have to pay for new locks. Key and lock cover, often sold with public liability, pays for this.
Sources
- Lycetts: employers' liability insurance (modified 4 Feb 2025) · accessed Oct 2026
- Skilled Worker visa: second job (GOV.UK, update 31 Oct 2024) · accessed Oct 2026
This article is general information, not financial, legal or tax advice. Products described are provided under the terms on this site and are subject to regulation and eligibility.