Instrument hire, care and purchasing

In this section

• Instrument hire charges
• Collecting or returning instruments
• Recommended instrument purchases for entry level
• Instrument care
• Assisted Instrument Purchase Scheme

Instrument hire - 2024/25 termly fees - from September 2024 

Concessionary rates are available if:

• you receive Universal Credit and your household income from employment is less than £617 per month
• you meet any other criteria for your child to receive free school meals, ie you receive income support, income based jobseeker's allowance, or if you receive child tax credit with an income below £16,190 (but do not receive working tax credit)
• you can provide evidence of the above.

Read the full  Hillingdon Music Service instrument hire terms and conditions (PDF, 146 KB)

Collecting or returning instruments

Please note: We will be closed on Friday 20 December at 5pm until Monday 6 January for the winter break.
Starting in January, we will be open on Mondays, Tuesdays, and Wednesdays from 1pm to 5pm, excluding bank holidays. We will no longer be open on Fridays.

With the exception of recorders, guitars, keyboards and drum kits, if you are having lessons with the service, you can hire an instrument from us.

Some instruments are only available for the first 2 years of tuition. When string players progress to a full-size instrument, they are expected to purchase their own.

Instruments can be collected from and returned to the Civic Centre, High Street, Uxbridge, UB8 1UW. 

All timing and available dates are visible on the collection and return forms. Please give at least 48 hours' notice, so that our staff can prepare your instrument for collection.

Arrange collection of an instrument

Arrange return of an instrument

Please note: Parking is not available at the Civic Centre; however, the Civic Centre is easily accessible by public transport and parking is available in Uxbridge town centre.

Recommended instrument purchases for entry level

To fully benefit from music lessons, children need an instrument to practice on at home. We do not hire out keyboards, pianos, drum kits or guitars, so you will need to buy your own. Instrument prices and quality vary greatly; please use the table below to help you purchase a suitable entry level instrument.

Please note: Students having lessons with us can benefit from purchasing instruments over £100 (minus the cost of VAT) using the Assisted Instrument Purchase Scheme.

Instrument care

All instruments present a potential risk of contact transmission and should be kept clean and hygienic at all times. Please care for your instrument.

• Brass instruments - it is extremely important to clean the mouthpiece using an appropriately-sized mouthpiece brush to remove all dirt and debris.
  How to care for your brass instrument (PDF, 47 KB)
• Recorders - can be cleaned in the top rack of a dishwasher.
• Woodwind - do not immerse or soak woodwind instruments with cork joints or key work, as it may damage pads; this includes flute headjoints, as it will damage the headcork. After playing, woodwind instruments should be dried in and out with swabs or pull-throughs to limit microbial growth. 
  How to care for your woodwind instrument (PDF, 40 KB)
• String instruments - wipe the chin rests of violins or violas if preferred/desired. The neck and fingerboard and the lower end of the bow of all bowed strings can also be wiped.
  How to care for your string instrument (PDF, 53 KB)

Assisted Instrument Purchase Scheme (AIPS)

For purchases of more than £100 through the AIPS, students who are taking lessons or ensembles with Hillingdon Music Service can buy musical instruments or replacement parts through us without paying the cost of VAT.

To benefit from this scheme, follow the steps below.

1. Obtain a quote for an AIPS purchase from your chosen supplier (list of suppliers below). 
2. Complete the AIPS request form (opens new window).
3. Email your quote as a PDF to music@hillingdon.gov.uk, we will check the quote and email you a link to make payment online. There will be an additional £5 administration fee.
   Please note: The submitted quote must be typed and in a PDF format and include any delivery charges from suppliers.
   We will contact you to once your instrument/replacement part is ready to collect from the Music Service Office (Civic Centre, High Street, Uxbridge, UB8 1UW).
4. Complete the AIPS transfer of ownership form (opens new window), delivery is expected within 1 to 3 weeks, depending on suppliers' availability. If not, it may take 2 to 4 weeks.

For general enquiries about the Music Service, please email music@hillingdon.gov.uk.