Employers have been told they need to consider the health and safety of staff who have moved to home working as the responsibility remains with the business should an incident occur.

The Health and Safety Executive (HSE), Britain’s national workplace regulator, has issued the call stressing to employers of the need to assess the risks for all home workers.

It comes as over a third of workers in Great Britain now work remotely or in hybrid arrangements, but not all employers realise health and safety responsibilities apply equally at home as in the workplace.

HSE added home and hybrid working is now found across almost every sector and business size. Latest figures from the Office for National Statistics show that in January 2026, 38 percent of workers in Great Britain were working remotely or in some kind of hybrid arrangement (25% hybrid and 13% working fully remotely).

The organisation is advising employers to pay particular attention to three essential areas: stress and mental health, the safe use of display screen equipment (DSE), and the working environment – including accidents, emergencies, and lone working.

“This is a legal duty, not optional guidance,” it warned.

Barbara Hockey, from HSE Engagement and Policy Division, said: “Working from home can deliver benefits to both employers and employees but with more than three in ten workers now working remotely or in a hybrid arrangement, it is important that employers understand their responsibilities.

“The good news for bosses is you do not need to physically visit someone’s home to fulfil your duties, most of the time, the risks are low and the steps to manage them are straightforward, and HSE provides free guidance to support you.

“Practically, this means managers keeping in regular contact with their teams, talking openly about workloads and training needs, and making sure people are not under pressure to work outside their normal working hours.

“It also means having simple conversations about the physical environment by asking staff to visually check that their equipment is safe and not damaged, keeping work areas clear of trailing wires or obstructions, and making sure everyone knows what to do in an emergency.”

The HSE call comes as Think Tank The Work Foundation based at Lancaster University issued the final report of the Inclusive Remote and Hybrid Working Study which found that six years on from the first Covid-19 lockdown, access to remote and hybrid work has become essential to many people who are disabled or have long-term health conditions, enabling them to stay in work.

The study undertook a UK-wide survey of 1,221 disabled people, in-depth interviews with survey participants; and interviews and case studies with human resources professionals, managers, and company owners.

Most of the disabled people who participated in the study reported a strong preference for continuing to work remotely or in a hybrid way, and positive impacts on their health, employment, and personal circumstances.

The report added 46% of participants wanted to work remotely all the time. There was also demand for hybrid working: 25% wanted to work from home four days a week and 27% for three days or less. Only 1.6% wanted to stop working from home.

In total 85% of participants said that having access to remote/hybrid working would be essential or very important if looking for a new job. 79% would not apply for a job without remote options.