Households are fearful of the return to working in the office

NEARLY a quarter of households fear that returning to the office will put their finances under pressure after five months of working from home during lockdown, a survey has shown.

The latest household financial confidence tracker for comparethemarket. com showed 23% of households worry about a hit to their finances from the cost of commuting, fuel and lunches when they go back to the office.

More than a third (34%) of those surveyed said they were worried because lockdown had already seen a reduction in their disposable income, while 20% said their income had been cut due to someone in their household being made redundant or put on furlough.

The study showed households estimate they spent around £230 a month, or £58 each week, on lunch and drinks, transport and discretionary shopping when working in the office. The poll also revealed only 11% of people planned to return to their place of work full-time at the beginning of August.

Some families have been able to boost their savings thanks to lower outgoings amid the lockdown, saving on average £560 over the past 18 weeks.

But nearly 17% of people surveyed are worried a return to the office could have an impact on their savings.

Workers are looking at ways to offset the cost of returning to their workplace, with 58% planning to make their own packed lunches, 13% aiming to walk or cycle to work and 17% hoping to work from home more often, according to the study.