Coworking for Freelancers
A proper workspace without the overhead of an office. Here is how coworking works for people who work for themselves.
Why freelancers end up looking for a coworking space
Most freelancers start out working from home because it's free and it's easy. And for the first few months, it's usually fine. But the things that make freelancing great, the independence, the flexibility, the lack of a boss looking over your shoulder, can also make it difficult when there's no external structure to your day.
Working from home as a freelancer means you're responsible for your own routine, your own motivation, and your own discipline. Some people are naturally good at that. But a lot of freelancers find that after a while, the lack of routine starts to affect their productivity and their mental health. The days blur together, you never really switch off, and the isolation can become a problem.
A coworking space gives you back that structure without taking away any of the freedom that made freelancing appealing in the first place. You still work when you want, on what you want, for whoever you want. You just do it from somewhere that feels like a proper place of work.
The VAT question
This is something that matters more to freelancers than most people realise. If your business turns over less than the VAT registration threshold, you probably aren't VAT registered. That means when a coworking space charges you £210 plus VAT, you're actually paying £252 and you can't claim any of that VAT back. It's just an extra cost.
RedDeskCo doesn't charge VAT, so the price you see is the price you pay. £225 for a fixed desk. If you're a freelancer who isn't VAT registered, that's a genuine saving compared to spaces that charge less on paper but add 20% on top.
Fixed desk vs hot desk for freelancers
If you're freelancing full time and you're going to be in the space every day, a fixed desk is almost always a better option than a hot desk. You can leave your equipment set up, you get to know the people around you, and you have a consistent environment that helps with focus and routine.
Hot desks work well if you only need a workspace a couple of days a week. But if you're building your freelance business and you need somewhere you can rely on every day, a fixed desk gives you that stability. At RedDeskCo, people bring in their own monitors, mugs, and personal items. It's their desk and it feels like their space.
The meeting room question
As a freelancer, there are times when you need to meet a client or have a call that needs privacy. Working from home, that means hoping the kitchen is tidy and the neighbours aren't drilling. At a coffee shop, it means finding a quiet corner that doesn't exist.
At RedDeskCo, there's a private meeting room that you can book whenever you need it, at no extra cost. It has a projector and enough space for a small meeting. It's nothing fancy, but it does the job properly and it means you don't have to worry about where you're going to take that important call or meet that client.
The community side of it
Freelancing can be lonely, and having people around who understand what that's like makes a real difference. The people at RedDeskCo aren't all doing the same kind of work, but they're all in a similar position: running their own thing, making their own decisions, and trying to build something. There's a natural understanding and respect for each other's time and space that you don't get in a big corporate coworking environment.
Nobody is going to force networking events on you or organise mandatory drinks. But if you want to ask someone's opinion on a project, bounce an idea off another person who works for themselves, or just have someone to go for lunch with, those things happen naturally. It's one of the things freelancers mention most when they talk about why they stay at RedDeskCo.
Yes. Coworking gives freelancers a proper workspace with structure and routine, which helps with productivity and mental health. It also provides a meeting room for client meetings and a community of people in a similar position.
No. But if you're not VAT registered, look for spaces that don't charge VAT so you're not paying an extra 20% that you can't claim back. RedDeskCo does not charge VAT.
Yes. RedDeskCo has a private meeting room with a projector that you can book at no extra cost whenever you need it.
A fixed desk at RedDeskCo is £225 per month with no VAT and everything included. There's also a £100 first month trial if you want to try it before committing.