Petition · Department for Business and Trade

Make Remote Working a Legal Right Where Roles Can Be Performed From Home

Open for signatures 138 signatures

What the petition asks

Grant employees a legal right to work from home where their role can be performed remotely and performance standards are met. Employers must provide clear, evidence-based reasons to refuse, rather than relying on preference or assumption. This right should be enforceable in law.
Evidence since COVID-19 shows remote working can improve productivity, wellbeing, and reduce sickness absence, commuting costs and emissions. Despite this, many employers require office attendance without objective justification. Employees must prove remote work is effective, while employers can refuse it on broad grounds. A legal right would create fairness, consistency and evidence-based decisions. It would modernise UK employment law.

Timeline

24 Apr 2026 Petition opened for signatures

Key facts

Signatures 138
Status Open for signatures
Department Department for Business and Trade
Opened 24 Apr 2026

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Source: the official petition page. Last checked 26 Jul 2026.