The rise of the ‘workation’

The biggest single driver of last year’s property boom was the surge in working from home. For many, the commute went from daily chore to occasional concern, enabling them to move to areas that previously seemed beyond reach, from the Cotswolds to Cornwall.

But others have gone further still – swapping ‘work from home’ for ‘work from anywhere’. These digital nomads typically ditch the nine-to-five or find flexible employers to enable them to decamp to sunnier climes in the greyest months of the year. And during a winter of high energy bills and soaring living costs at home, the trend has been growing. For the estimated four million solo freelancers in the UK and the quarter of the labour force hybrid-working, ‘workations’ are in demand – assuming you are free from schooling and family ties. ‘I Airbnb-ed my flat in Peckham to fund my workation in the Alps and Thailand this winter,’ says Rob, the child-free owner of a small business.