Govt to lift England work-from-home restrictions on Aug 1

Work-from-home restrictions in England will be lifted on August 1, the government said on Friday as it aimed for a post-coronavirus return to "normality" by Christmas despite fears from scientists and employer groups.

Employers will be left to decide on whether employees can return to work as part of a series of measures to get the economy restarted, despite warnings on Thursday from the government’s chief science advisor that there was no need to relax current guidance.

Prime Minister Boris Johnson, who has faced severe criticism over his handling of the crisis and the veracity of government data on testing and deaths, said staying at home was just "one way" of working safely.

Chief scientific advisor Patrick Vallance told parliament’s science committee there was "absolutely no reason" to change current advice, which states that people who can work from home should continue to do so.

"Of the various distancing measures, working from home for many companies remains a perfectly good option because it’s easy to do," he told MPs.

The Institute of Directors said there was "a significant amount of caution out there" about the risks associated with a mass return to work, adding that two thirds of its members intended to retain flexible working when the lockdown ends.

"Many businesses will welcome the announcement today that guidance on going to work is changing, and it's sensible that they have been given advance notice so that they can consult with staff and prepare workplaces," said the IoD’s director of policy Edwin Morgan.

"Directors need to balance the risks, and won’t want to increase the possibility of closures down the line by rushing back. On top of this, not everything is in a company’s control."

Morgan said childcare provision and use of public transport were still concerns that businesses would have to deal sensitively with.

"There’s no doubt that businesses reliant on commuter custom are facing immense difficulties, and more support may be needed. At the same time, it’s not clear that the desire to return quickly to the previous ‘normal’ is there," he added.

London Mayor Sadiq Khan attacked what he called "continued mixed messages and confused communications from the government".

"It is important that we get our country and economy moving again, but this can only happen if people continue to follow the guidance and the virus is kept under control," he said.

"Rather than passing the buck to employers, the government must get a grip on the virus so people have the confidence to go out and about and to return to their workplaces when it is safe to do so. We need to make sure the Test, Trace, Isolate system is fully functional as soon as possible."