Labour is planning to make it harder for businesses to refuse staff requests to work from home, according to minister Louise Haigh. Speaking at the TUC Conference in place of Andy Burnham, Haigh said firms that want to turn down flexible working requests will have to meet employees face-to-face to explain their reasoning, building on the government's wider pro-worker agenda that has already delivered the Employment Rights Act.

Haigh told delegates that "life isn't always as neat as employers would like it to be," citing childcare and caring responsibilities as reasons workers need flexibility. TUC general secretary Paul Nowak welcomed the proposal, saying it gives workers "a stronger voice" and would benefit businesses and the economy through improved productivity and staff retention.