Top ten UK regions for home-workers revealed

Published: 17 Sep 2019

Aviva identifies regions with highest and lowest proportion of home-workers.

  • One in seven UK workers is home-based
  • Powys, Wales has the highest proportion of workers who work from home at 26%
  • West Dunbartonshire, Scotland has the lowest percentage of home-based workers at 6%
  • Aviva urges home workers to make sure they have appropriate insurance.

More than four million UK workers are ditching the daily commute in favour of working from home. This is equivalent to one in seven UK workers.

Analysis of ONS data, carried out by Aviva Insurance, has identified the regions in the UK with the highest and lowest proportion of workers who are primarily based at home.

Powys in Wales tops the table, with 25.7% of its workers being home-based, closely followed by Kensington and Chelsea (25.0%) and Brighton and Hove (24.9%).

Workers in West Dunbartonshire, Scotland are least likely to be home-based according to the study, with just 5.6% citing their home as their main work base. Scottish regions appear throughout the top 10 least common areas for home workers, with Aberdeen City and Inverclyde coming second and third on this list.

10 UK regions with highest proportion of home workers

UK Region

Percentage of workers who are primarily home-based

1.       Powys

25.7%

2.       Kensington and Chelsea

25.0%

3.       Brighton and Hove

24.9%

4.       Ceredigion

24.8%

5.       Devon

24.6%

6.       County of Herefordshire

24.6%

7.       Cornwall and the Isles of Scilly

23.8%

8.       Camden

23.6%

9.       Richmond upon Thames

22.5%

10.    Pembrokeshire

22.1%

10 UK regions with lowest proportion of home workers

UK Region

Percentage of workers who are primarily home-based

1.         West Dunbartonshire

5.6%

2.         Aberdeen City

6.4%

3.         Inverclyde

6.6%

4.         Clackmannanshire

6.7%

5.         Hartlepool

7.2%

6.         Sandwell

7.3%

7.         Leicester

7.3%

8.         Dundee City

7.4%

9.         North Lanarkshire

7.5%

10.    Salford

7.6%

According to Aviva’s analysis, 14% of UK workers - more than 4 million people - are home-based for their main job. This includes people who work in their home (5%), in the same grounds or building as their home (1%), or in different places, using their home as a base (8%).

According to ONS data

 

While the remaining small number are unpaid workers at the family home.

60%

 of people who work from home are self-employed.

39%

of home-workers are employed individuals.

Adam Beckett, Product Director for Aviva UK General Insurance says: “Flexible working and home-working options are now part and parcel of many people’s lives. Advances in technology mean many individuals can work remotely in a whole host of careers, from web design to tutoring. And indeed, at Aviva we offer home-working options to many of our employees!

“If people are home-based, it’s important that they have the appropriate insurance for their business needs as well as their personal lives. Aviva covers home office equipment as part of our home insurance products, but people should inform their insurer if they plan to use their home for any business purpose other than office work*.

“For example, people will usually require additional insurance if they store large amounts of stock or cash in their homes; and if customers visit their homes, the host will usually require public liability insurance. Similarly, if people use a vehicle for their work, they should make sure it’s insured for business use.”

Home working tips from Aviva

  • Have a dedicated room or space for your work: Even if this is just a desk in the corner of a room, it can help to get into a work mindset if you work in the same place each time.
  • Remove distractions: If the TV is tempting or your home phone interrupts you, think about removing them from the room or unplugging them while you work.
  • Find out what works for you: If it helps you to concentrate listening to music or working with the dog at your feet, then so be it – whatever aids productivity!
  • Check your insurance policies: Your home insurance may already provide cover if you’re doing office work from home, but you will normally need business motor insurance if you’re using your vehicle for work. If you aren’t sure, it’s always better to check with your insurer.
  • Agree ground-rules with family or other residents: Just because you’re at home, it doesn’t necessarily mean people can pop in for a chat! Ensure other householders respect work-time and know whether you can or can’t be disturbed.
  • Confidentiality is key: If you’re dealing with customer information, ensure any details are stored safely and securely, whether on IT systems and as hard copies.
  • Know when to switch off: There can be an increased temptation to be ‘always on’ if you’re based at home. For your own wellbeing, be sure to make time to relax and unwind. 

- ENDS -

References:

Analysis relates to 2019 records of workers and work locations, supplied by The Office For National Statistics, August 2019. ONS data shows there are 31,877,344 workers across the UK, of whom 4,398,874 use their home as their primary work base.

*‘Office work’ usually relates to activities such as computer work, emails, telephone calls or administration. Customers should check with their insurer in the event of any questions about cover for home workers. 

Media enquiries:

Sarah Poulter

UK External Communications

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