Personal Independence Payment is designed to help with extra living costs, and while it is not paid specifically for cleaning, you can spend it on whatever you need. If you have a long term physical or mental health condition or disability, Age UK says you can spend PIP on whatever you need. Whether that covers a cleaner is your decision. Local councils sometimes provide home help with cleaning, but this is patchy and depends on a care needs assessment.
The short answer on PIP and paying for a cleaner
PIP is not paid specifically for cleaning. If you receive Personal Independence Payment, the money is paid to help you manage the extra living costs that come with your condition. You have the freedom to spend this money in the way that best supports your daily life.
According to Age UK, you can spend your Personal Independence Payment on whatever you need. That is a general statement about how PIP can be spent. It is not a promise that PIP will cover the cost of a cleaner.
The council route is different. The NHS states that most local councils do not provide home help for day to day domestic tasks like cleaning. You can ask the council what support it can offer.
What PIP is and what you can spend it on
Personal Independence Payment is a benefit for people who have a long term physical or mental health condition or disability. GOV.UK explains that PIP can help with extra living costs if you find everyday tasks or getting around difficult because of your condition. GOV.UK says the difficulty must occur most of the time, meaning more than half the days over a 12-month period. Whether you would get PIP depends on your own situation, so ask an adviser.
Because PIP is meant for extra living costs and Age UK says you can spend it on whatever you need, you decide which tasks are most useful to get help with and whether paying for a cleaner is one of them.
Age UK points out that Personal Independence Payment is not means tested. This means your savings do not matter. GOV.UK adds that you can get PIP while you have savings and while getting most other benefits. It is also not based on National Insurance contributions.
The rules and names for this benefit change depending on where you live in the United Kingdom. People living in Scotland apply for Adult Disability Payment instead of Personal Independence Payment. If you move to Scotland, your current claim stops 13 weeks after the move. In Northern Ireland, GOV.UK directs people to a separate nidirect page.
Attendance Allowance if you are over State Pension age
If you are at or above State Pension age, Attendance Allowance is the benefit GOV.UK describes for people of that age. This benefit helps with extra costs if you have a disability or health condition severe enough that you need someone to help look after you.
GOV.UK says you do not need a carer to claim Attendance Allowance, and the NHS says it can help with homecare costs. Ask a benefits adviser how you can use it. If you are arranging support for a relative, you might want to look into arranging home help for parents to understand the practical steps.
In Scotland, the system works slightly differently for older people. If you live in Scotland and are over State Pension age, you apply for Pension Age Disability Payment rather than Attendance Allowance. Both benefits serve the same purpose of giving you financial support to manage your condition and extra costs.
The NHS notes that Attendance Allowance and Personal Independence Payment are not means tested and can help with homecare costs.
Home help from the council and why it is patchy
Councils often do not provide help with cleaning. The NHS defines home help as day to day domestic tasks that you may need a helping hand with. This type of help includes:
- General house cleaning
- Putting on clean bed sheets
- Washing up
- Doing the laundry
- Gardening
The NHS clearly states that most councils do not provide this kind of home help. The NHS says home help is different from homecare. Age UK warns that you might not be able to get help from your local council if you just need help with housework, gardening or shopping.
Age UK says that if you are not entitled to council help you are a self funder, which means you arrange and pay for help yourself. Ask your council's adult social care team what applies to you.
GOV.UK says home care arranged through a needs assessment can include help with things like cleaning and shopping, so it is worth asking what your council can offer in your case.
Asking for a care needs assessment
If you are struggling to manage at home, you have the right to ask your local council for a health and social care assessment. This is carried out by social services to find out exactly what help and support you need. GOV.UK says that home care can include help with things like cleaning and shopping. Ask your council what it can offer in your case.
According to Age UK, a care needs assessment is completely free and you are entitled to one regardless of your income and savings. GOV.UK says the assessment is carried out by social services to find out what help and support you need. It cannot be predicted whether the council will contribute to the cost of any help.
When you have the assessment, it helps to be clear about which domestic tasks you find difficult. Ask the adult social care team what help they can offer and whether they can say how any charges would work.
You do not have to apply for this assessment on your own. Your local NHS service, Citizens Advice or a local charity might be able to help you apply. The GOV.UK application page is for people living in England and Wales only, so the process and rules will differ if you live in Scotland or Northern Ireland.
What the council may charge you
If the council decides you are eligible for services that include home help, they do not automatically pay for it all. The NHS states that your local council may contribute to the cost of homecare, or you may have to pay for it yourself. Your contribution depends on your income and savings, which the council works out through a financial assessment.
This financial assessment is often called a means test. Citizens Advice explains that councils consider your:
- Regular household income
- Savings and investments
- Benefits
- Essential daily expenses
If the financial assessment shows you cannot afford to pay towards the service, the council might offer the help for free or at a reduced rate. Citizens Advice says the council must leave you with a protected amount of money to live on. This protected amount is known as the minimum income guarantee. Ask the council how your benefits, including PIP, are treated in the assessment.
Because the rules around care charges are complex, you should always speak to your local council's adult social care team or a benefits adviser at Citizens Advice or Age UK about your own situation. They can explain how a financial assessment works in your case.
Charities and local schemes for help with housework
When the council cannot help and private cleaning companies are too expensive, local charities are the next place to look. The NHS suggests contacting a charity such as the Royal Voluntary Service, the British Red Cross or your local Age UK for help with domestic tasks.
Age UK also suggests your local Age UK or the Royal Voluntary Service for help with housework. What each one offers differs, so ask them directly.
You should be aware that these charity services may not be free. The NHS notes that the service may not be free.
Availability can differ from place to place, so contact the charities directly to find out what is available near you and whether there is a charge.
If you pay a private cleaner yourself
If you decide to hire a private cleaner and pay them directly, there are a few things to understand first, including how the cleaning industry works and what your responsibilities are. You are letting a stranger into your home, so getting the arrangement right is important.
The first thing to check is employment status. A cleaner you hire directly may make you an employer, with legal duties that come with that. You can read more about checking a cleaner's employment status to make sure you stay on the right side of the rules. When you hire a private cleaner, you also need to agree on exactly what they will do. You should discuss what a regular cleaner does before their first visit, making sure you have a written task list so your expectations match.
Cleaner prices vary by area, so ask for quotes before you agree anything.
Where to get a benefits check
Before you start paying for a cleaner out of your current budget, it makes sense to check you are receiving all the financial help you are entitled to. A benefits check can show which benefits you may want to ask about. It cannot promise that you will qualify for any of them.
You can ask Citizens Advice or your local Age UK about a benefits check. Both can advise on your own situation, and your local council's adult social care team can explain the care route.
When you speak to an adviser, explain how your condition affects your daily life, including keeping your home clean. The adviser can explain how to go about a claim.
Age UK says savings do not matter for PIP, and the NHS says Attendance Allowance is not means tested. Care charges are different, because the council looks at income and savings. A benefits adviser can look at your whole picture.
Common questions
Can I get a council tax reduction if I receive PIP?
Council tax rules are outside what this guide covers, and it cannot say whether PIP affects your bill. Ask your local council or a benefits adviser at Citizens Advice or Age UK about your own situation.
Does getting a cleaner affect my disability benefits?
Age UK says you can spend PIP on whatever you need, and PIP is not means tested. It is not clear how paying for a cleaner might affect any benefit or council charge, so ask a benefits adviser or your council about your own situation.
Which benefits and routes are involved?
This table sets the options side by side. It does not say who will qualify for any of them.
|
Benefit or route |
Who it is for |
What to check |
|---|---|---|
|
Personal Independence Payment |
People with a long term condition or disability who find everyday tasks or getting around difficult |
Scotland uses Adult Disability Payment and Northern Ireland has its own route |
|
Attendance Allowance |
People at or above State Pension age who need help looking after themselves |
Scotland uses Pension Age Disability Payment |
|
Council care needs assessment |
Anyone who thinks they need help at home |
GOV.UK page covers England and Wales only |
|
Charities |
People needing help with housework |
The service may not be free |
Will social services pay for a deep clean?
Age UK says you might not get council help if you only need help with housework. Whether the council offers anything else depends on your needs assessment, so ask your adult social care team about your own situation.
Can my carer do the cleaning instead?
That depends on the help the council has agreed for you. GOV.UK says home care can include help with things like cleaning and shopping, so ask the adult social care team what is included in your own plan.
Next steps to get help
If you need help paying for a cleaner because of a health condition or disability, you should take a methodical approach to finding support. Follow these steps to get the right advice and arrange a safe service:
- Contact Citizens Advice or Age UK for a full benefits check to ask about Personal Independence Payment or Attendance Allowance.
- Ask your local council's adult social care team for a free health and social care needs assessment.
- If the council charges for services, ask how the minimum income guarantee applies to you.
- Check with local charities like the Royal Voluntary Service to see if they offer low-cost home help in your area.
- If you hire a private cleaner yourself, read the guide on employment status first, because you may become an employer.
- Agree on a written task list before the first clean so you know exactly what domestic tasks are covered.
Taking the time to understand your options and ask for an assessment is a sensible place to start. When you are ready to arrange the work and have your budget in place, you can find a house cleaner near you to get started.
Find a top rated house cleaner near you
2,880 house cleaners across the UK, each ranked on their Google rating and the number of reviews behind it. Start with your county:
