The "what do I charge?" question stalls more drivers than any pothole. Price too high and you lose the job; too low and you've worked all day for diesel money. Here's a straight guide for 2026.

The hourly rate

Most UK man and van drivers charge somewhere between £30 and £45 an hour for a solo job, more in and around London. That's for you and the van. Add a second pair of hands and you're looking at another £15–£20 an hour on top.

Don't forget the call-out floor

Never quote a tiny job on hours alone. A twenty-minute run still ties up your morning, so set a minimum — a call-out charge of around £40–£50 — that every job has to clear. Small jobs are where drivers quietly lose money.

Charge for the drive back

This is the big one people miss. If you drive 15 miles to a job, you also drive 15 miles home empty. Charge for both legs — the van's still running, the diesel's still burning. A per-mile rate of around £1 a mile, counted both ways, keeps longer jobs worth doing.

The extras that add up

• Stairs with no lift — a surcharge per floor, say £10, because it doubles the effort.
• Weekends and evenings — a 10–15% premium is normal and fair.
• Waiting time — if they're not packed when you arrive, the meter runs.
• Heavy or awkward items — pianos, wardrobes, gym kit. Price them properly.

Give the number fast

The best rate in the world loses to the driver who replied first. Work your prices out once, then quote in seconds instead of "getting back to them". A quote tool that adds up hours, miles and extras for you means you can fire back a firm price on the roadside — which is usually what wins the job.

A quick rate card to start from

If you want a sensible starting point to adjust from, this is roughly where most UK man and van drivers sit in 2026:

• Van + driver: £30–£45 an hour (higher in and around London)
• Second person: +£15–£20 an hour
• Mileage: around £1 a mile, counted both ways
• Call-out minimum: £40–£50
• Stairs (no lift): +£10 per floor
• Weekend / evening: +10–15%

These aren't rules — they're a floor to build on. Adjust for your area, your van and how busy you are.

Two worked examples

A single item across town — say a sofa, 1 hour, 8 miles. Labour at £35 = £35, mileage at £1 both ways (16 miles) = £16. That's £51 — comfortably over your call-out floor, so £50–£55 is a fair quote.

A studio-flat move — 2 hours, 6 miles, one flight of stairs. Labour £70, mileage £12, stairs £10 = around £92. Round to £90–£95.

Do this maths once by hand and you'll see the pattern; after that, a calculator does it in seconds so you can quote on the roadside.

When to charge more (and when not to)

Charge more for: short-notice jobs, tricky access, fragile or very heavy items, and anything on a Sunday. Don't race to the bottom to win a price-shopper — a customer who only cares about being cheapest will haggle, cancel, and never refer you. The customers worth having care that you turn up, handle their things carefully, and don't spring surprises.

Charge what your time's worth. The customer who only wants the cheapest driver was never going to be a good customer anyway.