Areas of Cov & Warks with the most people working from home

WARWICK has one of the highest proportions of people working from home in the UK, figures reveal.

Census data shows the district is in the top 10% of places where remote working is most common, with just under 45% basing themselves at home.

The research by St. Andrews University uses statistics from the Official for National Statistics’ 2021 Census. Nationally, around one third of people were working from home at the time of the census and the areas with the biggest proportion were in London.

In Warwick District however, the proportion was 44.7%. And in some areas of Leamington, it rose to more than 50%.

There were major differences between individual areas and individual wards. In parts of Coventry, such as Radford East and Holbrooks, the proportion of people working from home was below 20%, yet in Earlsdon and Canley gardens it hit 49%.

Rugby Borough, too, saw some areas under the 20% mark yet Dunton, Strettonon-dunsmore and Marton was at 43.6%. In the north of the county, the proportion of people working from home was relatively low, with many areas of the Nuneaton & Bedworth area below 20%. In areas such as New Arley & Fillongley, a third of workers were based at home.

In the south of Warwickshire, the numbers were much higher with several areas of Stratford and the surrounding district above the 40% mark.

Dr David Mccollum, at the University of St. Andrews, noted: “Nearly all of the top areas for working from home were in London and its hinterland. However, Warwick is an interesting exception to this pattern. Here 44.7% of workers worked from home, easily placing it within the top 10 per cent of local authorities within England and Wales for remote working.

“Hosting such an abundance of remote workers can bring tangible benefits to Warwick. Remote workers tend to be highly qualified and concentrated in thriving and well-paid sectors. Attracting and retaining these kinds of professionals can boost the demographic balance and socio-economic profile of areas and stimulate economic regional growth.

“More people spending more of their time in their local area can also have positive impacts on the vibrancy and cohesion of local places.”

Sean Rose, head of policy at the Coventry and Warwickshire Chamber of Commerce, said: “While the data has been taken from a Census in March 2021, there is no doubt that Covid-19 has changed working patterns forever and it is interesting to see which parts of the region have been affected most.

“At the time, there were still some Covid restrictions in place so the numbers might be skewed slightly but there is absolutely no doubt that for many businesses and many individuals that working from home is here to stay. There’s also a wider impact on the economy. It has seen the creation of new co-working spaces and more ‘cafe’ workers and while it has brought new challenges for businesses, it also presents new opportunities too.

“It is something that we continue to speak to members about because there is a balance to ensuring that the new way of working benefits both the individual and the business and that is why we are seeing so many hybrid models introduced by companies.

“And, with recruitment proving to be so difficult for firms, it’s no wonder that those businesses that can offer that kind of model are doing so.

“Covid-19 certainly changed the way so many of us worked at the height of the pandemic and it’s clearly going to have a lasting impact.”