Average office occupancy rates in the UK stay above 35% for five consecutive weeks

UK office occupancy rates have experienced a small but sustained up tick in recent weeks, maintaining average levels above 35 per cent since the end of October, the most prolonged period at these levels since the lifting of lockdown restrictions, according to the latest data from Remit Consulting.

Remit Consulting’s data highlights that most cities in the UK have seen a rise in office attendance in recent weeks, with the most recent data (from the week ending 29 November) showing a national, weekly average of 35.4 per cent.

Last week, London saw a national average of 35.5 per cent, while the weekly average in Edinburgh was 36.9 per cent. The Scottish capital has seen a continual improvement over the past month, with daily occupancy rates frequently reaching between 35 per cent and 40 per cent.

Remit Consulting’s office attendance data continues to show consistent peaks between Tuesday and Thursday, regularly surpassing 40 per cent, but most recently Fridays have seen a modest increase.

The number of external visitors to office buildings in Remit Consulting’s research sample has been volatile, but the overall trend is positive, showing a marked improvement compared to earlier in the year.

Lorna Landells of Remit Consulting said: “The sustained improvement in the occupancy rates indicates a steady recovery in workplace attendance, particularly in key urban centres such as London and Edinburgh. This suggests a gradual shift towards in-person collaboration, as businesses balance flexibility with the value of face-to-face interaction.”

She added: “While the steady increase across most cities is encouraging and is a positive sign, managing these occupancy trends remains a challenge for businesses, particularly those striving to optimise workspace usage while minimising overheads.”

UK Office Occupancy Rates

There are diverse views in the property sector regarding what constitutes maximum occupancy for offices, with some industry commentators suggesting that, due to holidays, external meetings, staff sickness and other operational issues, offices were only ever 60-80 per cent ‘full’ before the pandemic.

Previous research from the BCO suggested a figure of 60 per cent, while other market practitioners suggest a figure of between 70 per cent and 80 per cent at peak times in the calendar, although this will have varied widely according to individual buildings and businesses. The graph shows an adjusted figure to compare current figures with a possible pre-pandemic ’80 per cent average office occupancy’.