UK flex market surges with 32%
supply growth, Rubberdesk reports 

The UK’s flexible office market is gaining serious traction. According to Rubberdesk’s Q1 2025 report, supply has jumped 32% year-on-year, with over 8.6 million sq ft of space now available - an 8.1% increase on the previous quarter. Here’s everything you need to know.

Rubberdesk, the online marketplace for flexible workspace has revealed a remarkable 32% year-on-year increase in available space across the country, with more than 8.6 million square feet now on offer. Quarter-over-quarter, the rise sits at a still-significant 8.1%, indicating a sustained momentum in what has become a fiercely dynamic sector.

While availability has climbed, the national median desk rate has softened slightly, dipping 1.2% quarter-over-quarter to £500 per desk. Year-on-year, however, the rate has edged up by 2.2%, suggesting a market that remains buoyed by steady demand and resilient business confidence. As businesses continue to recalibrate their workplace strategies, the desire for agile, human-centric environments remains a driving force.

Managed Offices come into focus

A standout trend from the report is the emergence of managed offices as a major growth engine. These self-contained workspaces—private, customisable, and distinct from traditional serviced offerings—have seen an astonishing 111% year-on-year growth in availability, outpacing serviced office expansion by a wide margin.

In London, where three-quarters of the UK’s flex stock resides, the managed model is rapidly gaining traction. The capital’s position as a bellwether market makes this shift all the more notable.

“This surge in managed offices supply reflects a dual dynamic,” explains Tom Petryshen, Head of Growth and Analytics at Rubberdesk. “Firstly, tenant demand for customised, private flexible solutions is strong, particularly from larger enterprises navigating economic uncertainty and hybrid work models. Secondly, landlords are also actively contributing to this supply increase. Facing reduced demand for traditional 5–10-year leases, property owners are increasingly adopting managed solutions to meet evolving occupier needs and maintain occupancy.”

A Patchwork of Regional Trends

Beyond the headline figures, the report offers a nuanced portrait of the UK flex landscape, with regional performance diverging sharply.

• London remains dominant, with desk rates stable at £625, and a 7.7% QoQ and 39.0% YoY leap in availability—led largely by growth in central areas.

• Birmingham, by contrast, is heating up, with desk rates surging by 23.3% YoY to £370, even as availability fell.

• Manchester is showing balanced growth across the board, with both desk rates and availability inching upwards.

• Cardiff stood out for less favourable reasons, experiencing the sharpest desk rate decline in the country (-11.0% QoQ, -20.9% YoY) while availability held steady.
  
  

Such regional variation reflects the deeply localised nature of demand, but also signals the growing maturity of the UK’s flex market as it adapts to a broader spectrum of occupier needs.

Rubberdesk continues to push the boundaries of digital discovery. Earlier this year, the company unveiled an AI-powered office search tool capable of distilling initial office enquiries into tailored results in under 20 seconds. The tool (designed to eliminate guesswork) has helped drive a noticeable uptick in user engagement on the platform

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