Teleworking a popular choice for the self-employed

Working from home is on the rise in the UK, though it's still largely for the self-employed.

As of spring 2005, eight per cent of the country's workers were defined as teleworkers - people who work primarily from home and use a computer and telephone - according to the Office of National Statistics (ONS). That's level with last year but more than double the number of teleworkers eight years ago.

The majority and fastest growing category of teleworkers work in a variety of locations but use their home as a base. They account for 1.8 million of the UK's 2.5 million teleworkers, and their percentage of the workforce grew to six per cent from two per cent in 1997.

Of the country's 3.1 million homeworkers - those who work at home but may or may not use computers and telephones - 77 per cent were teleworkers in spring 2005, compared to just 40 per cent eight years ago.

The ONS report Labour Market Trends: October 2005 said: "[Teleworking] potentially widens opportunities for people to participate and remain in employment. Teleworking also has the potential to change working patterns and to impact on the health, safety and welfare of the workers involved."

Teleworking, however, remains largely the domain of the self-employed: 62 per cent of teleworkers are self-employed and 41 per cent of self-employed people are teleworkers, as opposed to just four per cent of employees.

Recently, UK cable firm Telewest was fined for refusing to grant suitable flexible working arrangements to one of its employees.