Home   News   National   Article

Highest proportion of adults travelling to work since lockdown – ONS


By PA News

Easier access to your trusted, local news. Subscribe to a digital package and support local news publishing.



Click here to sign up to our free newsletters!

Around two-thirds of working adults travelled to their workplace over a period of seven days – the highest proportion since lockdown measures started to be eased, figures suggest.

Between October 7 and 11, 65% of employees said they travelled to work, either exclusively or in combination with home working, during the previous week, the Office for National Statistics (ONS) said.

This is despite the Government urging people to work from home if possible on September 22.

The ONS said there is “no indication that the longer-term trend of travelling to work has changed”.

Of the 980 working adults, 54% said they exclusively travelled to work and 11% said they had worked from home and commuted in.

It is the highest proportion since lockdown restrictions started easing at the end of May, the ONS said.

A quarter (26%) said they were unable to work from home.

Of those who did work from home, 59% said this was because their employer had asked them to do so, 50% said they were following Government advice and 24% said they normally work from home.

Asked if they intend to work from home during the next week if able to do so, 26% said no.

Passengers wearing face masks on the Jubilee Line in London (Victoria Jones/PA)
Passengers wearing face masks on the Jubilee Line in London (Victoria Jones/PA)

The ONS analysed responses from 1,663 adults in Great Britain to its Opinions and Lifestyle Survey, examining the social impact of coronavirus.

It also found the proportion of adults worried about Covid-19 remains at its highest level since April.

Around three-quarters (74%) of adults said they were very or somewhat worried about the effect of Covid-19 on their life right now.

Some 76% of those who reported living in local lockdown areas said the same.

The study noted that a slightly lower percentage of people in lockdown areas reported socially distancing always or often (77%), compared with those not living in areas subject to restrictions (83%).

But it said this was not a statistically significant difference, adding that it will continue to monitor differences between areas with varying restrictions.

Do you want to respond to this article? If so, click here to submit your thoughts and they may be published in print.

Keep up-to-date with important news from your community, and access exclusive, subscriber only content online. Read a copy of your favourite newspaper on any device via the HNM App.

Learn more


This site uses cookies. By continuing to browse the site you are agreeing to our use of cookies - Learn More