Council pest control officer jobs

Council pest control officers visit homes, council buildings, parks and sewers to treat rats, mice, wasps, bedbugs, cockroaches, fleas and other pests, and to advise people on keeping them away. Most councils train new starters to a recognised Level 2 qualification in pest management, so you can get in without one. Pay is set on each council’s grades built on the NJC pay spine, after a 3.3 per cent award from 1 April 2026, with the lowest point now £25,614 a year. Posts are usually in the environmental health or environmental services team.

Why councils employ pest control officers

Under the Prevention of Damage by Pests Act 1949, local authorities have a duty to keep their district free from rats and mice as far as practicable, and powers to require owners and occupiers to deal with infestations. That duty does not oblige a council to run a pest control service for residents, which is why provision varies so much.

Where a council does run one, officers typically handle:

• rats and mice in homes, gardens and businesses
• wasp nests
• bedbugs, cockroaches, fleas and other insects
• infestations in council housing, schools and offices
• sewer baiting in some areas, sometimes under contract with the water company
• surveys and advice for businesses that hold a contract with the council

Officers also work with environmental health officers on cases involving filthy and verminous premises, hoarding, food businesses and empty properties. These can involve legal notices, and the officer’s records may be used as evidence.

What the job involves

A typical day is a list of booked visits. At each one you inspect the property, identify the pest and how it got in, decide on a treatment, apply it safely and explain to the resident what happens next and what they need to do. Many treatments need follow-up visits.

The tools of the job include rodenticide baits, traps, insecticides, dusts and sprays, monitoring equipment and proofing materials such as mesh and filler. You will be up ladders for wasp nests, in lofts, under floors and in drains. Protective equipment, including respiratory protection for some treatments, is standard.

Poisons have to be placed where children, pets and wildlife cannot reach them. Rodenticides and insecticides have legal conditions of use printed on the label, and professional rodenticides are covered by a UK stewardship scheme that requires users to show they are competent. Using pesticides wrongly can be a criminal offence. You also need a working knowledge of wildlife law, because some animals that people call pests, such as bats and some birds, are protected.

Bedbug and cockroach work can mean multiple visits to the same block of flats. Residents may be embarrassed or distressed, and some cases involve vulnerable people who struggle to prepare their home for treatment. Officers often refer these on to social care or housing.

Qualifications and training

The standard entry qualification is a Level 2 Award in Pest Management, available through bodies including the Royal Society for Public Health (RSPH) and the British Pest Control Association (BPCA). Councils that recruit trainees normally pay for this. Other training you are likely to get includes:

• safe use and storage of pesticides, including COSHH
• the rodenticide stewardship competence requirement
• working at height and ladder safety
• confined spaces, if you work in sewers or drains
• manual handling and lone working

A full driving licence is close to essential, as you will drive a council van between jobs and carry equipment and chemicals. Councils will check your licence before appointing you.

Experience in another trade, in grounds maintenance or in a private pest control firm is useful but not required.

Pay on council grades

Councils in England, Wales and Northern Ireland pay pest control officers on local grades built on the NJC pay spine. As a hypothetical example, a grade on SCP 6 to SCP 10 would pay £26,847 to £28,608 full-time in 2026/27, and a senior or lead pest control officer on SCP 12 to SCP 17 would pay £29,542 to £32,046. Real grades vary, so check the advert. The NJC pay spine lists every point.

Council employees join the Local Government Pension Scheme. On £26,847 the main section contribution is 5.8 per cent, and from £29,001 it is 6.5 per cent. Green Book annual leave is at least 23 days plus eight public holidays and two extra days, rising to 26 days after five years.

Some councils offer a call-out or standby allowance where officers cover urgent jobs out of hours. Private pest control firms set their own pay, which must be at least the National Living Wage of £12.71 an hour for workers 21 and over; some pay bonuses linked to contracts or sales.

Working alone and staying safe

Pest control officers mostly work alone, in unfamiliar properties, sometimes with residents who are angry about the problem or the charge. Councils have lone working procedures that usually involve booking in and out and carrying a phone or alarm. The hazards specific to the job include bites and stings, needles in bins and drains, diseases carried by rats such as leptospirosis, and exposure to chemicals. Your employer has to assess these risks and give you training and equipment.

Applying and moving on

Pest control posts are advertised on council websites and regional job portals, often within environmental health or neighbourhood services. Expect interview questions on dealing with members of the public, safe handling of chemicals and how you would organise a day’s visits. Some councils combine pest control with dog warden or animal welfare work, covered in the dog warden guide.

From an officer post, some people move into supervisor or team leader roles, become environmental health technicians, or set up as self-employed technicians once they have experience and the right qualifications.