Pest control call-outs to UK homes surged last year due to increased bedbug and rodent infestations, according to new data.
Local authorities responded to 291,132 residential pest control requests, a 3 per cent increase compared to the previous year and a notable nine per cent rise from 2022 figures.
Freedom of Information requests submitted by Direct Line home insurance revealed councils tackled an average of 52 additional rat or mouse-related incidents daily in 2024 compared to 2022. This surge in rodent activity underscores a growing pest control challenge for homeowners.
The data also highlighted a significant increase in other pest infestations. Bedbug infestations saw a dramatic 35 per cent jump between 2022 and 2024, while cockroach removal visits rose by 13 per cent over the same period. These figures paint a picture of escalating pest problems across the UK.
Significant regional variations were also observed. East Suffolk Council reported the most dramatic rise in rat and mouse-related call-outs, with a staggering 325 per cent increase compared to the previous year.
Eastleigh Borough Council in Hampshire followed with a substantial 134 per cent rise.
The analysis exposed a stark disparity in the availability of free pest control services. Only a small fraction, just five per cent, of councils responding to the information requests offered free rat and mice removal services to residents, highlighting a postcode lottery in pest control provision.
This raises concerns about equitable access to essential pest control services across the country.
The majority require residents to pay a fee ranging from £10 to £283.
Some 24 per cent of councils do not offer a pest control service, or have discontinued them, leaving residents in those areas forced to seek alternative solutions.
The average cost to a council of providing pest control services is more than £125,000, according to the study.
Maria Lawrence, from Direct Line, said: “Infestations can not only cause huge damage to people’s homes, they also pose a huge health hazard.
“Householders should take precautions to avoid attracting pests and needing to bring in the council’s version of the Pied Piper of Hamelin by storing rubbish in securely closed containers rather than plastic bags that provide easy access to rats and other pests.”
Niall Gallagher, technical and compliance manager at the British Pest Control Association, said: “The statistics show a significant uptick in call-outs, so it is increasingly important for residents to consider calling a professional at the first sign of pest activity.
“Rats and mice are a public health concern and have rapid breeding cycles, which means an infestation can quickly escalate.
“Bedbug infestations are tricky to deal with and horribly distressing for those that have to live alongside them, meaning a pest professional should always deal with them.”
