Surrey and the wider Southeast of England form a highly connected economic region, combining affluent commuter towns, urban centres, coastal settlements and rural areas. Its proximity to London, strong transport connections and concentration of professional and high-skilled sectors make it one of the UK’s most suitable regions for remote and hybrid work. Remote working has become increasingly widespread since the Covid-19 pandemic, although access and impacts vary across locations, sectors and groups.

How remote work is changing Surrey

One of the most visible changes is the growing shift towards more flexible and decentralised working environments. Companies are adapting offices to hybrid working, while co-working spaces, work-friendly cafés and smaller local work hubs are becoming more common in towns and suburban areas. Some office buildings are being converted into residential uses, while households are adapting homes through extensions, converted rooms and dedicated garden offices.

Remote work is also influencing where people choose to live. The proximity to London, high housing costs and the desire for more space and better quality of life have encouraged some households to move towards suburban, rural and coastal areas. This has contributed to rising housing demand and prices in some commuter towns, particularly in parts of Surrey. Hybrid working is also changing commuting patterns, with fewer journeys on Mondays and Fridays but continued peaks during the middle of the week. More localised working patterns are supporting cafés, services and other businesses outside traditional city centres. However, these benefits are not equally distributed: rural areas can face weaker digital connectivity, while workers in lower-paid or more location-dependent occupations have fewer opportunities to work remotely.

What is driving these changes?

Several factors shape Surrey and Southeast England’s remote work landscape:

• The concentration of knowledge-based employment matters. Professional, scientific, financial and other high-skilled sectors offer greater opportunities for remote work, while occupations requiring physical presence remain more dependent on traditional workplaces.
• Housing and quality of life influence relocation. High housing costs around London and demand for more space encourage some people to consider suburban, rural and coastal locations.
• Transport and digital connectivity shape flexibility. Strong transport links support longer-distance commuting on fewer days, while reliable broadband enables greater flexibility. However, rural connectivity gaps remain.
• Workplace culture and policy influence adoption. Covid-19 accelerated remote working, while flexible-working legislation supports greater choice. But, employer expectations around office presence continue to shape flexibility.
• Social factors and well-being shape who benefits. Remote work can improve work-life balance and support childcare, but some workers experience social isolation and difficulties separating work from home, while differences in digital skills, age and occupation create unequal experiences.

Looking ahead

Remote work is likely to continue influencing Surrey and the Southeast, particularly through more decentralised working and changing demand for homes, offices and local services. Future developments will depend on addressing housing pressures, digital inequalities and differences in access to flexible work.

The findings presented here are based on research conducted within the R-Map project, including desk research, expert interviews and a regional citizen survey.