Working at home: Statistical evidence for seven key hypotheses

It is frequently suggested that working at home will be the future of work for many people in the UK and that trends in this direction are already wel l underway This paper examines these claims by analysing data from the Labo ur Force Survey which has, at various times, asked questions about the loca tion of work. Seven key hypotheses are identified, including issues surroun ding the extent and growth of working working at home, reliance on informat ion and communication technology, prevalence of low pay, average pay rates, gender issues, ethnic minority participation and household composition. Th e results paint a variegated and complex picture which suggests that those who work at home do not comprise a homogeneous group. The paper in particul ar highlights differences between non-manual and manual workers, and those who work mainly, partially acid sometimes at home.