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London disposal reference

London bulky waste costs and disposal sites

Check your council’s collection price, find any free allowance, or compare paid places to take a load yourself. All 32 boroughs and the City of London, with the conditions that change the bill.

Prepared by East London Man With A Van

Research checked on 21 October 2026. Council collection fees below are for household waste. Business, landlord and building waste can use different services and prices. Booking availability and the provider’s final quote take priority.

London authorities compared
33
Selected paid disposal locations
12
Private operator locations included
7

Three details that can change your decision

£49 → £74

A sofa changes Sutton’s collection band

The ordinary 1 to 3 item band is £49. If the booking contains upholstered domestic seating, the published band is £74. Compare the actual waste type before choosing a service.

Photo examples: what counts as a bulky item?

These photographs show upholstered seating and a mattress. Item descriptions affect collection prices and allowances. Follow your council’s booking and collection instructions.

A blue upholstered sofa and matching armchair beside a London pavement.

A sofa can change the collection price

Discarded sofa and armchair in Windsor Road, Tottenham. Upholstered seating can need a separate waste stream and a different collection band.

Sutton lists £49 for one to three ordinary items, rising to £74 if the booking includes upholstered domestic seating. Tell the council or disposal operator that the load contains a sofa. Do not assume the ordinary furniture tariff applies.

Check Sutton’s seating tariff

Photo: Sofa & Armchair by Alan Stanton · CC BY SA 2.0 · Resized and converted to WebP.

A discarded mattress beside a wooden fence in Coventry.

A bed and mattress can count separately

A discarded mattress in Coventry. A mattress and bed frame can count as separate items when booking a collection.

Brent counts a bed frame and mattress as two items. Other councils use their own rules for bases, headboards and furniture sets. List each component when booking instead of assuming that a complete bed is one item.

Check Brent’s item counting rules

Photo: Rubbish computer / Wikimedia Commons · CC BY SA 4.0 · Resized and converted to WebP.

What does each London council charge?

Search for your council or filter by the kind of help available. Paid bands stay visible alongside free allowances, because a free booking can run out. A price marked for confirmation is not a verified current booking quote.

33 councils shown

Published household collection fees, allowances and exceptions. Prices cover different item quantities and are not a like for like ranking.
Council and sourcesPublished chargeFree allowance or concessionWhat changes the bill
Barking and DagenhamPublished termsCouncil or appointed operator sourceAdditional official sourceChecked Free standard collection of up to 4 itemsThe current council cost page says a standard collection is free. No annual booking cap is stated.The council describes the free service as a pilot. Check availability and current terms before booking. Its cost page directs residents with more than four items to Frizlands Lane Reuse and Recycling Centre.
BarnetPublished termsCouncil or appointed operator sourceChecked £46.71 for 1 to 3 itemsNo general free allowance identified in the source.Higher bands apply for 4 to 10 items. More than 10 requires a quote. This is the resident service; business collections are separate.
BexleyPublished termsCouncil or appointed operator sourceChecked From £50; final fee depends on size and numberPension recipients can have more items collected for the same price. Confirm the item allowance when booking.Saturday collections start at £67.50 on the live pricing page. Household waste only. Items must be outside and accessible.
BrentPublished termsCouncil or appointed operator sourceChecked £55 for up to 5 itemsOne free collection each April to March year for residents receiving Council Tax benefit or the guaranteed rate of Pension Credit, subject to approval.A bed frame and mattress count as two items. Mattresses and fridges have separate quantity limits. Landlords can book a paid collection; commercial waste is excluded.
BromleyPublished termsCouncil or appointed operator sourceAdditional official sourceChecked £43 minimum; individual item tariffs applyUniversal Credit or Housing Benefit recipients can receive one collection credit of up to £43 in 12 months. Pay any excess.This is a minimum bill, not a bundle of a fixed number of items. For example, a three piece upholstered suite is listed at £61.76.
CamdenPublished termsCouncil or appointed operator sourceChecked £25 for 1 to 5 itemsResidents over 65 or receiving 100% Council Tax Support may qualify for two free collections each year.6 to 10 items cost £50; 11 to 15 cost £75. Large electrical items are separate at £10 for up to two. A separate free NLWA electrical service is also linked by the council.
City of LondonPublished termsCouncil or appointed operator sourceChecked £42.50 for up to 3 items or 10 standard bagsCollections from specific ground floor collection points on City estates are free. Ask the estate office.4 to 6 items cost £85. Eligibility is for residents of the Square Mile. City estate arrangements are not a general allowance for every resident.
CroydonPublished termsCouncil or appointed operator sourceChecked £40.40 for 1 to 3 itemsNo general free allowance identified in the source.4 to 6 items cost £65.30. Upholstered items and other waste can require two visits on the same day. The source does not state an extra fee simply for the second visit.
EalingPublished termsCouncil or appointed operator sourceChecked £30 for up to 6 itemsThe service page says no discounts are available.More than six items requires a quote. A bed base and mattress count separately. Items must be at the front boundary at pavement level. Collection restrictions apply on red routes.
EnfieldPublished termsCouncil or appointed operator sourceChecked Free standard collection of up to 6 eligible itemsFree standard non electrical collection. The source does not specify an annual booking cap.Choosing the collection day costs £22. Council electrical collections cost £54 for one, £60 for two or £66 for three items. A separate free NLWA electrical route is available.
GreenwichPublished termsCouncil or appointed operator sourceChecked £13.82 per itemCouncil tenants already pay for the service through their service charge.Sets such as a sofa set or table and chairs count as one item. Bagged material costs £4.19 per bag, with a £16.76 minimum for four bags and a maximum of five bags per collection. Business waste is excluded.
HackneyPublished termsCouncil or appointed operator sourceChecked £24 for 1 to 5 itemsCouncil Tax Reduction recipients can get four discounted collections in 12 months. Council Tax exemption and some estate service charges can qualify for free collections.6 to 10 items cost £48. Mixing soft furnishings with other items requires two charged bookings. Discounted bands shown are £11.50 and £23. Check estate eligibility rather than assuming all Hackney residents receive free collections.
Hammersmith and FulhamPublished termsCouncil or appointed operator sourceChecked £51 for up to 3 itemsNo general free allowance verified. Council tenants with a caretaking service should contact their caretaker about separate arrangements.The published 2026/27 tariff adds £10 per extra item and lists £84 per broken down shed. A mattress, bed base and headboard count as three items. Private blocks should check whether their property charges already include collection.
HaringeyPublished termsCouncil or appointed operator sourceChecked £20 for up to 4 itemsSome housing estates have designated bulky waste stores. Ask your housing team about your own estate.The council contractor lists £10 per additional item, up to 10 items per booking. Business and charity waste are excluded. Estate stores do not create a free allowance for all residents.
HarrowPublished termsCouncil or appointed operator sourceChecked After the free allowance: £59.70 for 1 to 4 itemsOne free collection of up to four items every 12 months.Adding up to four more items to the free booking costs £28.45. Separate paid bookings cost £87.70 for 5 to 8 items or £115.70 for 9 to 12. A missed presentation can use up the free allowance.
HaveringPublished termsCouncil or appointed operator sourceChecked £71.50 for 1 to 3 itemsNo general free allowance identified in the source.Each extra item costs £18.50. Items generally must be no longer or taller than 6 feet. Commercial collections are excluded. Upholstered items are handled separately.
HillingdonPublished termsCouncil or appointed operator sourceChecked £53 for up to 6 items£39 for residents over 65.The council homepage currently redirects to the official host used by this service page. Landlords pay £94. Only one collection slot can be booked per day, with a maximum of six items.
HounslowConfirm current tariffCouncil or appointed operator sourceAdditional official sourceChecked Service page: £41 for up to 5 items. Proposed 2026/27 schedule: £43.50.Council Tax Reduction recipients qualify for a discounted rate. The two sources also disagree on that rate.The live service page shows £41 plus £8.20 per extra item. The 2026/27 fee appendix proposes £43.50 plus £9.50. Booking is by phone only: call 020 8583 5555 and select option 1 to confirm the applicable tariff. No general free allowance is established.
IslingtonPublished termsCouncil or appointed operator sourceChecked £32.46 minimum for up to 3 itemsHousing Benefit or Council Tax Support recipients get 50% off. Council managed estates have designated collection points without a separate collection charge.The tariff is £10.82 per item, subject to the minimum, with a maximum of 10. The cheaper furniture reuse service is a separate service and is not the general disposal rate.
Kensington and ChelseaPublished termsCouncil or appointed operator sourceChecked £44 for up to 10 itemsResidents receiving Housing Benefit or Council Tax Support may qualify for a free collection.Commercial waste and landlord or agent collections are excluded. Elderly or disabled residents who cannot move items outside can ask about an internal collection, subject to assessment.
Kingston upon ThamesPublished termsCouncil or appointed operator sourceChecked £48 for 1 to 4 itemsNo general free allowance identified in the source.5 to 8 items cost £73. Leave items outside at the front boundary or agreed external bin area by 6.30am. Check the accepted item list before booking.
LambethPublished termsCouncil or appointed operator sourceAdditional official sourceChecked £36 for up to 3 itemsResidents on council housing estates have a separate free estate collection route.Up to 6 items cost £70; up to 10 cost £116. Estate residents should use their estate arrangements. A reuse collection is a separate option for suitable furniture.
LewishamPublished termsCouncil or appointed operator sourceChecked £5 per ordinary bulky item or mattressTenants and leaseholders in council homes can use designated points on most estates. Those points are only for the relevant estate residents.A fridge or freezer is £25, with American style and double door units excluded. Staff do not collect from indoors. These are individual item fees rather than a fixed collection bundle.
MertonPublished termsCouncil or appointed operator sourceChecked After the free allowance: £39.75 for up to 3 itemsOne free collection of up to three items every 12 months.A booking for 4 to 6 items costs £66 at any time. The free three item allowance cannot simply be subtracted from that bill. Upholstered and other items can be collected in stages.
NewhamPublished termsCouncil or appointed operator sourceChecked After the free allowance: £30 for up to 6 itemsThree free collections per household each year, with up to six items per collection.Household waste only. Landlords and managing agents pay £30 plus £12 per item. The public instructions do not specify the annual reset date, so check remaining eligibility when booking.
RedbridgePublished termsCouncil or appointed operator sourceChecked After the free allowance: £15.20 per itemOne free collection of up to three items in a rolling 12 month period.Paid collections have a maximum of three items per booking. Business waste and construction material are excluded. Check the council item list and presentation rules.
Richmond upon ThamesPublished termsCouncil or appointed operator sourceChecked £85 for up to 5 itemsEligible residents on a low income receive two free collections per rolling year. Residents over 60 pay £29 for up to five items, limited to five discounted collections.The 2026/27 tariff adds £9.90 per extra item at full price. Fridges and freezers use a separate booking process and are not included in this standard comparison.
SouthwarkPublished termsCouncil or appointed operator sourceChecked £37 for up to 10 itemsThe council explicitly says no discounts or concessions are available.Items must be at the agreed collection location by 6am. The fee is not refunded if you cancel. Reuse and resident recycling centre options are separate from this collection tariff.
SuttonPublished termsCouncil or appointed operator sourceChecked £49 for 1 to 3 ordinary itemsNo general free allowance identified in the source.Any upholstered domestic seating changes the band to £74 for 1 to 3 items. For 4 to 6 items, ordinary waste is £81.80 and the seating band is £122.70. Use the correct band for a sofa.
Tower HamletsPublished termsCouncil or appointed operator sourceChecked Two free bookings; further collections require a quoteTwo free household collections each year, with up to five items per collection.You must live at the property when booking and when the collection takes place. A third or later collection is arranged at your own cost through the council. No fixed additional collection tariff is published on the source page.
Waltham ForestPublished termsCouncil or appointed operator sourceAdditional official sourceChecked Free standard collection of up to 5 eligible itemsThe standard non electrical service is free. No annual booking cap is stated in the source.An express collection costs extra. Electrical items use separate services: the paid council route starts at £28, while a free AnyJunk and NLWA route accepts up to four eligible appliances, subject to availability.
WandsworthPublished termsCouncil or appointed operator sourceChecked £24.90 for up to 4 itemsThe live booking page says free bulky waste collections have ended.Each extra item costs £11.10. Older pages describing two free annual collections are no longer the live booking terms. Landlords pay a separate tariff starting at £106.70 for 1 to 4 items.
WestminsterPublished termsCouncil or appointed operator sourceChecked £36 for up to 6 itemsHousing Benefit or Council Tax Support recipients can receive one free collection of up to six items every 90 days.Each extra item costs £6.40. Items must be safe for two people to lift. Assisted collections are available for residents physically unable to put items outside.

A small load can still trigger the minimum bill

For mixed general trade waste, the published minimums are £46 at Townmead Road, £47 at Space Waye and £57 at Abbey Road. These are disposal charges for an accepted load, not collection prices. Vehicle rules, waste type and tax treatment differ.

Townmead states its charges are VAT exempt. VAT was not explicit in the other two service pages. Space Waye also lists a £13 vehicle weighing charge; confirm whether it is added to the disposal bill. No unverified total is calculated here.

What should you check before booking or driving to a tip?

Could someone reuse it?

Good furniture may be suitable for sale, donation or a charity collection. Agree acceptance first. Broken, wet or unsafe items do not become reusable just because they are offered for free.

Whose waste is it?

A household allowance belongs to eligible residents. Shop, office, contractor and landlord clearances may need a commercial service, even when the items look like household furniture.

Will they accept the vehicle and the load?

Give the operator the van size, waste types and approximate weight. Check the minimum bill, VAT, account or permit requirements, booking, protective equipment and unloading arrangements.

Is upholstered seating in the load?

Sofas and other waste upholstered seating can require separate handling because of persistent organic pollutants, often called POPs. Ask about the correct stream and charge. Do not assume every furniture item has the same classification.

Who carries and records the waste?

If you pay someone to take waste away, check their Environment Agency registration and disposal destination. For a private tip, check its waste permit or registered exemption. Business waste needs the appropriate transfer documentation. A household booking is not permission for a commercial carrier to use a free resident route.

How this comparison was researched

Primary sources, with dates and caveats

We checked council service pages, appointed contractor pages, official fee schedules and operator location pages on 21 October 2026. Every entry links to its sources. Some sites restrict automated access, so official search extracts were also used. This is desk research, not a telephone confirmation or a test booking.

No invented average or cheapest council claim

A £5 individual item tariff, a minimum bill and a ten item bundle are different products. We preserve those units rather than dividing every bundle into a misleading price per item. Electricals, upholstered seating, large items and extra visits can change the charge.

Free has conditions

General household allowances are separate from benefits, age and estate schemes. An annual cap is only stated where the source provides one. No cap stated does not mean unlimited use. No allowance identified means we did not find one in the linked material, not that no assistance can exist.

Unresolved and conflicting information stays visible

Fresh service page checks resolved Barking and Dagenham, Greenwich, Hammersmith and Fulham, and Hillingdon. Barking and Dagenham still describes its free service as a pilot. Hounslow remains flagged: its live service page charges £41 for up to five items, while the proposed 2026/27 fee appendix lists £43.50. We do not treat the proposal as a confirmed booking quote. Call the council before relying on either figure.

Disposal prices need a gate check

Published trade rates are recorded with their minimum bill and stated tax treatment. A missing price means quote required, never zero. Private sites are included because they advertise tipping, not because they have paid for a listing. We have not confirmed every waste stream or walk in access at each site.

Download or cite the comparison

Writers, local businesses, housing teams and community groups can reuse our comparison and link to the relevant council or site entry. The downloads include the caveats, checked date and source URLs.

Download council comparison CSVDownload disposal sites CSV

Suggested citation

Use the checked date when quoting a fee. Link to the individual council or site anchor for a specific claim.

East London Man With A Van, London bulky waste costs and disposal sites. Research checked 21 October 2026. https://eastlondonmanwithavan.com/london-bulky-waste-costs

Our original comparison wording and data arrangement are available under CC BY 4.0. Photographs, council material and operator material retain their own licences and rights. CC BY 4.0

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