The wide-ranging protections provided by professional pest management in relation to public health, reducing the likelihood of disease outbreaks, foodborne illnesses and environmental contamination, have been set out in a new report focused on the industry.
Commissioned by the British Pest Control Association (BPCA), the No Small Matter report by Pragmatix Advisory found that the sector functions as a form of preventative 
public health intervention, helping to prevent disease while supporting hygiene and environmental safety.
It also highlighted that professional pest management contributes £1bn a year to the UK economy and provides direct cost savings of £1.9bn a year by protecting businesses, infrastructure and public services from disruption and loss, as well as supporting wellbeing and quality of life in people’s homes.
Rosina Robson is the Chief Executive of BPCA. She said: “The No Small Matter report was commissioned to give an independent view of the pest control sector and highlight the role pest professionals play in protecting public health.
“The report confirmed what is already widely accepted within the industry, which is that professional pest management is vital to limiting public health risks and protecting essential infrastructure such as hospitals, schools and transport networks.
“As we’ve seen in recent weeks with the outbreak of Hantavirus aboard a cruise ship, pest-borne pathogens can have a devastating impact and cause global disruption.
“Thousands of businesses and public services rely on pest management to operate safely and legally, while almost every aspect of daily life, from preparing food at home to travelling on public transport depends on environments being protected from pests.”
Common urban and rural pests such as rodents, cockroaches, flies and birds can act as vectors for disease.
Pest management helps interrupt pathways through which pathogens spread, limiting the scale of outbreaks and protecting vulnerable groups such as children, older people and those with compromised health.
The former chair of the national Food Hygiene Focus Group, who helped support delivery of the Renters Rights Bill as part of Operation Jigsaw in 2024, Ian Andrews is Head of Environmental Health at the Chartered Institute of Environmental Health.
He said: “This report highlights the critical role pest management plays in protecting public health and keeping essential services running.
“The environmental health profession sees first-hand the consequences of pest infestations, particularly in domestic settings, food settings and vulnerable communities, where the risks to health and wellbeing can be significant.
“While pest control is vital, investing in prevention is key to reducing harm and avoiding the wider social and economic costs identified in this report.”
Niall Gallagher is Technical Manager at BPCA. He said: “If pest control stopped tomorrow, pest issues wouldn’t just rise, they would escalate rapidly.
“Currently, pest professionals are undertaking prevention work across homes, businesses and key spaces such as schools and hospitals as part of the wider public health infrastructure, rather than simply responding once harm has already occurred.
“They are actively helping to prevent disease and support environmental safety, from supporting food businesses in maintaining hygiene standards, to managing wildlife hazards, including bird strike risks at air sites and helipads.
“And, where an infestation has taken hold, pest professionals such as BPCA members have the skills, knowledge and experience to tackle the problem safely and effectively.”
BPCA member businesses are endorsed by the Government via the TrustMark quality scheme as they must carry the correct insurances and are trained and qualified technicians who are assessed to the British Standard in pest management EN 16636 and follow BPCA’s codes of best practice.