The UK places and jobs where most people worked from home last year

The areas of the UK where most people worked from home during the coronavirus pandemic have been revealed.

The Office for National Statistics (ONS) said the percentage of people working from home more than doubled in 2020.

In its survey of more than 32,000 people, it found that one in four - or 25.9% - worked at home at some point in the week they were surveyed, compared with 12.4% in the same period in 2019.

Large parts of the UK’s population had to work from home at various points of last year’s pandemic, with millions of people put on the government’s furlough scheme.

Earlier this month, prime minister Boris Johnson indicated that work-from-home guidance will be lifted from 21 June at the next easing of England's restrictions roadmap.

Those living in London were the most likely to work from home in 2020, with 46.4% of people employed there doing so last year.

At the other end of the scale, just one in four people (25%) in Northern Ireland worked from home in 2020, and 27% in Scotland and 33.7% in Wales.

Watch: Is Working From Home Bad For The Environment?

When broken down by local authorities, the highest percentage of people working from home last year was in Richmond-upon-Thames in London, with 70.7%.

This was followed by Waverley in Surrey with 68.1%, Lewisham in London with 66.4% and the Orkney Islands in Scotland with 66.2%.

The area with the lowest percentage of employed people working from home during the pandemic was South Ayrshire in Scotland with 9.1%.

Burnley in Lancashire was the next lowest with 13.3%, followed by Middlesbrough in North Yorkshire with 13.7% and Blackpool in Lancashire on 14.5%.

People working in information and communication roles were among the most likely to work from home, with 69.2% of these employees saying they had done so.

This was followed by those in finance and insurance on 63.4% and those in professional, scientific and technical activities on 62%.

Meanwhile, those working in the accommodation and food service sector were the least likely to work from, with just 11.4%.

Area where highest proportion of people worked from home in 2020:

1. Richmond upon Thames 70.7%

2. Waverley 68.1%

3. Lewisham 66.4%

4. Orkney Islands 66.2%

5. Kensington and Chelsea 65.5%

Area where lowest percentage worked from home in 2020:

1. South Ayrshire 9.1%

2. Burnley 13.3%

3. Middlesbrough 13.7%

4. Blackpool 14.5%

5. Slough 14.6%

Watch: People working from home doubles in UK during pandemic