Home Business News Almost half of British freelancers are unable to work from home due to rising costs

Almost half of British freelancers are unable to work from home due to rising costs

by LLB Reporter
14th Feb 23 12:18 pm

As Brits tackle the rising cost of living, new data released from Sky Connect – Sky’s B2B telecoms business – reveals that the majority (87%) of freelancers and remote workers are concerned about the impact working from home is having on their energy bills.

In fact, more than three quarters (78%) said that January’s arctic blast made working conditions uncomfortable.

The Sky Connect study of 1,000 freelancers and remote workers in the UK found that nearly half (48%) have felt forced to work from an alternate location – including their local cafe, pub, or library – at least once due to the cost-of-living crisis.

When asked, remote workers cited saving money on heating costs (57%), saving money on energy bills (70%), avoiding commuter costs (27%) and not having to pay for expensive co-working spaces (27%) as the main reasons for turning to these alternate hospitality locations.

With the rising cost of living continuing to put a strain on the UK, remote and freelance workers are seemingly turning to small businesses for a warm and cost-effective place to work. But 72% said that in spite of relying on these alternate venues, unreliable connectivity has been a big concern when choosing where to work from.

However, it’s not all doom and gloom. 70% said that they’d be more likely to work from alternate locations like their local cafe more regularly at least once a week, if they offered reliable guest WiFi.

Stacey Hill, Director of Sales and Operations at Sky Connect said, “The cost-of-living crisis is a huge concern for consumers and small businesses alike. But for those spending the most time at home, increasing energy bills are understandably putting a strain on personal finances.

“Whilst it’s great to see these workers supporting their local small businesses during an increasingly challenging time for hospitality, it’ll be important that SMEs create a working environment that keeps these more regular customers coming back. This means offering a reliable and secure guest WiFi service that improves customers overall experience.”

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