Price comparison · Updated 2026-08-31

How Much Is a Storage Unit in the UK?

The intro weekly rate is not the bill. Size × London vs the North, after the promo, with deposit, admin and VAT.

Shopping elsewhere? Also for: US

UK self storage is sold by the week, in square feet, and the number on the banner is usually the first stretch, not the rest of the stay. A locker in Leeds and a 75 sq ft room in Zone 2 are different products. Compare the ongoing weekly rate for the size you need, then look at what you actually pay at move-in.

These are example ranges only, not surveyed or sourced 2026 prices. Indoor chain rooms, container yards and independents all sit somewhere in the spread. Central London indoor is the top of each band; a North or regional container is often the bottom.

How much is a storage unit in the UK?

Example weekly cost by size, London vs regional / North. Intro is the promo week. Ongoing is what you pay after it. The 4-week all-in is the example move-in bill if you stay a month at the ongoing rate, not the teaser.

4-week all-in assumptions (examples, not a tariff): 4 × ongoing weekly, plus about example £25 admin, a padlock around example £10, and operator insurance that scales (example £6–£28 for four weeks). VAT is already inside the example weekly pounds. Some yards quote +VAT — add 20% before comparing. Deposit: many indoor chains take first four weeks in advance rather than a separate deposit (that cash is already in 4-week all-in). A refundable 2–4 week deposit is extra cash at move-in.

If your stay ends inside the intro window, the first invoice can land closer to 4 × intro + extras. Week 5 is when the real rate shows up. Do not compare sites on the intro week.

Example ranges only, not surveyed or sourced 2026 prices.
Size Fits (typical) Area Ex. intro £/wk Ex. ongoing £/wk Ex. 4-week all-in
Locker (~10–15 sq ft)A few boxes, suitcases, a bikeLondonexample £8–15example £12–22example £85–130
Locker (~10–15 sq ft)A few boxes, suitcases, a bikeRegional / Northexample £5–10example £8–14example £70–100
25 sq ftStudio overflow, packed boxes from one roomLondonexample £16–28example £22–38example £130–200
25 sq ftStudio overflow, packed boxes from one roomRegional / Northexample £10–18example £14–24example £100–145
50 sq ftTight 1-bed if boxed; a room of furnitureLondonexample £25–42example £38–58example £200–285
50 sq ftTight 1-bed if boxed; a room of furnitureRegional / Northexample £16–28example £22–36example £140–195
75 sq ftA 1-bed flat's contents, packed properlyLondonexample £35–55example £50–78example £255–370
75 sq ftA 1-bed flat's contents, packed properlyRegional / Northexample £22–36example £30–48example £175–250
125 sq ftLarge 1-bed / small 2-bed, or bulky furnitureLondonexample £50–85example £75–115example £360–525
125 sq ftLarge 1-bed / small 2-bed, or bulky furnitureRegional / Northexample £32–52example £45–72example £240–350

Example ranges only, not surveyed or sourced 2026 prices.

Every pound in that table is an example, not a sourced 2026 street price.

London vs the North

Same floor area is not the same bill. Indoor rooms inside the M25 sit at the top of each band because the land under them does. Outer London (a drive-up in Barking or Park Royal) is closer to South East than to Zone 1. Regional cities — Manchester, Birmingham, Glasgow — sit in the middle. The North and a lot of container / farm-yard stock sit at the bottom.

A 50 sq ft indoor room in central London can cost as much as a 75–125 sq ft container in the North. If the stuff can live in a yard and you have a car, the regional quote is the one that changes the maths. If you need a clean indoor room you can reach on the Tube after work, you are buying London.

Do not convert this page into US 5x5 / 10x10. UK sites sell lockers and 25 / 50 / 75 / 125 sq ft rooms.

Intro weekly vs ongoing vs the 4-week all-in

Chains lead with “first 4 weeks half price”, “8 weeks at 50% off”, or a cheap from-price on one unit. That is the intro column. Ongoing is the standard weekly rate the contract reverts to. The 4-week all-in compares a month as a month, not a promo week times four.

On top of the weekly:

  • VAT. Usually already in the advertised UK consumer price. Ask. If it isn’t, it is 20%.
  • Admin / set-up. Example £0–£50, once. Some sites have dropped it.
  • Deposit vs first four weeks in advance. Safestore-style indoor: no reserve deposit, pay four weeks up front. Other sites: a refundable 2–4 week deposit on top. Do not add both.
  • Insurance. Goods have to be covered. Operator protection is a few pounds a week, or show your own contents policy. Renters insurance and the storage policy are not automatically the same thing.
  • Padlock. Example ~£10 if you don’t bring one.
  • Access. 7am–9pm indoor is common; 24/7 PIN or a container yard is the other product. Restricted hours are sometimes the cheaper quote.

Compare the same size at Safestore and a removals-plus-storage quote from AnyVan on the ongoing weekly rate, not the intro week.

What size for a 1-bed

  • Locker — not a 1-bed. Boxes, a bike, a suitcase.
  • 25 sq ft — overflow, not furniture.
  • 50 sq ft — a 1-bed only if everything is boxed and the sofa doesn’t come.
  • 75 sq ft — the usual 1-bed.
  • 125 sq ft — large 1-bed, small 2-bed, or a 1-bed you didn’t pack.

Paying for empty air is the standard overspend. View the room before you take the next size up. UK floor area is sq ft; ignore US 10x10 talk.

Frequently asked questions

How much is a storage unit in the UK?

Example only, not a survey: a locker is often around example £8–22 a week depending on London vs the North; 50 sq ft around example £22–58 ongoing; a 75 sq ft 1-bed room around example £30–78. The intro week is cheaper. Add admin, insurance and whatever you pay at move-in. See the table.

What size storage unit for a 1-bed flat?

75 sq ft if the furniture comes. 50 sq ft if boxed tight. 125 sq ft if large 1-bed or you pack badly. A locker or 25 sq ft will not take a 1-bed.

Why is London so much more than regional / the North?

Land and indoor rooms. A Zone 1–2 indoor 50 sq ft can cost what a much bigger regional container costs.

Is the intro weekly rate what I'll pay?

Not for long. Compare ongoing, then 4-week all-in.

Do I need storage insurance if I already have contents or renters cover?

Usually proof of cover or their own protection. Home/contents and renters often exclude goods in self storage. See renters insurance — that policy and the storage policy are not automatically the same thing.

What access hours do I actually get?

Indoor often staffed hours plus evening PIN (example 6am–10pm), not always 24/7. Container yards closer to 24/7. Sunday night drop-offs pick the site before price does.

Is there a deposit? And is VAT extra?

Sometimes refundable 2–4 week deposit; often first four weeks in advance instead. Don't budget both unless the quote says both. Advertised UK storage prices are usually VAT-inclusive. If +VAT, add 20%.

Can I keep a US 10x10 in my head?

No. US 10x10 is 100 sq ft. UK 1-bed is usually 75 sq ft; 125 sq ft is the next step.

Compare a London quote to a regional one

Pull the same size at an indoor London branch and at a regional or container site. Use ongoing weekly, not intro. Start with Safestore for an indoor chain quote and AnyVan if you need collection plus storage. US shoppers: US storage unit prices.

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