The Prime Minister has been accused of ‘passing the buck’ when it comes to whether people should go back to the office.

At the moment, government advice is that people should work from home where possible.

But at a press conference earlier today, Boris Johnson said that decisions about where staff worked should be made by employers from August 1.

He said that from next month, provided so-called Covid-secure measures are adhered to, employers ‘should be encouraging people to get back to work where that is right for that employee’.

Speaking from Downing Street, he said: ‘It is not for government to decide how employers should run their companies and whether they want their workforces in the office or not – that is for companies.’

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His comments appear at odds with his chief scientific adviser, Sir Patrick Vallance, who has said there is ‘absolutely no reason’ to change the working from home advice.

The new messaging applies only to England, and Welsh First Minister Mark Drakeford, speaking shortly after Mr Johnson’s press conference, said his government’s advice to workers remains to ‘stay at home and work from home’ if they are able to do so.

But the Prime Minister’s change of stance was criticised.

The TUC said there is a lot for employers to do before they can reopen the workplace, including risk assessments and consultations with unions.

General secretary Frances O’Grady said: ‘We all want to get the economy up and running as quickly as possible. Returns to workplaces must happen in a phased and safe way.

‘The Government is passing the buck on this big decision to employers.’

The Federation of Small Businesses (FSB) said some employers will be concerned that the Government appears to be ‘reducing its direction’ as restrictions are lifted.

National chairman Mike Cherry said: ‘Many will be feeling hopeful following the Prime Minister’s intervention today – especially those across England that rely on commuter footfall, host events or conduct face-to-face beauty treatments.

‘But others will worry that the Government is reducing its direction on the unlocking process, in contrast to how it managed the lockdown.’

British Chambers of Commerce director general Adam Marshall said ‘crystal clear’ guidance is needed for employers to decide on reopening offices.

He said other factors such as schools reopening, childcare and the capacity of public transport will all influence decisions on people coming back to work.

HR body CIPD said a recent survey it had done showed some employers plan to double the proportion of staff who work from home regularly beyond the pandemic.

The findings of a separate survey of more than 1,000 employees suggested almost half (49%) of people who are not currently attending their workplace are anxious about returning, it said.

But Dave Penman, general secretary of the FDA union which represents civil servants, said some workers who are living with parents or in shared accommodation without space for a home working environment are ‘champing at the bit’ to get back to the office.

He said the union felt ‘quite hopeful’ at the commitment that employees will be consulted.

He said: ‘There’s been a lot of messaging has been very confusing from the Government around some of this stuff.

‘I actually thought today was one of the Prime Minster’s better statements around all of this and reflected I think the difficulties of all of those competing pressures – kick-starting the economy, dealing with people who want to come back to work, not actually wanting a complete return to normal yet because we’re not there yet, and then how the Government balances all of that is quite difficult.’

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