Local skip hire and collection
Supply skips to builders and households, then collect and dispose of the waste.
- £25k-100k
- Full-time
- Out and about
- Licence or permit needed
Estimates for a small start in the UK, not guarantees.
Official data
6,717 UK companies in this field, 35% registered in the last 2 years
SIC 38110 “Collection of non-hazardous waste”. Source: Companies House, November 2026.
What it is
You deliver skips to customers, collect them when full and send the waste for sorting, recycling or disposal. It needs a skip lorry and usually a yard to store skips.
Your first three steps
- Check you hold the right driving entitlement and look at costs for a second-hand skip lorry and a starter set of skips
- Speak to your local council and the Environment Agency about the yard, permits and registration you would need
- Agree a disposal or recycling arrangement with a nearby licensed site and set your skip prices
Who pays
Builders, landscapers, homeowners doing renovations and small businesses.
How it makes money
A hire fee per skip for a set period, with extra charges for overweight loads, longer hire or restricted items.
Skills that help
- Confident lorry driving
- Planning routes and bookings
- Knowing what waste can go where
Watch out for
- A waste carrier registration, and possibly an environmental permit or exemption if you store or sort waste on your yard, check with the regulator
- Planning permission for the yard, and a council permit when skips are placed on the road
- Skips on public roads usually need lights and marking, check the rules
- Large upfront cost for the lorry and skips, plus operator and vehicle compliance for heavier vehicles
- Public liability and motor trade insurance, and the risk of customers filling skips with banned waste
🔒 Full research report for UK
Real cost breakdown with current prices, licences and registration checklist, local competition, pricing, break-even and a 30-day launch plan, with sources.
Coming soonQuestions people ask
How much does it cost to start a skip hire business?
Startup costs are estimates, typically around £25,000 to £100,000, depending on the lorry, number of skips, yard and insurance. The upfront cost of the lorry and skips is large, plus vehicle compliance for heavier vehicles.
How much can a skip hire business earn?
Monthly revenue is estimated at typically around £4,000 to £20,000, depending on how many skips you have out, your area and the mix of trade and household customers. Customers filling skips with banned waste is a risk to plan for.
What rules should I check before starting skip hire?
Check whether you need a waste carrier registration, and a possible environmental permit or exemption if you store or sort waste. Also check planning for your yard, council permits for skips on roads, and lighting and marking rules.
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