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More than one in ten Britons say their employer has already threatened pay cuts if they continue to work from home, a survey found today as London’s morning rush hour became busier for the third day in a row.
Some 11 per cent of people said discussions had taken place within their business about the possibility of pay cuts – while two-thirds claimed they would consider leaving their job if their employer suggested this to them.
The study by CV-Library came as data from location technology firm TomTom showed morning rush hour congestion on London’s roads rose again today to become significantly higher than pre-pandemic levels.
Congestion hit 79 per cent at 8am – well above the 67 per cent on the same day and time in 2019, and 51 per cent in 2020. The figure was also up on yesterday’s 8am level of 76 per cent and Monday’s 8am figure of 61 per cent.
Meanwhile photographs showed hordes of commuters walking through Clapham Junction on their way to work this morning, with Britain’s busiest interchange station looking back to normal in passenger number levels.
But Underground usage is still at only half pre-pandemic levels this week as people continue to work from home – despite commuters returning to the network which is now at its busiest in 18 months. Separately, the Department for Transport said demand for buses outside London has reached its highest weekday level since March 2020.
The number of journeys made on buses in Britain excluding London was at 69 per cent of pre-pandemic levels on Monday, the DfT said. Road traffic was at 100 per cent of pre-crisis levels while demand for rail was at 60 per cent.
Commuters stand on a platform at Clapham Junction train station in South West London during the morning rush hour today
Commuters wait for a train on a platform at Clapham Junction train station this morning as they make their way into the office
Data showed morning rush hour congestion in London rose again today to become much higher than pre-pandemic levels
Transport for London data shows bus and Tube usage has been rising but is still well below pre-pandemic levels in early 2020
The Tube had its busiest morning rush hour since March 2020 for the third day in a row today, with 1.1million Oyster and contactless ‘taps’ up to 10am this morning, which was up 18 per cent on last week.
Split by time period this morning, taps on the Underground were up 20 per cent on last week for the 7am to 8am slot, up 25 per cent for the 8am to 9am period, and up 16 per cent for the 9am to 10am slot.
But overall Tube usage this morning was still only at 48 per cent of the pre-pandemic level in 2019. Transport for London told MailOnline that figures for Tube and bus usage have increased every day so far this week.
Bus usage has recovered much better than Tube, and is now at 69 per cent of the pre-pandemic level. There were 1.2million taps this morning up to 10am which is up 42 per cent on last week – much of which is due to the return of schools after the summer holidays.
Bus taps were up 65 per cent on last week for the 7am to 8am period, up 75 per cent for the 8am to 9am slot and up 21 per cent for the 9am to 10am period.
The survey from CV-Library revealed three-quarters (74 per cent) of professionals think it is unfair for an employer to suggest a pay cut if a member of staff spends time working remotely or from home.
And 69 per cent reported that they would consider leaving their job if their boss made the suggestion to them.
However, 19 per cent agreed that it was a fair suggestion, but only if an employee now worked on a remote basis, or from home, full time. Some 7 per cent agreed, regardless of the remote split.
Of those prepared to stay in their roles, 43 per cent said they would accept a 5 per cent pay cut, 21 per cent said they would take a 10 per cent pay drop and 6 per cent would even agree to a 20 per cent reduction.
Some 27 per cent reported that they would stay but would not agree to any pay cut. Of the almost 1,500 respondents, some 11 per cent said the topic of a pay cut had already been mentioned.
The study also found 82.2 per cent said that had worked remotely at some point since the pandemic began.
Lee Biggins, founder of CV-Library, said: ‘Contractual obligations, weighting allowances and individual circumstances will be unique to each business. What is apparent is that flexible working is here to stay and we’re in a candidate led market with job postings at a record high.’
Commuters stand on a platform at Clapham Junction station during the morning rush hour in South West London today
Commuters stand on a platform at Clapham Junction station today as people make their way to work in the capital
Rail passengers wait for a train today on a platform at Clapham Junction, which is Britain’s busiest interchange station
Commuters wait for a train at Clapham Junction train station this morning as they make their way to work
Commuters walk along the bridge linking platforms at Clapham Junction station on their way to work in London this morning
Commuters stand on a platform at Clapham Junction station today during the morning rush hour in the capital
Commuters walk along the bridge above the platforms at Clapham Junction train station in South West London today
Commuters stand on a platform at Clapham Junction station today as people continue to head back into the office
Commuters walk through Clapham Junction train station during the morning rush hour today in South West London
Meanwhile, data from Zoopla has suggested the fall in London’s residential rent market appears to have bottomed out – with the figures suggesting rental growth will return to positive territory by early 2022.
The average London rent was down to -9.4 per cent year-on-year in January, but this is now at -3.8 per cent.
Kate Eales, from estate agents Strutt and Parker, told City AM: ‘Now that restrictions on travel are easing, short term stock will come out of the rental market and students will likely return, which in turn could see an increase in growth.’
Zoopla added that rents outside London are increasing at their fastest pace in more than a decade as tenants swing back into city life.
The increase means renters face paying nearly £500 more per year than they did a year ago.
Rental prices across the UK, excluding London, are up by 5 per cent year on year, driven by soaring demand in major cities amid limited supply, the report said.
The 5 per cent increase is the biggest since Zoopla’s index started in 2008.
Average rents for the UK, excluding London, were put at £790 per month, up from £752 a year ago. This adds up to renters paying an average of £456 more per year.
Grainne Gilmore , head of research at Zoopla, said: ‘The strong levels of rental demand seen across the UK during August will moderate in line with seasonal trends, but overall demand for rental property is likely to remain higher than usual in the coming months, amid this swing back to city life.
‘As ever, much will be dependent on the extent to which the current rules around Covid continue as they are.
‘But given no deviation from the current landscape, the demand for rental property, coupled with lower levels of supply, will continue to put upward pressure on rents. In London, this will translate into rental growth returning to positive territory late 2021 or early 2022.’
Meanwhile Vaccines Minister Nadhim Zahawi revealed yesterday that only a quarter of his team work in the office at any one time and said he wanted to ‘lead by example’ in encouraging civil servants back to the workplace.
Apple mobility data – which monitors directions requested on its Maps app – showed that over the past month, people have been using public transport, driving or walking more than before the pandemic began in early 2020.
Passengers on board a Jubilee line Underground train at London Bridge station during the morning rush hour today
Passengers on board the 8.30am train service from Bristol Temple Meads to London Paddington this morning
Commuters at Birmingham New Street station this morning as people head back into the office after the summer holidays
Passengers board the 8.30am Great Western Railway train from Bristol Temple Meads to London Paddington this morning
Rail passengers wait for a train on the platform at Bristol Temple Meads train station during the morning rush hour today
The platform at Bath Spa train station this morning during rush hour as people board a Great Western Railway service
Commuters walk through the Deansgate area of Manchester this morning during the rush hour period today
Requests for walking directions in London are now up by as much as 70 per cent compared to January 2020, while public transport usage has risen by as much as 60 per cent compared to then – and driving is up by 40 per cent.
The Apple data is more likely to show figures for leisure trips, given that people will generally not request directions to and from the office given that this is a journey they regularly carry out.
It comes as one government source told MailOnline they had been shocked to find civil servants reinstating social distancing measures in their department.
The source said: ‘There were officials putting social distancing restrictions back in place. We said, ”what are you doing? We are trying to get more people in, not close off desks.’. We can’t get them to do one day a week, let alone three.’
Earlier this week a spokesman for Boris Johnson said the Prime Minister wanted to see a ‘gradual return of people to the workplaces’ in the Civil Service, outlining the ‘significant benefits’ of office-based working.
Property rents outside London are increasing at their fastest pace in more than a decade as city life returns
Rents outside London are increasing at their fastest pace in more than a decade as tenants swing back into city life, according to a property website which says renters face paying nearly £500 more per year than they did a year ago.
Rental prices across the UK, excluding London, are up by 5 per cent year on year, driven by soaring demand in major cities amid limited supply, the report said. The 5 per cent increase is the biggest since Zoopla’s index started in 2008.
Average rents for the UK, excluding London, were put at £790 per month, up from £752 a year ago. This adds up to renters paying an average of £456 more per year.
Grainne Gilmore, head of research at Zoopla, said: ‘The strong levels of rental demand seen across the UK during August will moderate in line with seasonal trends, but overall demand for rental property is likely to remain higher than usual in the coming months, amid this swing back to city life.
‘As ever, much will be dependent on the extent to which the current rules around Covid continue as they are. But given no deviation from the current landscape, the demand for rental property, coupled with lower levels of supply, will continue to put upward pressure on rents.
‘In London, this will translate into rental growth returning to positive territory late 2021 or early 2022.’
