The UK’s office sector is undergoing a significant shift as businesses adapt to changing work patterns, regulatory demands and evolving economic conditions.

While prime office space in London continues to command high rents, regional cities like Manchester and Birmingham are emerging as competitive alternatives.

This article explores how the UK’s office sector looks set to shape-up in 2025.

Prime office rental costs across the country

The data on prime office rental prices across UK cities highlights stark regional contrasts, reflecting broader economic trends and business demand.

Rental cost of prime office space per sq. ft per year, per Statista: London West end £142.50, London City £85, East London £55, Bristol £48, Edinburgh £45.50, Manchester £44, Birmingham £43.75, Leeds £40.

Unsurprisingly, London’s West End remains the outlier, with rents significantly higher than any other city, driven by strong demand from the finance and insurance sectors.

In contrast, Manchester and Birmingham, as regional business hubs, offer prime office rents at a fraction of London’s cost.

The minimal price gap between the two suggests comparable demand levels, reinforcing their positions as key alternatives for firms seeking lower operational costs without sacrificing access to skilled talent.

However, the disparities that exist between the capital and regional cities point to the continued polarisation of the UK office market.

Prime office vacancy rates

While London dominates, vacancy rates across the country demonstrate that regional cities are increasingly attractive to firms seeking value, especially with hybrid working reducing the need for a central London presence.

The likes of Birmingham continue to see strong demand, keeping vacancy levels lower, while London presents a more complex picture.

The City of London has a higher proportion of unoccupied office space, but new, high-quality buildings remain in high demand with minimal vacancies. This suggests a growing flight to quality, where businesses prioritise modern and energy-efficient offices over older stock.

The data from Statista also reflects the resilience of major regional cities, which continue to attract tenants and reinforce their role in the evolving office landscape.

Prime office trends in London

While old stock within the capital has faced struggling vacancy rates, the latest Savills research reveals a resilient London office sector despite economic headwinds.

The City has maintained strong leasing momentum throughout 2024, with take-up significantly above the five-year average despite a year-on-year drop.

Insurance and financial services firms dominated activity, while technology and media companies remained active participants.

The continued move to quality saw occupiers favouring sustainable, premium spaces, driving prime rents upward.

The West End market demonstrated sustained strength, albeit with slightly lower leasing volumes compared to historic averages.

The market remains characterised by limited availability, particularly in prime locations, which are creating upward pressure on rents.

Quality is king

This data is backed up by new research published by Cushman & Wakefield, which showed that the commercial property landscape in central London has exceeded analysts’ expectations throughout 2024.

Their “Central London Offices Marketbeat” report indicates office leasing activity reaching nearly 10 million square feet and achieving a marginal growth of 1% compared to the previous year, establishing it as the second most active period since 2019.

Premium office space dominated transactions, with Grade A properties representing 65% of all deals—eclipsing the decade-long average by 4 percentage points.

Property experts attribute this trend to companies’ growing emphasis on workspace quality following the pandemic-induced shift in workplace requirements.

This pattern has created remarkable rental growth, particularly in sought-after districts within London’s traditional business hubs.

Rents climbed by 7.8% across central London during the year to Q4 2024, with some prime locations recording even steeper increases.

Move to sustainable office spaces

Sustainability has long been a buzz word in the office sector but there appears to be greater evidence that more companies are moving towards green work environments, particularly in the capital.

Commercial buildings across the UK must achieve Grade B energy efficiency by 2030 or face leasing restrictions under Minimum Energy Efficiency Standards regulations.

Owners now face a critical choice; invest in sustainable retrofits or risk holding stranded assets that cannot be leased to new tenants.

According to a 2024 Knight Frank report, environmental performance has already emerged as a crucial factor in London’s commercial property market, with a significant majority of businesses now prioritising sustainability in their office choices.

The research reveals that over 60% of Q1 lettings were in buildings with EPC ratings of A or B and BREEAM certification— the highest since monitoring began in late 2019.

This shift reflects a fundamental transformation in occupier priorities as organisations face mounting pressure to demonstrate meaningful climate action.

Industry observers expect this trend to strengthen as sustainability regulations tighten and more businesses incorporate real estate decisions into their net-zero carbon strategies.

Phillip Pierce of Savills echoed these sentiments when speaking to City AM: “The clear preference for sustainable buildings, and the continued interest from diverse sectors, including Financial Services and Tech & Media, underscore the dynamic nature of the Central London office market.”

The end of work from home

One of the biggest battles that has had an impact on office values has been the post-pandemic work-from-home culture.

Many companies initially embracing flexible arrangements following the pandemic but are now increasingly pushing for a return to office-based work.

Recent trends show that major employers, including Amazon, most finance companies, the Metropolitan Police and Manchester United, are tightening policies.

This shift could drive up demand for office space in key business districts, potentially stabilising or increasing commercial property values after a period of decline.

However, if employees resist enforced office returns, businesses may struggle with talent retention, leading to a more competitive job market that favours firms offering hybrid or remote flexibility.

According to research by IWG printed in iNews, 36 per cent of workers who have been forced back into the office five days a week say their employer is at risk of losing talent. Almost half of the 1,000 workers surveyed said they were actively looking for a new job.

More from the BloomSmith team: Experts give their 2025 predictions

Final words

The 2025 office sector is marked by a growing divide between prime London locations and regional hubs like Manchester and Birmingham, where affordability and demand remain strong.

A flight to quality is evident, with businesses prioritising premium, energy-efficient spaces, driving rental growth in central London despite rising vacancy rates in older stock.

The shift towards sustainability is accelerating, as regulations push landlords to upgrade buildings or risk unlettable assets.

Meanwhile, the return-to-office push by major employers could stabilise demand after a rocky few years for the sector.

After years of growing pains, the office sector looks set to revitalise over the coming year but with a clear divide based on quality and sustainability.