Revealed: The Best Places for Flexible Working

Adapting to a new way of living and working has caused many of us to rethink our current circumstances and where we put down roots.

So, which areas of the UK are the best for flexible working? New research from Ready Steady Store discovered exactly where the best cities, towns and London boroughs for flexible working in 2021 are, and analysed a variety of factors including:

– Number of remote jobs available in a 25-mile radius
– Life satisfaction out of 10
– Average number of parks, public gardens or playing fields within 1,000m radius
– % of remote working jobs in 25-mile vicinity
– Number of networks offering 5G
– Average cost of living (£)
– Average cost of two-bed rent

“With more and more businesses recruiting from a wider pool and many of us now working much more flexibly, it’s no surprise that people are taking advantage of the affordability of smaller towns and cities. What’s interesting to note, however, is that those that topped the list were all located near to major towns or cities. This is proof that it’s not just working from home that’s important, but flexibility as a whole – people want to work from anywhere, but also be able to travel into the office easily a few times a week, so it’s important they’re not too far removed from the city.” – Mehran Chania, CEO of Ready Steady Store.

The best cities for flexible working

Top 5:
Bradford – 28.3
Stoke – 28.1
Newcastle – 26.83
Leicester – 26.83
Leeds – 26.33

Out of all the cities in the UK, Bradford topped the list for flexible working. Given its close proximity to Leeds, which is home to corporations like Channel 4, ASDA and Sky Betting, along with its cheaper housing market, this doesn’t come as a huge surprise. Bradford also has a lower cost of living and a good amount of remote jobs available within 25 miles. All cities in the top five are either in the Midlands or the North of England and rent for a two-bedroom flat is less than £700.

The best towns for flexible working

Top 5:
Stockport – 24
Warrington – 23.75
St. Helens – 23.5
Blackburn – 23.5
Gateshead – 21

Many of us are looking to escape to a more rural area, or away from the hustle and bustle of a city. When considering the most popular towns for flexible working, those that topped the list were all located just outside of huge cities like Manchester and Liverpool – proof that, while we’re happy to live slightly further away from urban areas, we still want to be close enough that we can pop into work as and when we fancy it.

Similarly to cities, the best towns for flexible working are based in the North of England. Rent is much cheaper in these towns, with a two-bed apartment costing just £450 in Blackburn, which has a life satisfaction score of 7.8.

Read more about Ready Steady Store’s research here