UK office occupancy reaches highest level since July, despite half-term holiday impact

• Visitor numbers surge as businesses prioritise face-to-face meetings, boosting national occupancy to 35.1%

Despite the school half-term holiday in England and Wales office occupancy in the UK rose to 35.1% in the week ending 1st of November, the highest level recorded since July 2024, according to the latest data from Remit Consulting.

The increase in office attendance coincided with a significant surge in external visitors to the buildings in Remit's research sample, with more than 20,000 recorded last week—one of the busiest weeks for visitors since Remit Consulting’s research into the return to the office began in May 2021.

“The increase in occupancy and visitor numbers suggests a robust demand for in-person collaboration. This underlines an emphasis on face-to-face meetings and suggests that businesses are adapting to new work patterns, balancing flexibility with the need for face-to-face interaction,” said Lorna Landells of Remit Consulting.

UK Office Occupancy Rates

The evolving dynamics of office occupancy and usage were highlighted by the research, which reconfirmed that the middle of the week consistently experiences the highest levels of office attendance. This pattern was repeated last week with the national average on Monday reaching 31.6%, then 41.4% on Tuesday, 39.9% on Wednesday, 39.6% on Thursday, and just 22.2% on Friday (1st Nov).

“This is an established pattern of behaviour in the workplace,” said Landells, adding “The challenge for business occupiers and building managers is how to manage the daily changes in office attendance to maximise occupancy and productivity while minimizing unnecessary overheads and fixed costs.”

Remit Consulting’s research shows that office attendance has been stable throughout 2024. The surge last week may be partially attributed to regional variations, as Scotland did not observe the half-term holiday and contributed positively to the national average.

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% ‘full’ before the pandemic.

Previous research from the BCO suggested a figure of 60%, while other market practitioners suggest a figure of between 70% and 80% 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% average office occupancy”.