Brits could continue remote working as Government look to bring in a 'legal right to work from home'

24 March 2021, 14:54

You could soon have the option of more flexi-working hours. Picture: Getty

By Alice Dear

The Government are reportedly looking to make Flexi-working permeant.

Brits could be given the chance to choose whether they continue working from home.

According to reports, The Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy are expected to look at extending the flexible working rights later this year.

This comes over a year after millions of workers were sent home to continue remotely working amid the coronavirus pandemic.

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People could have the opportunity to skip the busy commutes into work. Picture: Getty

A source told The Times that "some Government figures" want to "enshrine a simple legal right to work from home".

They added: "Covid has moved the flexible working agenda on years.

"As we recover from lockdown there’s lots we can do to keep the freedoms people have gained to set their own working patterns."

The Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy are expected to look at extending the flexible working rights later this year. Picture: Getty

Current rules state that employees can request remote working from their employer, and that this must be considered in a 'reasonable manner'.

The request should be complete within three months.

Boris Johnson said he believes people miss face-to-face interaction at work. Picture: Getty

Before Covid-19 put a delay to Government plans, the Conservatives did promise in their 2019 manifesto that they would "encourage flexible working and consult on making it the default unless employers have good reasons not to".

This comes after Prime Minister Boris Johnson addressed Brits' new attitudes towards working from home.

Speaking in a virtual rail industry conference, Mr Johnson said: "I know that some people may imagine that all conferences are going be like this, held over Zoom, Teams or what have you and we've got to prepare for a new age in which people don't move around, do things remotely, they don't commute any more."

The Government said they are 'committed to consult on making flexible working the default'. Picture: Getty

However, he went on to say during a recent Downing Street press conference: "I don’t believe this is going to mean a fundamental change to the way our life in our big cities really work.

"The better remote communication gets and the more people can see each other and talk on mobile devices, the more actually they want to see each other face to face.

"And that, I’m sure, will come back and I think that London, our great cities, will be full of buzz and life and excitement again, provided that people have confidence about going back into those city centres."

A government spokesperson told The Sun: "We have committed to consult on making flexible working the default unless employers have good reasons not to.

"This consultation will be launched in due course."

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