Usually yes, typically with a surcharge — and it's not the same rule that applies to sofas.
Last reviewed: October 2026 · Reviewed by the Skip Hire Calculator team
Most UK skip hire suppliers will accept a mattress, but often charge an extra fee per mattress, and some refuse them outright, so check your supplier's terms. This is a supplier policy rather than a specific legal ban — mattresses are not covered by the upholstered-seating landfill ban explained below.
Mattresses are bulky, don't compact, and contain a mix of materials — foam, fabric, and metal springs — that need to be separated for proper recycling. That handling cost is usually what the surcharge covers, not a regulatory requirement.
Since January 2023, upholstered domestic seating — sofas, armchairs, dining chairs, footstools and similar — has been legally banned from landfill in the UK and must be incinerated, due to Persistent Organic Pollutants (POPs) found in the foam and fabric. This specific ban does not cover mattresses, which is a common point of confusion. See our guide to sofas and upholstered furniture for that rule.
If a mattress is the only thing you need to get rid of, a full skip usually isn't worth it. Many councils offer a bulky waste collection service, and some retailers will take your old mattress away when delivering a new one.
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