Zoopla names Birmingham as best UK location for remote working

• Birmingham is revealed as the UK’s best location for remote working, scoring 69.8 out of 100 in Zoopla’s analysis
• Hull, Yorkshire and the Humber, takes second spot scoring 65.2 out of 100
• Bradford, West Yorkshire, is third with almost 20,000 remote workers and the lowest average property price of the top three at just under £124k.
• Out of all the UK regions analysed, the south-east of England has the most towns and cities that are best for remote working   

Property website Zoopla, has revealed the best locations for remote working by analysing the average internet speed, number of people working from home, number of cafés, and average property price across the UK. The different towns and cities were each given a total score out of 100 based on these metrics to reveal the best locations.  

In recent months remote working has sky-rocketed to comply with government guidelines, with nearly half of the UK workforce reporting working remotely during the peak of COVID-19. Rewind to 2019 and only 5% of the active UK workforce considered their home as their main place of work. Today many employees are now due to work remotely for the foreseeable future to ensure safety. 

A strong internet connection is important for working remotely as it enables companies and employees to connect, with ONS reporting that 49% of the UK workforce were working remotely during the COVID-19 lockdown. Further research reveals that 83% of employees feel they don’t need to be in an office to be productive, meaning workers can now consider moving further afield to their dream location at a greater distance from their workplace.

With this new exciting possibility, Zoopla has analysed property prices, internet speed, access to cafés and coffee shops, for a change of scenery, and the number of remote workers in over 100 locations across the UK, to reveal the best places in the UK for remote working. 

The top 10 UK locations for remote working

Birmingham, the second-largest city and urban area in England, takes the spot as the UK’s number one location to work remotely, scoring 69.8 out of 100 in Zoopla’s analysis. With over 180 cafés and coffee shops to choose from for a new working environment, and average internet speeds of 74.1Mbps, people can comfortably set up their remote working space. 

Coming in as the second best place for remote working in the UK is Hull, with an overall score of 65.2. The northern port city, which was named the UK’s Capital of Culture in 2017, has over 75 cafés and coffee shops to work remotely and connect with other workers in, as well as an average internet speed of 131.4Mbps. 

Many London city dwellers are now looking to move out of the city to reduce costs and outgoings – Birmingham may be the perfect solution for Londoners who are looking for the busy city life and to work remotely, while also living in a budget-friendly location.

The top five regions with the most remote working locations

The south-east of England is the top region to live in if you want various options for remote working – with 16 locations with great wifi speeds, as well as, a variety of cafés and coffee shops to work from. This region is ideal for the new wave of remote workers who previously commuted into London each day.

There are many benefits to remote working – having a better work-life balance, the flexibility to move working environments, and the option to relocate away from the hustle and bustle to more rural and quieter locations. With the majority of the UK workforce now expected to work from home where they can, the possibilities for relocating are endless.  

Says Tom Parker, Consumer Expert at Zoopla says:

“Over the years the flexibility to work remotely has become an important perk for many people, and although some employers will still want face-to-face working environments, the last four months of lockdown has shown us how the UK workforce can quickly adapt to remote working. With companies now seeing the option to reduce overhead spend and potentially lower the number of people in the office at one time to ensure their safety, there is now the opportunity for employees to move anywhere they want in the UK. 

“Making sure a specific location is equipped for remote working both in the home and surrounding locations, such as cafés and coffee shops can be quite time-consuming. Our analysis is a great starting point for people who are looking to relocate with remote working in mind.” 

Below are the top 5 UK locations for remote working: 

 

 

For latest tech stories go to TechDigest.tv