The UK is in lockdown again. Government rules say you should stay at home unless you need to leave for essential reasons. If you do venture out, stay local unless you are required to travel for work or other permitted reasons.

Car and van hire has been designated as an essential business by the government, so most van hire companies are still open as usual. Our van hire price comparison system is working as usual to help you find van hire near you.

If you’re moving house, you should still be able to rent a van to help on the day (moving house is still allowed).

How Covid-19 lockdown is affecting van hire

To ensure customers and staff stay safe, most van hire companies have implemented thorough deep cleaning routines for all vehicles between hire bookings.

Although most van hire companies are open for business, our experience is that you may find some differences in availability compared to normal. Our information suggests that some large companies may have closed selected branches. Some local independent companies may be busier than usual, others may be less busy.

If you’re looking for van hire in your local area we’d suggest booking a little further ahead of time if possible.

There’s also a second consideration. Is your journey essential? We’re not here to enforce the lockdown rules and neither are the hire companies. But we think it’s only right to say that unless you need to rent a van for essential activities, you should perhaps delay your hire until the UK lockdown is eased.

It’s possible that you’ll be asked about the purpose of your journey, especially if you travel outside your local area. We know of several people who’ve been stopped by the police on motorways when travelling long distances recently.

With all that said, if you need to hire a van, you should be able to do so during lockdown.

Stay safe out there!