WFH study | Remote working fails to spread jobs more evenly across UK - report finds

Hopes that working from home would help struggling UK regions attract high-skilled workers are not being realised, according to the findings of a new research project.

Working from home has surged since the Covid-19 pandemic, especially among older, high-skilled professionals in and around London and other major cities. However, a report and series of policy briefings by a team of researchers reveal this hasn’t significantly changed where people live, or helped spread talent more evenly across the country.

Led by Professor Jackie Wahba (OBE), of the University of Southampton, and Dr David McCollum, of the University of St Andrews, both from the ESRC Centre for Population Change and Connecting Generations – the project was conducted in collaboration with colleagues from the University of Birmingham, De Montfort University, and University of the Arts London.

The researchers found most home workers still follow hybrid patterns, splitting time between home and office, and staying within reach of major employment hubs. This limits the potential to reduce regional inequality or boost growth outside south-east England.