London Daily

Focus on the big picture.
Thursday, Jul 03, 2025

Twice as many Londoners are now working from home as before the pandemic

Twice as many Londoners are now working from home as before the pandemic

New research has found that hybrid working is here to stay as people swap the commute for greater flexibility. But London's recovery is lagging behind other big UK cities, so what will that mean for the future of the capital?

Three-quarters of Londoners worked from home at least one day a week in spring 2022, according to new research from King's College London's Policy Institute and Business School.

This is a marked shift from before COVID-19, when less than half as many Londoners worked from home.

The researchers surveyed more than 2,000 people with a regular workplace in London, including those that live outside the city and commute in for work.

Their findings suggest hybrid working is here to stay and could have a profound impact on the future of London's economy.

Most people think this is the new normal. The survey found that almost three-quarters of London workers think they're never going back to working five days in the office.

This is true at all experience levels and ages, despite most London workers believing that senior managers want people to come in more often.

The capital hasn't returned to normal as quickly as other UK cities.

Data from the Centre for Cities shows that weekday footfall, a measure of activity in city centres, in London is 40% below pre-pandemic levels, while in other major cities it has already recovered.

Mark Kleinman, professor of public policy at King's College London, says that this doesn't reflect a slower economic recovery.

"London looks almost normal in terms of things like the West End, going out to shows and to sporting events, but it's definitely not back to normal in terms of people being in the office," he says.

"This is because London has more people in the kinds of occupations and sectors where it's possible to work from home compared to other cities in the UK, like finance and business services."

Why do people want to work from home?

Unsurprisingly, avoiding the commute was the most common reason for wanting to work from home.

This was closely followed by finding it easier to manage personal responsibilities and being more relaxed when at home.

But most people don't want to work from home all the time.

Almost three-quarters of Londoners would choose hybrid work if given the choice, with the most popular option being three-days a week out of the office.

Professor Kleinman says that this points to a "profound change" in the way the economy works.

"This is going to take a long time to shake out and there is a lot of experimentation going on," he says.

Some companies are trying to mandate a return to the office. But only 16% of people are positive about being forced back, according to the research.

Older people are more likely to be open to the idea. Almost 30% of people aged 50 and over would choose to be in the office full-time, compared to just 14% of 16 to 24-year-olds.

Will this negatively affect our work?

People are more likely to say they perform well when working from home than in the office.

But Londoners are finding it harder to connect with colleagues at home. And four in ten people find it harder to switch off at the end of the day.

There is no consensus about whether working from home will reduce the quality of life and the number of jobs in London.

But over-50s and Conservative voters are the most likely to be pessimistic about the impact on life in the capital.

Prof Kleinman says that there are welfare benefits to working from home, but also points out that communal working is the main driver of growth in cities.

"If people are happier with their working arrangements, then there are probably fewer negative consequences for the economy.

"But cities exist for a reason. Crowding together lots of talent, ideas and institutions is a fundamental driver of economic growth and that hasn't gone away.

"If you have a more dispersed workforce, you're going to lose some of that, which may slow down economic growth in the medium and long term."
Newsletter

Related Articles

0:00
0:00
Close
DJI Launches Heavy-Duty Coaxial Quadcopter with 80 kg Lift Capacity
U.S. Senate Approves Major Legislation Dubbed the 'Big Beautiful Bill'
Largest Healthcare Fraud Takedown in U.S. History Announced by DOJ
Poland Implements Border Checks Amid Growing Migration Tensions
Political Dispute Escalates Between Trump and Musk
Emirates Airline Expands Market Share with New $20 Million Campaign
Amazon Reaches Milestone with Deployment of One Millionth Robot
US Senate Votes to Remove AI Regulation Moratorium from Domestic Policy Bill
Yulia Putintseva Calls for Spectator Ejection at Wimbledon Over Safety Concerns
Jury Deliberations in Diddy Trial Yield Partial Verdict in Serious Criminal Charges
House Oversight Committee Subpoenas Former Jill Biden Aide Amid Investigation into Alleged Concealment of President Biden's Cognitive Health
King Charles Plans Significant Role for Prince Harry in Coronation
Two Chinese Nationals Arrested for Espionage Activities Against U.S. Navy
Amazon Reaches Major Automation Milestone with Over One Million Robots
Extreme Heat Wave Sweeps Across Europe, Hitting Record Temperatures
Meta Announces Formation of Ambitious AI Unit, Meta Superintelligence Labs
Robots Compete in Football Tournament in China Amid Injuries
Trump Administration Considers Withdrawal of Funding for Hospitals Providing Gender Treatment to Minors
Texas Enacts Law Allowing Gold and Silver Transactions
China Unveils Miniature Insect-Like Surveillance Drone
OpenAI Secures Multimillion-Dollar AI Contracts with Pentagon, India, and Grab
Marc Marquez Claims Victory at Dutch Grand Prix Amidst Family Misfortune
Germany Votes to Suspend Family Reunification for Asylum Seekers
Elon Musk Critiques Senate Budget Proposal Over Job Losses and Strategic Risks
Los Angeles Riots ended with Federal Investigations into Funding
Budapest Pride Parade Draws 200,000 Participants Amid Government Ban
Southern Europe Experiences Extreme Heat
Xiaomi's YU7 SUV Launch Garners Record Pre-Orders Amid Market Challenges
Jeff Bezos and Lauren Sanchez's Lavish Wedding in Venice
Russia Launches Largest Air Assault on Ukraine Since Invasion
Education Secretary Announces Overhaul of Complaints System Amid Rising Parental Grievances
Massive Anti-Government Protests Erupt in Belgrade
Trump Ends Trade Talks with Canada Over Digital Services Tax
UK Government Softens Welfare Reform Plans Amid Labour Party Rebellion
Labour Faces Rebellion Over Disability Benefit Reforms Ahead of Key Vote
Jeff Bezos and Lauren Sánchez Host Lavish Wedding in Venice Amid Protests
Trump Asserts Readiness for Further Strikes on Iran Amid Nuclear Tensions
North Korea to Open New Beach Resort to Boost Tourism Economy
UK Labour Party Faces Internal Tensions Over Welfare Reforms
Andrew Cuomo Hints at Potential November Comeback Amid Democratic Primary Results
Curtis Sliwa Champions His Vision for New York City Amid Rising Crime Concerns
Federal Reserve Proposes Changes to Capital Rule Affecting Major Banks
EU TO HUNGARY: LET THEM PRIDE OR PREP FOR SHADE. ORBÁN TO EU: STAY IN YOUR LANE AND FIX YOUR OWN MESS.
Trump Escalates Criticism of Media Over Iran Strike Coverage
Trump Announces Upcoming US-Iran Meeting Amid Controversial Airstrikes
Trump Moves to Reshape Middle East Following Israel-Iran Conflict
Big Four Accounting Firms Fined in Exam Cheating Scandal
NATO Members Agree to 5% Defense Spending Target by 2035
Australia's Star Casino Secures $195 Million Rescue Package Amid Challenges
UK to Enhance Nuclear Capabilities with Acquisition of F-35A Fighter Jets
×