What is the HMRC mileage rate?

The HMRC approved mileage allowance payment (AMAP) rate for cars is 45p per mile for the first 10,000 miles per year, then 25p per mile after that. This covers fuel, insurance, road tax, MOT and general wear and tear on the vehicle.

What should I include in overheads?

Overheads include rent, insurance, phone, accountancy fees, equipment depreciation, marketing, uniforms, training and any other indirect business cost. As a percentage of direct costs, 10-20% is typical for small cleaning businesses.

How do I know my actual labour cost?

For employed staff, your actual labour cost includes gross pay plus employer NI (13.8% above threshold), pension contributions (minimum 3%), holiday pay accrual and any other benefits. This is typically 15-25% more than the headline hourly rate.

Why is knowing your job cost important?

If you do not know your true job cost, you cannot set profitable prices. Many cleaning businesses undercharge because they forget to account for travel, overheads and the true cost of employment. Knowing your costs ensures every job contributes to profit.

CleanCalcs

Job Cost Calculator

Calculate the total cost of a cleaning job including labour, materials, travel and overheads.

Labour Hours

Hours worked on this job

Labour Rate

Cost per hour (not charge rate)

Material Cost

Products used for this job

Travel Distance (round trip)

Total miles there and back

Mileage Rate

HMRC rate is £0.45/mile

Overhead Percentage

Proportion of indirect costs

How We Calculate This

This calculator adds up all direct costs for a job, then applies an overhead percentage.

Formula

Direct costs = labour + materials + travel

Overhead allocation = direct costs × overhead %

Total job cost = direct costs + overhead allocation

The default mileage rate of 45p/mile matches the HMRC approved rate for cars.

Frequently Asked Questions

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Last updated: February 2026

All calculations are estimates. Always verify quantities and timings for your specific situation.