Guide
BNG assessment cost: what UK ecologists publish, and what it covers
Updated
A BNG assessment costs a median of £492 across the 6 UK ecology consultancies that print a price on their own page, with a spread of £295 to £589, read in October 2026. 37 of the 43 we read quote after seeing the site, because the price follows the habitats and the size of the plot.
The published prices
| Consultancy | What it publishes | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Talk-Ecology | PEA and BNG | from £295 |
| ACP Consultants | straightforward BNG survey | from £399 + VAT |
| Arbtech | biodiversity net gain plan | from £489 |
| Joe's Blooms | BNG metric, standard application | £495, up to £995 for complex sites |
| Aware Ecology | BNG surveys | from £499 + VAT |
| Biodiversity Net Gain Plan | rapid assessments and net gain plans | from £589 + VAT |
Sources: Talk-Ecology, ACP Consultants, Arbtech, Joe’s Blooms, Aware Ecology and Biodiversity Net Gain Plan, each on its own page (every row, with its source).
What moves the price
- Site size and habitats
- The baseline is a habitat survey of everything inside the red line, so a larger or more varied site takes longer to survey and score.
- Which metric
- GOV.UK publishes the statutory biodiversity metric and a simplified small sites metric (the metric tools and guides); the simpler tool is quicker to complete.
- How far the job goes
- A baseline score is the first step; a biodiversity gain plan, a habitat management and monitoring plan or buying off-site units each add work.
- The 30-year commitment
- Habitat counted towards the gain must be maintained for at least 30 years (Environment Act 2021), so management plans are written for that period.
What to ask before you book
- Is the habitat survey included, or does the price assume you already have one?
- Which metric will be used, and does the price include the biodiversity gain plan?
- What happens to the price if the site cannot reach 10% on site?
Published figures are what each consultancy advertises on its own page, read through our fetch box on the date shown. A 'from' price is the firm's floor, not the price of your assessment.