UK Storage Statistics 2025

The UK storage landscape is changing, here are the top storage statistics for 2025. 

 

Nearly 3% of the UK’s population is already using a form of self-storage, and this figure is consistently growing. In fact, in 2024, there was a 7.2% rise in self-storage space in the UK.

As the demand for storage in the UK grows, there is also a growing demand for different types of storage, increasingly moving away from the more traditional storage unit towards more flexible and affordable storage solutions. 

The following UK storage statistics give an overview of:

Who uses storage in the UK. 

What storage is used for.

The key factors driving people’s use of storage.

 

UK Storage Statistics At A Glance

 

The UK storage industry has also grown and evolved significantly in recent years.

With a rise in smaller homes, more flexible lifestyles and a trend for digital nomad style living, people have demonstrated a greater need for adaptable storage solutions.

In the business world, e-commerce represents over 30% of the UK’s retail sales - highlighting the need for flexible storage for business inventory and stock. 

In response, there has been a shift from traditional storage units to more flexible storage models  such as by-the-box.

These solutions make storage affordable and accessible, allowing people to only pay for what they need to store and the duration they need to store it - a game changer for student storage, business storage and personal storage alike.

Here are some key UK storage statistics: 

The UK storage industry sees over £1.2 billion turnover annually.

There is over 50 million square feet of rentable storage space in the UK

There are more than 2900 self-storage sites in the UK.

Revenue for the UK storage industry is expected to show an annual growth rate of 8.77%.

10% of people in The UK are considering using self storage and 30% of customers are repeat users.

People pay an average of £2 per week per square foot.

 

Who Uses Storage The Most In The UK?

 

Residential users make up 75% of self storage customers in the UK. 

Other key demographic statistics include: 

41% repeat customers.

More likely to be home owners than renters.

55% have a higher-than-average income.

Twice as likely to use a storage service if divorced or separated.

79% of storage users are between 40-70 years old.

 

Why Do People Use Storage?

 

We know that the majority of storage customers (75%) are residential users, but there are various reasons why people use storage. Specifically in the UK’s bigger cities, many people turn to storage units as a cheaper alternative to renting a bigger property. 

Here are some of the key reasons why people use storage:

12% due to a major life event - with a death in the family being the most common (30%) .

29% to create more space at home.

32% due to moving home. 

24% due to renovations.

12% to free up room to work from home.

45% of millennial storage users use it for decluttering or downsizing.

 

Students

 

With more students going further from home to study, including international moves, the demand for student storage is also higher.

Research revealed that the key factors for students and young people when looking for storage are:

Proximity to their home (68%) 

Affordability (82.9%) 

Security (51.8%).

 

Businesses

 

27% of storage renters are using storage space for business purposes, such as storing stock and equipment. 

In fact, it has become such a popular option for businesses looking to cut costs that over 680,000 businesses in the UK are currently using self-storage - saving them around 40-60% compared to traditional warehouses.

Of customers using business storage, 61% are small businesses (1-3 members of staff).

There are various reasons why businesses opt for self-storage including: 

Storing inventory for e-commerce or retail businesses

Storing business equipment such as tools or machinery

Archiving business documents in a safe space.

Business storage is also employed by a range of sectors including e-commerce, retail, construction & trade, but really any business that may need to store items, documents or equipment may choose self-storage.

 

UK Storage Costs In 2025

 

The average storage prices for storage units are currently:

 

Storage Unit Vs Storage By-The-Box

 

What Storage Size Is The Most Popular?

 

Storage units between 11 and 50 sq. ft tend to be the most desirable - both for residential and business customers. Increasingly, people are moving away from larger storage units and paying for wasted space. 

As people prioritise flexibility and affordability, storage by-the-box solutions are becoming more and more popular.

Rather than renting a full size storage unit, by-the-box storage allows consumers total flexibility based on their needs.

Very few people (9%) know what the ideal unit size for their storage is so prioritising flexible shortage is becoming more popular.

 

How Long Do People Keep Items In Storage?

 

Nearly 70% of storage customers keep their items in storage for at least 2 years; nearly 20% keep their items for at least five years.

Among domestic users, 22% have had their units for more than 1 year, whereas 26% of business users rent storage units for 3-4 years.

 

What UK Regions Store The Most?

 

The need for storage and the associated prices vary greatly depending across the UK.

One of the key drivers for seeking storage is a lack of personal storage at home.

 In certain cities, the same amount of rent gets you a smaller space with less storage meaning more need for external storage.

For example, in a survey 66% of Londoners expressed a need for more space in their homes versus only 47% of those living in Yorkshire. 

The price of storage by region also varies greatly as shown by this data: 

 

 

Future Of UK Storage

 

The UK storage landscape will continue to evolve and here are some things we might expect:

Continued growth can be expected with a 7.2% increase (year-over-year) in storage space available in the UK  

The use of technology within storage facilities will continue to grow with 68% of storage businesses already actively using AI.

A greater push towards sustainability with over 50% of storage operators implementing LED lighting.

Growing demand leading to facilities becoming more competitive with regard to security, convenience, affordability and services such as climate-controlled facilities.

At The Box Co. we’re UK storage experts. From finding you the right size storage to suit your needs to getting the most flexible, affordable offer, we can help. Talk to our team of storage specialists today to get started!