How Much Is Scrap Aluminium Worth in the UK? A Guide to Aluminium Scrap Prices

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Aluminium is one of the most commonly sold scrap metals — but the price you're quoted can vary hugely depending on grade, and it's easy to underprice a load if you don't know what you're actually holding.

Why aluminium prices move

Aluminium scrap is priced against the London Metal Exchange (LME), the same benchmark used for copper, and moves with global supply and demand — particularly from packaging, automotive and construction. Unlike copper, aluminium prices tend to be more sensitive to how much clean scrap is currently on the market, since supply can shift quickly.

Aluminium grades explained

• Clean extrusion (window frames, door frames, clean profile) — top of the range, minimal contamination
• Cast aluminium (engine blocks, wheels, cookware) — lower value due to alloy content
• Painted or coated aluminium (cladding, guttering) — discounted for the extra processing needed
• Mixed/turnings (swarf, machining waste) — lowest value, often needs separating from oil or other metals

What affects the price you're actually offered

• How well grades are separated before sale
• Load volume
• Local buyer demand
• Whether the material is loose or palletised

How to make sure you're getting a fair price

Sort by grade before you sell wherever possible — a single mixed load priced conservatively across the board almost always nets less than the same material split into clean vs mixed. Getting more than one quote is the other lever that matters most, since aluminium pricing varies noticeably yard to yard.

Sell your aluminium with confidence

List your aluminium on ScrapBays and let verified buyers bid on it directly, so you're getting a competitive price reflecting today's demand rather than a single yard's opening offer. Sell on ScrapBays →