UK Robot Hire Industry Report: Q1 2026

The UK robot hire market has entered 2026 with strong momentum. Based on data from roboTED bookings and industry sources, here is our quarterly snapshot of hiring trends, demand patterns, and what to expect for the rest of the year.

Market Overview

The UK robot hire and RaaS market grew an estimated 28% year-on-year in Q1 2026, reaching approximately £85 million in quarterly revenue. This growth is driven by three factors: continued hospitality sector adoption of delivery robots, manufacturing sector transition from purchase to subscription models, and a boom in event robot bookings as the UK conference and exhibition calendar returns to pre-pandemic levels.

Demand by Robot Category

Hospitality delivery robots remain the highest-volume category, accounting for approximately 35% of all hire bookings in Q1. Industrial cobots represent 25% of bookings by volume but command the highest average contract value due to longer subscription terms. Event robots (humanoids and robot dogs) saw the fastest growth at 45% year-on-year, driven by corporate event budgets recovering and wedding season approaching.

Cleaning robots are emerging as a strong fourth category, with commercial cleaning firms increasingly trialling autonomous scrubbers as a way to address chronic labour shortages in the FM sector. UV-C disinfection robots continue to see steady demand from healthcare and hospitality clients.

Regional Trends

London continues to dominate with approximately 40% of all UK robot hire bookings, followed by the South East (15%), the Midlands (12%), and the North West (10%). However, regions outside London are growing faster in percentage terms, suggesting robot hire is broadening beyond the capital. Scotland saw a notable 60% increase in Q1 bookings, driven by hospitality and event demand in Edinburgh and Glasgow.

RaaS vs Short-Term Hire

The shift towards RaaS subscriptions continues. In Q1 2026, approximately 55% of new robot deployments were on monthly subscriptions versus 45% on daily or weekly hire. This is up from a 40/60 split in Q1 2025. The average RaaS contract length is extending too, from 4 months to 7 months, indicating that businesses are committing longer once they see results from their initial deployment.

Predictions for the Rest of 2026

• Wedding season (May-September) will drive peak demand for event robots
• New cobot models from UR and FANUC will expand the manufacturing hire market
• UK government incentives for automation in SMEs could boost demand in H2
• Cleaning robot adoption will accelerate as FM companies scale successful trials
• Average RaaS contract values will rise as multi-robot deployments become more common