London Moves 2026 is Cushman & Wakefield's detailed analysis of the who, what, where and why of office relocations across the Capital.
We delve into the intricacies of the market, providing thought-provoking insights and actionable data for investors, occupiers, and developers.
London Moves analyses 9.6 million sq ft of office leasing transactions across 504 deals Central London leasing transactions that took place across 2025. We dissect the data by a combination of metrics and categories including relocation type, submarket, business sector and size.
This year we will be featuring the Acceleration of AI Demand, looking at the movement of AI Occupiers in the UK capital. With AI companies increasingly taking a significant proportion of office take up. We analyse the market and predict the trajectory of growth of AI Occupier demand for office space in London
Read the full report and get in touch with the team to understand how this data and insight can be applied for you.
OVERVIEW
WATCH VIDEO
An introduction to London Moves 2026
Watch Heena Gadhavi, Head of London Offices Research, highlight the key themes from this year’s report.
FAQS
London Moves 2026 is Cushman & Wakefield’s annual analysis of office relocation activity across Central London. The report tracks where businesses are moving, how much space they are taking, which sectors are expanding, and how changing market dynamics, including the rise of AI, are reshaping London’s office geography.
Despite overall deal numbers falling slightly year-on-year, the market remained highly active and in line with the long-term average. The City continued to dominate leasing activity, East London recorded its strongest post-pandemic year, and occupiers increasingly favoured relocating short distances, reinforcing the growing “loyalty to local” trend.
Occupiers are prioritising proximity to talent, transport links and established business ecosystems. The average relocation distance fell to a record-low 0.65 miles in 2025, with many businesses choosing to remain within the same submarket rather than undertake large geographic moves. Limited availability of Grade A space around major transport hubs is also encouraging companies to stay local where possible.
The Wider City remained the strongest-performing market, but Southbank emerged as one of the biggest beneficiaries of “spillover demand” from the City Core and West End. Meanwhile, King’s Cross experienced record levels of mover activity, driven largely by technology and AI-related occupiers seeking well-connected, high-quality office environments.
AI businesses are becoming a major new source of office demand across Central London. Activity accelerated significantly in early 2026, with AI-focused firms accounting for 12% of total leasing activity in Q1 alone. The report forecasts AI occupiers could generate between 3.0 million and 6.4 million sq ft of office demand over the next three years, driven by both global tech giants and rapidly scaling UK-based startups.
The report highlights a growing supply shortage of Grade A office space in transport-rich locations, particularly around Elizabeth Line stations and key business districts. As the development pipelines tighten, competition for premium workspace is expected to intensify, pushing more occupiers into neighbouring submarkets and increasing upward pressure on rents across Central London.
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