Written by Mark Reid,
Trades Editor ·Verified 12 September 2026
Worthing's mix of Victorian terraces near the seafront, 1930s semis around Broadwater and the larger gardens out towards Findon and Salvington means tree work here varies a lot from job to job. A tall leylandii hedge hemming in a small courtyard in Central Worthing is a different task to a mature oak overhanging a garden in Durrington or High Salvington, where root systems have often had decades to spread through chalky downland soil. Add in the coastal exposure along the seafront, which stresses trees differently to inland spots, and it's clear why local knowledge matters when picking someone to do the work.
The businesses featured here are pulled from public business listings and ranked using review rating and review count, with a modest boost for those showing a working website and phone number. We also read each business's homepage to check that tree surgery is genuinely what they do day to day, which stops general gardeners or landscapers who happen to mention tree work from cluttering up the page. Listings flagged as permanently closed are stripped out automatically. Where you spot a Trust Verified badge, that business has gone through our fuller check, covering trade qualifications and accreditations, public liability insurance, trading history, customer review history and registered company information. Our How We Verify page sets out exactly what that involves. Businesses without the badge haven't been through that process with us, so it's worth doing your own checks before you book anything.
Before committing, ask for proof of public liability insurance and, if the tree has a Tree Preservation Order or sits in a conservation area (common around parts of Worthing and Tarring), check whether the surgeon will handle the council application on your behalf. A reputable operator should hold a recognised qualification such as NPTC certificates for chainsaw use and climbing. Get at least two or three written quotes rather than a single verbal price, ask how they'll deal with waste and whether stump grinding is included, and check who's liable if a falling branch damages a fence or a neighbour's shed. A bit of paperwork up front saves a lot of hassle later.
How We Select & Rate The Best Tree Surgeons in Worthing
Rankings are based on review rating and review count taken from public business listings, with a small lift given to businesses that show a working website and phone number. We check each business's homepage to confirm tree surgery is their main line of work, rather than a sideline to general gardening or landscaping. Listings marked as permanently closed are removed automatically. Businesses displaying a Trust Verified badge have gone further and passed our full verification, covering qualifications and accreditations, insurance, trading history, customer review history and registered company details; see our How We Verify page for the complete list. Other businesses haven't been independently verified by us, and appearing on this page isn't an endorsement. Always do your own checks before hiring.
Recommended and Featured listings are paid placements, so a business's fee affects whether and where it appears. Every other listing is ranked on rating and review count from third-party business listings. How we rank & verify →
Families across Worthing call on The Urban Surgeons for pruning, felling and hedge work, often where gardens back onto neighbours' fences and space is tight. Their approach has earned a 4.9 rating from 47 reviews. Based near BN14, the firm handles routine maintenance as well as larger tree removals.
Tree removal and arborist services are the core work carried out by D&T Tree Surgery, operating across Worthing and the surrounding area. The company holds a 5-star rating from 37 Google reviews, suggesting consistent results across its range of tree care and surgery work.
A full five stars from twelve reviews sets Arboriscapes Tree Surgery apart among firms working across Worthing. The company carries out pruning, felling and crown reduction work, attending to gardens and grounds where trees need managing safely. That consistent feedback suggests reliability across jobs of varying scale.
Hedge trimming, reshaping, and removal sit alongside tree surgery in the range of work carried out by Alex O'Neill Tree Care, based in Worthing. The business covers residential and garden projects across the local area, handling both routine maintenance and more involved canopy work. A Google rating of 5.0 from early reviewers suggests consistent results on the ground.
Head4Heights Tree Surgery carries out crown reduction, crown lifting, and rigging work across Worthing and the surrounding area. The company also handles straight felling, tree removal, and elevated platform work, covering a broad range of arboricultural tasks for both small gardens and larger sites. Hedge cutting and tree pruning round out a service list that addresses most routine and technical requirements.
Landscaping and garden maintenance work around Worthing is carried out by Rob Blann Garden Services Ltd, covering everything from routine upkeep to garden redesigns. The company holds a rating of 4 from 24 reviews. Details of past projects and contact information are available via its website.
Transparency notice: Recommended and Featured listings are paid placements, so a business's fee affects whether and where it appears. All other listings are ranked by a combined score drawn from ratings and review counts published on third-party business listings, plus basic completeness signals such as a working website and phone. A Trust Verified badge means we have independently checked that business's documents; businesses without it have not been independently verified by us. How we verify →
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For a straightforward job like crown reduction or pruning a medium-sized tree, expect somewhere between £150 and £400, depending on access and how much has to be dragged out to a chipper. Felling a large tree can run from £500 up to £1,500 or more if it's near a house, power lines, or needs to come down in sections. Stump grinding is often quoted separately, typically £60 to £150 per stump. Prices in Worthing vary depending on how easy the garden is to access, whether a TPO application is needed, and how much waste removal is involved. It's worth getting two or three quotes before deciding, since prices for the same job can differ quite a bit between firms.
Do I need permission to remove or prune a tree in Worthing?
If the tree has a Tree Preservation Order or sits within a conservation area, such as parts of Tarring or the seafront conservation zones, you'll usually need to apply to Adur & Worthing Councils before any work goes ahead. A decent tree surgeon should be able to tell you whether a TPO applies and, in many cases, will handle the application for you. Doing work without permission on a protected tree can lead to a fine, so it's worth checking before any cutting starts, even for something that seems minor like removing a low branch.
What qualifications should a tree surgeon have?
Look for NPTC or Lantra certificates covering chainsaw use, climbing and aerial rescue as a minimum. Membership of a trade body like the Arboricultural Association is a good sign too, since it usually means ongoing training. Public liability insurance is essential, ideally covering at least £2 million, given the potential for damage to fences, greenhouses, or a neighbour's property. Ask to see certificates rather than just taking someone's word for it, and don't be afraid to ask how long they've been trading in the local area.
How quickly can a tree surgeon usually come out in Worthing?
For routine pruning or hedge cutting, most firms can usually fit you in within one to three weeks, though this stretches in autumn and early spring when everyone's tidying up gardens at once. If a tree's come down in a storm or there's a dangerous branch overhanging a path or driveway, many tree surgeons offer an emergency callout, sometimes same day, though expect to pay a premium for out-of-hours or urgent work.
What happens to the wood and waste after tree work?
Most tree surgeons will chip smaller branches on site and take the arisings away as part of the quoted price, so it's worth confirming this is included rather than charged as an extra. Larger logs are sometimes left for the homeowner if they want them for firewood, which can be a handy saving if you've got a log burner. Ask upfront what happens to the stump too, since not every quote automatically includes grinding it out or removing the roots.
How do I choose between tree surgeons in Worthing?
Start by reading through recent reviews rather than just the star rating, since patterns in the comments often reveal more than a number. Ask each firm for proof of insurance and qualifications directly, and don't rely on a listing to have confirmed this for you. Get a written quote that specifies waste removal, stump grinding, and who's responsible for any accidental damage. If the tree is protected or near a boundary, ask how they plan to handle permissions and access. Finally, trust your instinct on communication: a surgeon who answers questions clearly and turns up when they say they will is usually a good sign of how the job itself will go.
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