Remote working is now four times as popular among UK businesses as it was in 2004, according to a survey published this week.

Almost half (46 per cent) of employers give staff the option of working either at home or on the move, compared with only 11 per cent three years ago, thanks to improvements in mobile technology and the inadequacy of the transport network, says the Confederation of British Industry.

The potential savings from teleworking are significant, according to telecoms giant BT. Nearly 14,000 of BT’s 104,000 staff work from home, saving the firm £6,000 each per year, it says.