National statistics

National Travel Survey 2021: Working from home

Published 31 August 2022

Applies to England

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This publication is available at https://www.gov.uk/government/statistics/national-travel-survey-2021/national-travel-survey-2021-working-from-home

About this release

The National Travel Survey (NTS) is a household survey of personal travel by residents of England travelling within Great Britain, from data collected via interviews and a seven-day travel diary, which enables analysis of patterns and trends. This release covers the main findings from these travel behaviours during 2021. The coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic from March 2020, has had a substantial impact on travel trends in 2020 and 2021 and has affected the operation of this survey.

Fieldwork for the NTS 2021 survey continued to be impacted by the coronavirus restrictions from March 2020, with data collection combining the approach used in 2020 with interviews being conducted via telephone (push-to-telephone approach) instead of face-to-face, and to increase response rates, doorstep recruitment by trained interviewers with interviews being conducted over the telephone (knock-to-nudge approach).

Response rates to the survey in 2021 were halfway between 2019 levels (14,356 individuals) and 2020 levels (6,239 individuals) with 9,971 individuals participating in the survey, an increase of 60% compared to 2020, but a decrease of 31% compared to 2019. Consequently, caution is needed when interpreting these results for 2020 and 2021 as they are likely to be less representative of residents of England compared to previous years. Please see our technical note for more details.

Chart 28: Frequency of working from home (aged 17+): England, 2019, 2020 and 2021 (ad hoc analyses NTSQ09026)

The frequency of working from home in 2021 was similar to levels observed in 2020 when restrictions were first placed on personal travel during the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic, and the rise in home-based working arrangements. In 2021, 11% of people reported to have worked from home 3 or more times a week at the time of interview in 2021, the same as 2020, and up from 3% in 2019. The proportion of people working from home once or twice a week in 2021 was 10%, the same as in 2020, but slightly higher than in 2019 (8%).

In 2021 there were slightly less people working from home once or twice a month at 3% compared to 4% in 2020 and 5% in 2019, and slightly less people working from home less than once a month, more than twice a year at 1%, compared to 2% in 2020 and 3% in 2019. There were 71% of people in 2021 who reported to have worked from home less than once a year or never, this was slightly higher than in 2020 with 70%, but lower than in 2019 with 77%.

Chart 29: Frequency of working from home by sex (aged 17+): England, 2019, 2020 and 2021 (ad hoc analyses NTSQ09027)

There are some differences in the frequency of people reporting to have worked from home by sex and these proportions have changed slightly compared to 2020. In 2021, the proportion of females working from home 3 or more times a week was 12%, slightly higher than 11% in 2020 and much higher than 3% in 2019. This proportion was 10% for males in 2021, slightly less than 11% in 2020 but higher than 3% in 2019.

The proportion of females working from home once or twice a week was 11% and for males 9% in 2021, this proportion was 9% for females and 10% for males in 2020, and 8% for both males and females in 2019. Fewer females reported to have worked from home less than once a year or never at the time of interview in 2021with 70% compared to 72% of males. This proportion was 71% for females and 68% for males in 2020, and 79% for females and 76% for males in 2019.

Chart 30: Frequency of working from home by age (aged 17+): England, 2019, 2020 and 2021 (ad hoc analyses NTSQ09028)

The frequency of reported working from home also differs by age band and these proportions have changed slightly in 2021 compared to 2020. In 2021, 13% of those in the 40 to 49 years age band had reported to have worked from home 3 or more times a week at the time of interview in 2021, a higher proportion than other age groups. This proportion was the same in 2020, but much higher than 4% in 2019.

For those aged 17 to 39, the proportion of people working from home 3 or more times a week was slightly higher in 2021 compared to 2020. The proportion of people working from home once or twice a week was highest amongst the 30 to 39 years and 40 to 49 years age bands with 12% in 2021.

For those aged 70+, the most common frequency of working from home where it was done more than once a year, was once or twice a week at 10%. The proportion of people reporting working from home less than once a year or never was the smallest amongst the 40 to 49 year age band with 65%, and the highest proportion was amongst 17 to 20 year olds, where 95% reported to have worked from home less than once a year or never in 2021.

Background information

The 2021 National Travel Survey (NTS) is the latest in a series of household surveys of personal travel by residents of England travelling within Great Britain, from data collected via interviews and a seven-day travel diary. The NTS is part of a continuous survey that began in 1988, following ad-hoc surveys from the 1960s, which enables analysis of patterns and trends.

Some key uses of the data include describing patterns, for example how different groups of people travel, monitoring trends in travel, including sustainable modes; assessing the potential equality impacts of different groups; and contributing to the evaluation of policies.

We always welcome feedback to help ensure that the survey meets the needs of users, and any feedback provided will help inform the future design and development of the survey. If you have any feedback, please email National Travel Survey statistics.

Have your say in influencing future NTS regularly published content through this short user consultation survey!

The NTS statistics team are conducting a review of our publication to better meet users’ needs. This short survey invites NTS users to provide details of how NTS data are used, help us understand whether we can safely discontinue some publication content, and whether other information collected within the NTS questionnaire or travel diary would be useful to have regularly published. The information collected from this survey will form evidence for the discontinuation or the addition of regular published NTS statistics.

Please complete this short survey, which should take around 10 minutes to complete, for your chance to influence future NTS publication content.

National Statistics

These statistics are designated as National Statistics. National Statistics are produced to high professional standards as set out in the Code of Practice for Statistics. The Code of Practice for Statistics plays an essential role in ensuring that statistics published by government inspire the public confidence through demonstrating trustworthiness and providing high-quality statistics. These statistics were designated as National Statistics in July 2011. The continued designation was confirmed in September 2018.

Further information about these statistics is available, including:

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Public (email): National Travel Survey statistics

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