HOW TO HIRE · EVENTS & ENTERTAINMENT

How to hire a stilt walker in the UK
The checks, the questions and the paperwork.

Stilt walkers need no licence in the UK. Here is what to check, what to ask and what the booking must say.

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THE 60-SECOND VERSION

Hiring a stilt walker in five steps

  1. Check the groundFirm and level; wet grass, gravel and slopes are a fall risk on stilts.
  2. Measure headroomDoorways, ceilings, chandeliers and festoon lights at stilt height.
  3. Ask for insurance and a risk assessmentMany venues require both from a stilt walker.
  4. Plan sets and a changing spaceSets with breaks and a private room or tent to change.
  5. Have a wet-weather planIndoors, or a different act, if rain makes the ground unsafe.

BEFORE YOU BOOK

Check before you book

No register applies

The law in England, Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland sets no licence, register or qualification for stilt walkers. Ground and headroom decide what a stilt walker can safely do at your event.

Get recent references and a written booking from the stilt walker before money changes hands.

Public liability insurance for the stilt walker

No law sets an insurance level for this work, but venues commonly name a public liability figure for every supplier. Festivals, councils and corporate venues routinely ask stilt walkers for it, often with a risk assessment.

Ask the stilt walker to send the policy schedule straight to the venue, checking the amount against what the venue asked.

Trader status and cancellation terms

When you book a stilt walker through a business, you are buying from a trader; the Consumer Rights Act 2015 says the service must show reasonable care and skill. Because regulation 28 of the Consumer Contracts Regulations 2013 excludes catering and leisure services booked for a set date or period, a change of heart after booking is usually governed by the stilt walker's own terms, not a statutory 14 days.

Before paying a deposit, find the clause on what the stilt walker keeps if you cancel or move the date. legislation.gov.uk →

VAT

Stilt walking is a standard-rated performance; a registered stilt walker adds 20%. Stilt walkers over the £90,000 registration threshold have to charge VAT and list it separately from the price.

Ask the stilt walker whether they are VAT-registered, and if so for the number and the 20% under the set fee. gov.uk →

“What ground and headroom do you need?”

A good answer: A stilt walker who asks about surface, slopes, doorways and ceiling height.

“Can I see your risk assessment?”

A good answer: A short written assessment of the stilt walking covering ground, crowd, weather and breaks.

“Are you insured for stilt walking?”

A good answer: Public liability cover that names the activity, with a copy for the venue.

“How long are your sets?”

A good answer: Sets with breaks, and a place for the stilt walker to sit and rest off stilts.

“What happens if it rains?”

A good answer: A stilt walker who will not work on slippery ground and offers an alternative.

“Do you add juggling, fire or LED?”

A good answer: Each priced separately; fire needs the venue's permission.

“Do you need a helper?”

A good answer: For busy crowds or high stilts, yes — a spotter walking with the stilt walker, priced on the quote.

Getting the quote right

  • The date, number and length of the stilt walker's sets
  • Costume and any added skills — juggling, fire, LED
  • A helper or spotter if needed
  • Travel and changing space
  • Deposit and cancellation terms
  • Their VAT number, if registered, and VAT under the set fee
  • Who actually attends: the performer and any spotter, and whether they are employed or subcontracted

Walk away if

  • No questions about the ground or headroom
  • No risk assessment when the venue asks for one
  • Willing to perform on wet or sloping grass
  • No insurance that covers stilt walking
LOW
£120
TYPICAL
£250
HIGH
£600

What a stilt walker costs: £120–£600 per booking

Stilt walkers quote per booking by the number of sets, with bespoke costumes, added skills and travel priced on top. Stilt Walker price guide →

Guide prices compiled by the Locufy team from published Irish and UK provider price lists and 2026/27 cost guides. Updated 2026.

KNOW WHAT TO LOOK FOR? NOW FIND ONE

Stilt walkers near you, with the badges that matter shown

ID checked, trader status and one score from every review — on the card, before you message anyone. Nearest first. No account needed to look.

Or post the job free and let them come to you.

  1. Site walkThe stilt walker walks the route, checking ground, steps and headroom.
  2. Change and gear upStilts on in a private space, with a helper if needed.
  3. First setWalkabout among guests, keeping clear of tables and children's feet.
  4. RestOff stilts and out of sight between sets.
  5. Final set and finishA last set, then stilts off and kit packed.

Peg stilts
Simple stilts strapped to the leg, ending in a narrow foot.
Drywall stilts
Stilts with a wider, hinged foot, steadier on flat floors.
Walkabout
Performing while moving among guests.
Risk assessment
A written look at what could go wrong and how it is avoided.
Spotter
A helper who watches the crowd and the ground for the performer.
Public liability insurance
Cover for injury or damage caused while performing.

AFTER

When the job is done

Keep the bookingIt records the stilt walker's sets and fee.
Note any near missA slip or a clash with a fitting should be reported to the stilt walker in writing.
Check the venueAny damage to ceilings or fittings raised promptly.
Leave the reviewTell the next host how the stilt walker did; Locufy reviews come only from real bookings. If something went wrong, the make-it-right step comes first: the stilt walker is asked to put it right before the review goes live.

STEP 1Put it to the stilt walker in writingWrite down what went wrong — a late start, short sets, unsafe working on poor ground — and what would put it right, then send it by email or message. Under the Consumer Rights Act 2015 (section 49) the stilt walker owed you reasonable care and skill, and if an event cannot be repeated the remedy is money off, which can be the full fee.
STEP 2Use the make-it-right step on LocufyRate the stilt walker below four stars and you are asked whether to send the problem to them first; we follow it through, then your review is published.
STEP 3Free consumer adviceThere is no ombudsman or regulator for stilt walkers. If the trader will not engage, Citizens Advice (0808 223 1133) covers England and Wales, Advice Direct Scotland (0808 800 9060) covers Scotland, and Consumerline (0300 123 6262) covers Northern Ireland; each can pass a complaint about stilt walkers to Trading Standards.
STEP 4Money the stilt walker will not returnA claim against a stilt walker can go to court without a solicitor: up to £10,000 on the small claims track in England and Wales, up to £5,000 under simple procedure in the sheriff court in Scotland, and up to £5,000 in the small claims court in Northern Ireland.

Hiring a stilt walker: questions people ask

No. What can need licensing is the event — a Temporary Event Notice in England and Wales, a council entertainment licence in Northern Ireland — and that is for the organiser, not the stilt walker.

There is no legal duty, but expect the venue to ask. Get its figure and the stilt walker's certificate before the day.

£120 to £600 per booking, typically around £250. For the factors behind the range, open the stilt walker price guide; for real prices, search your area above.

Yes, if ceilings and doorways are high enough and the floor is not slippery. Measure before you book.

In sets with breaks; ask how many and how long.

With firm ground, a clear route and a helper for busy crowds, it is a normal family act. Ask how the stilt walker manages crowds.

MORE GUIDES

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Stilt walkers near you

Stilt walkers in LondonStilt walkers in ManchesterStilt walkers in BirminghamStilt walkers in GlasgowStilt walkers in BelfastAll stilt walkers on Locufy →

Sources — checked October 2026

  1. gov.uk — entertainment licence (Northern Ireland)
  2. gov.uk — Temporary Events Notice
  3. Consumer Contracts Regulations 2013, regulation 28 — contracts the cancellation right does not cover
  4. Consumer Rights Act 2015, section 49 — reasonable care and skill
  5. gov.uk — make a court claim for money: court fees
  6. mygov.scot — make a court claim for money
  7. nidirect — small claims process
  8. Citizens Advice — more help with a consumer issue (England)
  9. VAT rates — VAT rates for goods and services: standard rate 20% on most goods and services
  10. GOV.UK — Register for VAT: when to register