- The standard height for a fixed office desk is 740mm, give or take 20mm. That’s anywhere between 720mm and 760mm (72 to 76cm, or roughly 28 to 30 inches).
- However, that figure is designed to fit the average person. Your ideal desk height depends on your chair, elbow height, and screen position.
- Height-adjustable desks address this problem through flexibility, making them a practical choice for shared desks and hot-desking.
Jump to each section of this guide
- What is the standard desk height in the UK?
- How to find the right desk height: 4 steps to follow
- How to work out your ideal desk height
- What height should a standing desk be?
- Fixed or height-adjustable: Which desk height suits your office?
- Desk height frequently asked questions
Desk height can seem like a minor detail until you spend eight hours a day sitting in front of a desk that’s too high or too low. Health and Safety Executive (HSE) figures from 2024/25 show that 511,000 workers in Great Britain suffered from a work-related musculoskeletal disorder, causing an estimated 7.1 million working days lost.
Of course, not all of those cases are desk-related. But workstation setup is one of the simplest factors employers can assess to improve the quality of life for staff who use screens.
Some of the signs your workers’ desks may be the wrong height include:
- They shrug their shoulders to type.
- Their wrists bend upwards or downwards at the keyboard.
- Their feet don’t rest flat on the floor.
- They lean forward to read their screen.
In this guide, we cover the UK standard desk height, how to find the right height for you, standing desk heights and when a height-adjustable desk makes sense.
Related Reading: Hybrid Office Design in 2026: Layout, Zones and Ideas for the Modern UK Office
What is the standard desk height in the UK?
The standard desk height in UK workplaces is 740mm (74cm, or about 29 inches). This comes from BS EN 527-1, the European standard for office desk dimensions, which sets fixed-height desks at 740mm (plus or minus 20mm).
That means the average desk height is 72 to 76cm, or roughly 28 to 30 inches, measured from the floor to the top of the desk. The same standard sets different figures depending on the type of desk:
Desk type |
Height under BS EN 527-1 |
In cm (inches) |
Best for |
| Fixed height (seated) | 720 to 760mm | 72 to 76cm (28 to 30in) | Single users of average height |
| Fixed height (standing) | 1,030 to 1,070mm | 103 to 107cm (40.5 to 42in) | Standing-only tasks (e.g., counters and touchdown points) |
| Height-adjustable (seated) | 650 to 850mm | 65 to 85cm (25.5 to 33.5in) | Users outside the average range |
| Height-adjustable (sit-stand) | 650 to 1,250mm | 65 to 125cm (25.5 to 49in) | Shared desks, hot-desking and alternating between sitting and standing |
The 2011 version of the standard raised the fixed height by 20mm and widened the adjustment ranges, so that adjustable desks cover 650mm to 850mm for sitting and 650mm to 1,250mm for sit-stand use. If you see older guides quoting a UK desk height of 72cm or lower, they are usually working from the previous version of the standard, which set a fixed desk height of 720mm.
Standard desk height |
The right desk height for you |
| The height manufacturers build to: a fixed 740mm that suits the average adult with a properly adjusted chair. | The height that puts your forearms level with the desk and your screen at eye level. For many people this is the standard; for taller or shorter users it often isn’t. |
How to find the right desk height: 4 steps to follow
A fixed desk can’t move, so getting the right working height is mostly about adjusting everything around it. These steps follow HSE guidance on good posture when using display screen equipment.
1. Set your chair first
Before choosing desks, figure out the optimal seat height first
Pro tip: Start with the chair, not the desk.
HSE recommends a seat height that supports the front and back of your thighs equally, with a 2-3 cm gap between the front of the seat and the back of your knee. Your lower back should also be supported by the backrest.
Ergonomic guidance commonly describes the target position as:
- Feet flat
- Thighs parallel to the floor
- Knees at about 90 degrees.
If your feet don’t reach the floor at that height, use a footrest rather than lowering the chair.
Explore our range of Ergonomic Office Task Chairs at Furnify.
2. Check your elbow height
With your shoulders relaxed and your arms by your sides, your keyboard should sit just below elbow height.
Your elbows should be bent at roughly 90 to 100 degrees, with your forearms parallel to the floor and your wrists straight. If the desk is too high, raise the chair. If raising the chair lifts your feet off the floor, consider using a footrest.
3. Position your screen
Monitor arms allow users to find their ideal screen positions
HSE guidance recommends placing the top of the screen at eye level, about an arm’s length away, with the screen and keyboard directly in front of you so you don’t twist. A monitor arm makes this easy at any desk height.
Explore our range of Monitor Arms at Furnify.
4. Change position regularly
Even at the right desk height, you can’t expect people to stay in one position for hours.
HSE recommends taking short, frequent breaks over longer, less frequent ones. If you’re introducing sit-stand desks, our practical guide to height-adjustable desks covers how to build standing time into the working day.
For the full guidance on how to ensure the well-being and safety of screen-facing office workers, see HSE’s DSE workstation checklist.
How to work out your ideal desk height
Online calculators often estimate desk height from your overall height. But a more reliable method is to measure your own elbow height, because arm and leg length vary between people of the same height:
- Set your chair up as in step 1, with feet flat and thighs parallel to the floor.
- Let your upper arms hang relaxed and bend your elbows so your forearms are level.
- Measure from the floor to the underside of your forearm. Your desk surface should sit at this height or just below it.
- Repeat standing up to find your standing desk height.
If your seated measurement falls between 720mm and 760mm, a standard fixed desk will fit. If not, a height-adjustable desk may be the better option.
What height should a standing desk be?
The same rule applies when standing: keyboard just below elbow height, with the top of your screen at eye level. Because standing elbow height varies so much between people, most standing desks are height-adjustable rather than fixed.
A sit-stand desk meeting BS EN 527-1 should cover heights between 650mm and 1,250mm, which suits most users when they sit and stand. For standing-only desks, the standard sets an adjustable range of 950mm to 1,250mm (95 to 125cm), and most people’s standing desk heights fall within this range.Here’s how the main setup checks compare:
Check |
Sitting |
Standing |
| Keyboard | Just below elbow height | Just below elbow height |
| Screen | Top level with eyes, about an arm’s length away | Top level with eyes, about an arm’s length away |
| Feet | Flat on the floor or a footrest | Flat on the floor, weight evenly spread |
| Furnify product range | Ergonomic office chairs | Adjustable standing desks |
Fixed or height-adjustable: Which desk height suits your office?
A fixed 740mm desk is ideal in office setups where only one person uses it and they’re close to the average height. If desks are shared or your team varies widely in height, an adjustable desk lets each person set the right height rather than working around the wrong one.
Ranges such as SetMe bench desks let you mix adjustable and fixed positions in the same layout.
|
|
Fixed-height desk |
Height-adjustable desk |
| Height | 720 to 760mm | 650 to 1,250mm (sit-stand) |
| Best for | One user per desk, average height | Shared desks, hot-desking, taller or shorter users |
| Browse | Office desks, bench desks | Adjustable standing desks, sit-stand bench desks |
Related Reading: Practical guide to height-adjustable desks for office and HR managers.
Desk height frequently asked questions
What is the standard desk height in the UK?
The standard UK desk height is 740mm (74cm, about 29 inches), with a tolerance of 20mm either way. This comes from BS EN 527-1, the British and European standard for office desks.
What is the average desk height in cm?
Most fixed office desks are between 72cm and 76cm high, roughly 28 to 30 inches. Older desks built to the previous version of the standard may be closer to 72cm.
How high should a desk be for my height?
It depends less on your overall height and more on your elbow height when seated. Set your chair so your feet are flat and your thighs are level, then measure from the floor to the underside of your forearm with your elbows bent at about 90 degrees. Your desk should be at that height or just below.
Is 75cm a good desk height?
Yes, for many people. At 75cm, it sits within the 72 to 76cm range set by BS EN 527-1. Whether it suits you depends on your elbow height and how well your chair adjusts.
What height should a standing desk be?
Set it so your keyboard sits just below elbow height while standing, with the top of your screen at eye level. For most people, this falls between 95cm and 125cm, which is why most standing desks are height-adjustable.
How do I know if my desk is too high or too low?
If you shrug your shoulders to type, your desk is probably too high. If you hunch forward or your wrists bend upwards, it may be too low. In either case, adjust your chair first, then add a footrest or monitor arm if needed.
Do employers have to provide height-adjustable desks?
No, there’s no such general legal requirement. Employers must assess workstations for staff who regularly use screens and an adjustable desk may be part of a reasonable adjustment. Our practical guide to height-adjustable desks covers employer duties in more detail.
Get your desk height right
For most people, the right desk height has less to do with the desk and more to do with the chair and screen set up around it. And when desks are shared, or a fixed height just doesn’t fit, a height-adjustable desk takes the guesswork out.
Browse Furnify’s range of adjustable standing desks, or get in touch for advice on desks that fit your team and your space.