Generous Brits are planning to hand out £461m in tips to service providers including delivery drivers, cleaners, window cleaners, postal workers, and refuse collectors this Christmas.

Research by Direct Line for Business found that cleaners are set for the biggest individual windfalls, with an average £12 tip this Christmas.

Households also plan to tip refuse collectors an average of £8.18 and newspaper deliverers a typical £7.83. Online delivery drivers, at an average tip of £6.74, are set to earn the least amount in bonuses this Christmas.

Those in the 25 to 34-years old age range seem to be the most generous, estimating they will give £17.77 as a bonus while those over 65 expect to tip £7.74.

According to Direct Line, Brits have long relationships with their cleaners, which likely explains why they are set to receive the highest value tips this Christmas. The average length of time people have employed a cleaner for is just over three years, although one in nine (11 per cent) have had a working relationship with their cleaner for more than 10 years.

Nandita Borkakoti, business manager for tradesperson at Direct Line for Business, said: “Our research shows just how much we value those who help us at home, whether it’s by cleaning our property, collecting our rubbish or delivering our mail. Christmas is a time of generosity and it’s great to see how many of us plan to extend that goodwill to our domestic service providers as well as our friends and family.”

The Christmas bonus bonanza for the domestic service sector is a consequence of how many people use these services. Across the country, about four million people pay for cleaners to help in their home, while about 11 million pay for window cleaners. This demand is reflected in the importance of the cleaning industry to the UK economy, valued at £50bn and employing more than 900,000 people.

Direct Line for Business found that cleaners are employed on a near weekly basis, visiting homes an average of 46 times a year, compared to window cleaners’ 17 times.

Brits estimate they spend around £17 on the average visit from a cleaner, compared to £14 for a visit from a window cleaner.