Council Bulky Waste Collection in Nottingham — Cost, Booking & the Faster Alternative
Got a sofa, mattress, wardrobe or old appliance to get rid of? Your local council will collect it from the kerbside for a fee — but which council, what it costs, and how long you wait all depend on where in Nottingham you live. This guide covers what each local council charges for bulky waste collection, how to book, when it's free, and when it's quicker to pay a private crew instead.
The short version: in Nottingham City a bulky collection is around £26 for up to six items, booked online, with free collections due back in autumn 2026. The surrounding boroughs — Gedling, Broxtowe, Rushcliffe, Ashfield, Erewash — run their own schemes at their own prices, usually charged per item. All are cheaper than a private collection but slower: you book a slot, leave the items kerbside, and the crew won't come inside or carry anything downstairs. If the item's heavy, it's upstairs, or you want it gone this week, a licensed man-and-van is the faster route.
How much does Nottingham City Council charge to collect bulky waste?
If you live in the city — Bulwell, Lenton, Sneinton, Bilborough, the centre — your collections are run by Nottingham City Council. At the time of writing they charge roughly:
- ~£26 for up to six household items — bed frames, wardrobes, tables, drawers and similar.
- A separate ~£26 for up to six upholstered (POPs) items — sofas, armchairs, footstools. These are collected on a different vehicle because upholstered furniture can't go to landfill and must be handled separately.
- Electrical items priced separately — around £12.50 for the first and £7.50 for each one after.
Prices change, so check the council's page before you book. You pay online, pick from the next available dates, and put the items out kerbside on the morning of collection.
Is bulky waste collection free in Nottingham?
Sometimes — and it's about to get better. Nottingham City Council has confirmed it's reintroducing free bulky waste collections — two per household per year for items like furniture, white goods and mattresses, expected to launch in autumn 2026. If you can wait, check whether the free scheme is live before you pay. And if you're on Council Tax Support, you're already entitled to one free collection every 12 months (electrical items aren't included). Outside those schemes, expect the standard ~£26 fee.
How to book a council bulky collection
Wherever you are in the Nottingham area, the process is much the same:
- Find your council (see the map below if you're not sure which one covers you).
- List the items on the council's online bulky waste form.
- Pay the fee and choose from the available collection dates.
- Put the items kerbside and accessible by around 6.30am on collection day.
Crews collect from the kerbside only — they won't come inside, and they won't carry items down from a flat or an upstairs room. That last point is the single biggest reason people end up choosing a man-and-van instead.
What the council will and won't take
Council bulky collections handle household furniture, mattresses, white goods and general large items. They won't take business or trade waste, builders' rubble and DIY waste, or anything hazardous (paint, chemicals, gas bottles, asbestos). Upholstered items go separately under the POPs rules, and electricals are usually priced and handled on their own. If your load is a mix of these, a licensed carrier who takes the lot in one visit is usually simpler.
Live outside the city? Your council and what it charges
Greater Nottingham is split across several councils, and bulky collections are run by your district or borough council — not by "Nottingham" as a whole. (Recycling centres are separate again: those are run by Nottinghamshire County Council.) Here's who covers where, and what they charge:
| Area | Council | Typical bulky cost |
|---|---|---|
| City (Bulwell, Lenton, Bilborough, centre) | Nottingham City Council | ~£26 for up to 6 items (see above) |
| Arnold, Carlton | Gedling Borough Council | £26 for 1 item, £13 each for 2–3, £8 each for 4–9 |
| Beeston, Stapleford | Broxtowe Borough Council | Per-item scheme, booked online — fee shown at booking |
| West Bridgford | Rushcliffe Borough Council | £25.80 first item, £12.80 each extra (white goods priced separately) |
| Hucknall | Ashfield District Council | 1 free collection a year (up to 3 items), then £16 for 1 / £22 for 3, £9 each extra |
| Long Eaton | Erewash Borough Council | £33 for up to 5 items, £7 each extra (sofas/foam items £24 for 3) |
Not sure which council you're in? Check your postcode on the GOV.UK find your local council tool. Whichever it is, the pattern is the same — cheaper than private collection, but you wait for a slot and leave everything kerbside.
When to wait for the council — and when to pay a man-and-van
The council route is the cheapest way to shift a bulky item if two things are true: you can get it to the kerb yourself, and you're not in a hurry. Where it falls down is speed and access. Slots can be a week or two out, you can't pick a time, and crews won't set foot inside — so a sofa stuck in an upstairs flat, or a fridge you can't move alone, isn't really a council job.
That's the gap a man-and-van collection fills. A licensed crew comes to you, carries the item out from wherever it is, loads it, and disposes of it properly — usually same or next day. It costs more than the council fee, but for anything heavy, upstairs, awkward, or urgent, it's often the better-value choice once you factor in the wait and the lifting.
| Council collection | Licensed man-and-van | |
|---|---|---|
| Cost | Cheapest (~£26, or free schemes) | From around £60 per item |
| Speed | Often 1–2 week wait | Often same or next day |
| Access | Kerbside only, by ~6.30am | Carried out from inside, any floor |
| Lifting | You get it to the kerb | Crew does all the lifting |
| Mixed / awkward loads | Restricted, priced separately | Taken in one visit |
Don't want to wait for a council slot?
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Get free quotes →Frequently asked questions
Nottingham City Council collects upholstered items like sofas for around £26 for up to six POPs items, booked online and left kerbside. Surrounding boroughs charge per item on their own scales. A licensed man-and-van typically starts from around £60 but carries the sofa out from inside your home and comes much sooner.
Nottingham City Council is reintroducing free bulky waste collections — two per household per year — expected from autumn 2026, and residents on Council Tax Support already get one free collection a year. Outside those schemes, a council collection costs a fee, typically around £26.
Book online through your local council — Nottingham City, Gedling, Broxtowe, Rushcliffe, Ashfield or Erewash depending on where you live. You list the items, pay the fee, choose a date, and leave them kerbside on the morning of collection.
No. Council crews collect from the kerbside only — items must be out and accessible by around 6.30am, and crews won't enter your home or carry anything down from a flat or upstairs. A man-and-van crew does the carrying and lifting for you.
Nottingham City Council covers the city; Gedling covers Arnold and Carlton; Broxtowe covers Beeston and Stapleford; Rushcliffe covers West Bridgford; Ashfield covers Hucknall; and Erewash covers Long Eaton. Recycling centres are run separately by Nottinghamshire County Council.
Council slots are often a week or two out, and you can't usually pick a precise time. A licensed man-and-van can frequently collect the same or next day, which is the main reason people pay a bit more for one.