Analysis of the UK’s home internet usage shows that the average UK employee spends eight hours and 35 minutes per week using their home broadband for work purposes.
The research (undertaken prior to the spread of COVID-19) calculates that the hours employees spent using home internet to do work represent more than a third (38%) of their total monthly usage.
With the average monthly broadband bill costing £31.82, this results in £11.94 being spent for their employer’s benefit.
Senior staff appeared to favour making broadband eligible for claiming back on expenses, as almost half (47%) of company owners, board directors and director-level staff believe the full amount should be able to be claimed.
When asked if they would consider requesting to claim their broadband expense back, 17% of UK workers said they’d ask for the full amount, and 37% said they would if they could demonstrate how much of their home internet they used to do their work.
Three-quarters of workers (75%) reported having never claimed back broadband expenses, despite 40% believing that the entire broadband bill should be eligible if used for any work from home.
Seventy-three per cent of workers said they spend at least one hour every week working online at home, 43% spend more than five and 28% spend more than 10 hours.
Emma Spencer, senior channel manager at Moneysupermarket Group, commented: “Working from home is a benefit that many UK workers enjoy, but it’s interesting to consider the tools, like broadband, that they need to do so – and the potential associated costs.”
Further reading
Employers slow to respond to home working requests
Home workers struggling to switch off
Legal-ease: Home working considerations
