Planning a private office isn’t always straightforward. But for teams of 10 to 50 people in the UK, you may find yourself in an awkward middle ground.
You’re too large for plug-and-play coworking, yet too small to have in-house real estate expertise. This means you’re tasked with working out your space requirements and budget on your own.
Most teams anchor on a per-desk number or a rough sq ft estimate, but soon realise (often too late) that shared space, hybrid working and overlooked costs can shift the picture quite a bit.
In this guide, Hubble breaks down how to size a private office for a mid-size team, how to turn that into a realistic space requirement, and what you should expect to budget so you can approach your search with a clear plan, not a guess.
Key insights:
- Most UK office planning benchmarks sit around 50–70 sq ft per person (open plan) and 70–100+ sq ft for more private layouts, before adding meeting rooms and shared space
- Hybrid working can reduce desk requirements, but doesn’t reduce total space proportionally—collaboration areas still need to be factored in
- Private office pricing is typically structured per desk (serviced or managed) or per sq ft (leased), with very different cost implications
- Indicative pricing varies significantly by location, with regional UK cities typically far lower than London markets
- The most commonly missed costs include fit-out, IT setup, business rates (if not included) and service charge
How much space does a team of 10 to 50 people actually need?
When planning a private office for 10 to 50 people in the UK, headcount alone won’t tell you how much space you need.
This is because a team office needs to support more than where people sit. How often people come in, how they work when they’re there and how the space is use are all factors that influence the overall requirement.
That’s why two teams of the same size can end up with very different space needs.
Additional spaces, like meeting rooms and breakout areas, also need to be factored in.
To get to a realistic figure, headcount needs to be worked into a space range that reflects how your team actually operates.
Space-per-person benchmarks and total area including meeting rooms and common areas
The easiest place to start is with standard UK planning benchmarks, which give you a rough way to translate headcount into tangible space.
Across most office size guides in the UK and agent recommendations, you’ll typically see:
- 50–70 sq ft per person for open-plan layouts
- 70–100+ sq ft per person for more private or cellular setups
These figures are widely used across the UK and broadly align with BCO-style guidance, and are seen as a helpful starting point.
Once you’ve nailed that, you can begin to think about how much space will be reserved for how your team collaborates and spends time away from their desks.
This is where meeting rooms, breakout areas and other shared spaces come in, and will significantly depend on the type of private office you choose. For example:
| Serviced and Managed Offices |
| In these flexible offices, collaboration spaces—like shared kitchens, breakout areas and meeting rooms—are built into the wider workspace and are usually within walking distance of your private office. This means your private office rental can stay more focused on desks and immediate team space. |
| Leased Offices |
| With traditional leased offices, you’re responsible for providing all additional spaces. Meeting rooms, kitchens and breakout space will all need to be factored into your total square footage. |
In practical terms, once you factor everything in, total space requirements typically increase by 30–50% beyond workstation-only benchmarks, particularly in leased environments where everything sits within your own footprint.
Example space requirements
| Team Size | Desk-only Estimate | Total Office Estimate |
| 10 people | ~500–700 sq ft | ~700–1,000 sq ft |
| 25 people | ~1,250–1,750 sq ft | ~1,750–2,500 sq ft |
| 50 people | ~2,500–3,500 sq ft | ~3,500–5,000 sq ft |
Learn the difference between serviced offices, managed offices and leased offices for UK startups
How hybrid working changes the space calculation
Hybrid working changes how you approach space planning.
Instead of planning for total headcount, you need to estimate how many people will be in the office at the same time. This is typically done using a desk ratio.
For example, a team of 50 operating at a 0.7 desk ratio would require 35 desks.
As desk numbers fall, demand shifts elsewhere—particularly towards spaces where teams spend more time when they’re in.
This becomes more noticeable when attendance clusters around certain days, putting pressure on space if you’ve planned too tightly around an average.
But again, how you handle that depends on the type of office you choose. In serviced and managed offices, additional capacity is often absorbed by shared areas, like hot desks and breakout areas found across the building.
For hybrid companies thinking about a traditional lease, you’ll need to carve out more areas for employees to spill into when desks are taken.
Bottom line, for a growing hybrid teams, you need to balance reducing desk space with enough shared space and flexibility to handle peak demand.
What private office pricing for 10 to 50 people in the UK typically looks like
Once you’ve established a rough space requirement, the next step is understanding what that translates to in cost.
In the UK, private office pricing is typically structured in one of two ways: per desk (serviced or managed offices) or per sq ft (leased offices). This shapes how costs are presented, but not what drives them.
Regardless of whether you’re a hybrid company or planning for full headcount, pricing is influenced by the same core factors:
- Location
- Building specification and quality
- Facilities and amenities
- Level of flexibility
Because of this, costs can vary depending on where you’re looking, so it’s more useful to think in ranges rather than fixed figures.
London—City, West End and Fringe
In London, pricing depends on the type of office, the submarket and the quality of the building. Indicative ranges are as follows:
This is where private office pricing varies most significantly, particularly between the City, West End and fringe locations.
Leased private offices:
For traditional leased offices, you can expect:
| West End | City Core | City Fringe |
| £180–£185+ per sq ft | £100–£105 per sq ft | £60–£85+ per sq ft |
These figures are indicative ranges based on primary and secondary data from Knight Frank London Market Office Report, and reflect prime rents—meaning top-tier buildings in the best locations.
Below is an example of how this translates into estimated sq ft costs, using West End rent ranges as a benchmark:
| Team Size | Desk-only Estimate | Total Office Estimate | Estimate Cost (Square Footage Only) |
| 10 people | ~500–700 sq ft | ~700–1,000 sq ft | £126,000-£185,000+ per year |
| 25 people | ~1,250–1,750 sq ft | ~1,750–2,500 sq ft | £315,000-£462,500+ per year |
| 50 people | ~2,500–3,500 sq ft | ~3,500–5,000 sq ft | £630,000+£925,000+ per year |
In practice, many offices will sit below this range. But it’s important to remember the full picture: once service charge, business rates and fit-out are included, the total occupancy cost will be higher than what the headline figure suggests.
Serviced and managed offices:
For serviced and managed private offices (flexible office space), London averages often fall within the following brackets:
| West End (Mayfair, Soho, Victoria) | City of London (Liverpool Street, Monument) | City Fringe (Old Street, Shoreditch, Stratford) |
| £330-£1290 per desk per month | £560-£900 per desk per month | £180-£749 per desk per month |
These figures are from Hubble’s extensive Q1 2026 dataset, and represent a broad range, from more economical options through to premium space within each submarket.
Below is an example of how this translates into monthly per-desk costs, using the West End as a benchmark:
| Team Size | Desk-only Estimate | Estimate Monthly Cost |
| 10 people | ~10 desks, per month | £3,300-£12,900 per month |
| 25 people | ~25 desks, per month | £8,250-£32,250 per month |
| 50 people | ~50 desks, per month | £16,500-£64,500 per month |
For serviced and managed offices, costs are easier to forecast as bills, utilities and rent are bundled into a single monthly fee.
Get the latest figures for full-time and part-time offices costs across London
Regional areas
Outside London, private office pricing for mid-size teams is typically more accessible, though still varies by region.
Again, price depends on the type of office, the submarket and the quality of the building. Indicative ranges are as follows:
Traditional lease offices:
| North West England (Manchester, Liverpool) | South East England (Brighton, Cambridge) | Yorkshire and the Humber (Leeds, York) |
| £18-£45+ per sq ft | £34–£50+ per sq ft | £15–£40+ per sq ft |
These figures are indicative ranges based on prime and secondary market data from Avison Young’s Big Nine report, and represent headline rent ranges.
Prime city-centre buildings will sit at the upper end, while secondary locations and older stock will fall below.
Below is an example of how this translates into annual costs, using the North West England as a benchmark:
| Team Size | Desk-only Estimate | Total Office Estimate | Estimate Annual Cost (Square Footage Only) |
| 10 people | ~500–700 sq ft | ~700–1,000 sq ft | £12,600–£45,000 per year |
| 25 people | ~1,250–1,750 sq ft | ~1,750–2,500 sq ft | £31,500–£112,500+ per year |
| 50 people | ~2,500–3,500 sq ft | ~3,500–5,000 sq ft | £63,000–£225,000+ per year |
Serviced and managed offices:
For serviced and managed offices, UK averages often fall within the following brackets:
| North West England (Manchester, Liverpool, Stockport) | South East England (Kent, Brighton, Reading) | Yorkshire and the Humber (Leeds, York, Bradford) |
| £169-£249 per desk per month | £185-£313 per desk per month | £150-£222 per desk per month |
Below is an example of how this translates into monthly per-desk costs, using the North West England as a benchmark:
| Team Size | Desk-only Estimate | Estimate Monthly Cost |
| 10 people | ~10 desks, per month | £1,690-£2,490 per month |
| 25 people | ~25 desks, per month | £4,225-£6,225 per month |
| 50 people | ~50 desks, per month | £8,450-£12,450 per month |
These figures are from Hubble’s extensive Q1 2026 dataset. Download your free copy of The Hubble Rent Guides to gain fresh data for full-time office costs across the UK
Key variables that move the price up or down for mid-size offices
Once you’ve established a rough budget range, the next step is understanding what actually drives that number up or down.
The underlying costs of a mid-size private office is shaped by a set of common variables. Some driven by the market, others within your control.
Location, specification, lease flexibility, fit-out and connectivity
Location is usually the biggest driver. Prime areas—particularly central London—command significantly higher rents than fringe locations or regional cities. Even within the same city, pricing can vary meaningfully between submarkets.
Building specification also plays a major role. Newer buildings with higher-quality finishes, better amenities and stronger ESG credentials typically sit at the top end of the market. Older or lower-spec space will usually come in at a discount.
From there, the type of agreement starts to influence cost.
With serviced and managed offices, pricing is typically higher on a per-desk basis because flexibility is built in. Shorter commitments, monthly all-inclusive fees and provider-led fit-out all come at a premium in exchange reduced upfront costs and simple budgeting.
With a traditional lease, headline rent is usually lower, but costs are structured differently. While tenants pay annually, they also take on more responsibility, including fit-out, maintenance and compliance, increasing upfront spend and overall exposure.
This is where fit-out becomes a key variable. In leased offices, the quality and scale of your fit-out can significantly impact total occupancy cost. In serviced and managed offices, this is usually included, but reflected in the monthly fee.
Costs that frequently catch mid-size tenants off guard
Once you’ve set a budget for a private office based on rent or per-desk pricing, the additional costs tend to shift the final number.
Some are more visible upfront, particularly in leased offices. Others only become clear once you’re further into the process, or already committed.
Common examples include:
- Business rates: often a significant cost in leased offices, depending on eligibility and who’s responsible for paying
- Service charge: covers building maintenance and shared areas, and sits on top of headline rent
- Utilities and connectivity: including internet setup, IT infrastructure and ongoing usage
- Fit-out and furniture: particularly in leased space, where a shell-and-core office needs to be fully built and furnished
- Insurance: typically required under a lease, covering contents, liability and business interruption
- Deposits and rent-free periods: affect upfront cash flow and overall deal value
- Scaling or exit costs: more common in serviced and managed offices, such as fees for adding desks mid-term or leaving early
For teams planning a private office, factoring these in early is key to building a realistic budget and avoiding surprises later on.
Putting it together: A practical sizing and budget checklist
At this point, you’ve got the inputs. The next step is turning them into a clear brief you can actually use.
Use the checklist below to sense-check your requirements before speaking to agents or providers:
- Confirm headcount and desk ratio
Start with total team size, then factor in hybrid working to estimate peak occupancy. - Estimate total space requirement
Use standard sq ft benchmarks, then account for meeting rooms, breakout space and circulation. - Identify target locations
Shortlist areas based on budget, commute and talent access as pricing will vary significantly by submarket. - Compare pricing models
Look at per desk (serviced/managed) versus per sq ft (leased), and how each structure affects your total cost and flexibility. - List all-in occupancy costs
Go beyond headline rent. Include business rates, service charge, utilities, fit-out, connectivity and any scaling or exit costs. - Set a realistic monthly budget range
Use ranges rather than fixed figures, and sense-check against both space requirements and location. - Sanity-check flexibility vs commitment
Consider how much certainty you have on headcount and growth; this will influence whether a lease or flexible workspace makes more sense.
