November 13, 2025
Lords Committee calls for clearer policy to address the future of home working
A House of Lords committee has called for a more coherent national approach to remote and hybrid work, warning that unclear responsibilities, inconsistent data, gaps in employer guidance and uneven access to flexible work risk undermining the UK’s ability to adapt to long-term changes in working patterns. According to the report, Is Working From Home Working?, published today (13 November) the rapid rise in home-based working since the pandemic has outpaced the Government’s ability to coordinate policy or collect reliable data. Responsibility for remote work is “split across government departments”, the Committee notes, with implications for employment, transport, digital infrastructure and housing policy.
The Committee concluded that home working is now firmly embedded in the UK’s labour market but requires more coherent policy, better evidence and improved support for both employers and workers to ensure the benefits are widely shared.
Key findings:
Remote and hybrid work now embedded in UK labour patterns
The Lords inquiry found that hybrid work has become a lasting feature of the UK labour market. Witnesses described how remote working, once limited to small groups of office workers, was accelerated dramatically during the pandemic, with up to 49 percent of workers operating from home in early 2020. Current levels vary by sector, region and occupation, but hybrid patterns remain widespread.
Wellbeing effects are mixed but broadly positive
Most individuals reported positive impacts on their physical health, with 78 percent saying home working had improved it overall. However, mental health outcomes were more complex, leading the Committee to call for government-funded research into the psychological effects of remote work, including evidence-based assessments rather than self-reports.
Productivity impacts remain uncertain
The Committee found no conclusive evidence of a productivity boost—or decline—attributable to home working. While workers overwhelmingly report higher productivity from home, employers hold more mixed views. Available research suggests “a limited impact in either direction” for hybrid work, with outcomes for fully remote roles more variable and dependent on job type, management and home environments.
Collaboration and early-career learning remain points of tension
Employers expressed concerns that younger and early-career workers could lose out on informal learning, mentoring and social interaction. Several witnesses warned that insufficient in-person time risks creating future skills shortfalls. Hybrid work was frequently described as the “best of both worlds” for balancing collaboration with flexibility.
Access to home working remains uneven
The report highlights disparities affecting disabled workers, women with greater domestic responsibilities and those in roles or regions with limited remote options. It calls on the Government to promote equitable access through targeted campaigns and updates to public procurement requirements.
Employers face ongoing legal and practical obligations
Despite the shift away from the workplace, employers retain full health and safety responsibilities for home workers. They must assess risks including mental health, equipment and work environment, though they often rely on employee self-assessments.
The Committee also notes growing pressure on employment tribunals and warns of potential litigation arising from new requirements that employers may reject flexible working requests only when “reasonable”. It stresses the need for clear ACAS guidance to avoid years of disputes.
Digital infrastructure still a barrier
Several witnesses highlighted concerns about broadband capacity and the uneven rollout of high-speed connectivity. Delays to Project Gigabit—now targeting 99 percent coverage by 2032—were noted alongside rural connectivity challenges, where access points may still lie hundreds of metres from homes.
AI expected to reshape remote-work patterns
The Committee heard evidence that AI could reduce the number of fully remote roles over the next decade as tasks become more automated, while also affecting the availability of graduate-level jobs.
Recommendations
The report calls for:
- Clear ministerial responsibility for coordinating remote-work policy and data across government departments.
- Improved employer guidance on health and safety, legal obligations and best practice for managing remote teams.
- Research funding to better understand the mental-health impacts of home working.
- Investment in digital infrastructure to support remote and hybrid work.
- Updated data collection, including detailed breakdowns by sector, demographic group and working arrangements.
