Rising Costs And Work-Life Balance Are Driving Britain’s Home Business Boom

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Britain's entrepreneurs are increasingly choosing to run businesses from home as rising commercial costs, greater flexibility and changing attitudes towards work reshape the country's small business landscape.

New research from Dunster House, garden building specialists, found that almost half (46%) of home business owners now rely on their venture as their primary source of income, while a further 28% say it provides a significant financial contribution to their household finances.

The findings suggest that home businesses have evolved far beyond side hustles, with many entrepreneurs deliberately building long-term businesses from spare bedrooms, garages, garden rooms, and other home workspaces.

When asked what motivated them to start a home-based business, respondents overwhelmingly cited lifestyle benefits over financial necessity, with nearly half saying that a better work-life balance was their top motivator.

Why are Brits choosing to run businesses from home?

Motivation	% of respondents
Better work-life balance	47%
Wanted to work remotely or from home	36%
Wanted more flexibility	36%
Turned a hobby or passion into a business	32%
Wanted to leave their job	31%
Wanted to spend more time with family	29%
Started a side hustle to earn additional income	22%
Renting commercial space was too expensive	14%
COVID-19 prompted a change in direction	12%

Although the data shows that quality-of-life factors dominate, cost remains an important consideration. Commercial property rents in the UK have risen by an average of 3.1% annually as of mid-2026, according to the Carter Jonas Commercial Market Outlook and with this rise, many entrepreneurs are choosing to invest in their own properties rather than commit to expensive premises.

Christopher Murphy MBE, founder of Dunster House, said:

"For many entrepreneurs, running a business from home removes one of the biggest barriers to getting started, the cost of commercial premises. As rents and operating costs continue to rise, more people are realising they don't need a high street unit or office lease to build a successful business. Home working has made entrepreneurship more accessible, allowing people to invest in growing their business rather than covering overheads."

55% regularly work evenings and weekends as home businesses blur work-life boundaries

Despite the flexibility and freedom, there are some payoffs that are being experienced by those who do business out of their home. Many entrepreneurs admit that separating work and home life can be difficult.

More than half (55%) say they regularly work evenings and weekends, while almost half (48%) have experienced loneliness or isolation because of running a business from home.

Meanwhile, one in three (33%) have had customers unexpectedly turn up at their home, highlighting the difficulties many face in maintaining professional boundaries. The findings also reveal the growing pressure that businesses can place on domestic spaces, with 58% saying their enterprise has taken over parts of their personal living environment.

To address these challenges, many entrepreneurs are investing heavily in dedicated workspaces. Nearly two-thirds (62%) have already spent money improving their workspace, with respondents investing an average of £5,170 into creating environments better suited to running a business.

When asked what improvements they would make if budget were no obstacle, better broadband and Wi-Fi (34%), improved heating and air conditioning (34%), and a fully insulated garden office (32%) topped the list.

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May 30, 2025
2 min read

A Surrey process filter manufacturer is set to highlight how its industrial-strength products and solutions can help maintain standards and drive improvements in the public water supply.

Experts from Camberley-based Amazon Filters will focus on water companies’ need for ‘source-to-tap’ risk management and operational planning when they exhibit at the tenth annual Drinking Water Quality Conference.

The two-day event, at the National Conference Centre in Birmingham on 5 to 6 June, is themed on ‘securing drinking water quality now and in the future’.

More than 250 attendees are expected including representatives of water companies, regulators, inspectors, contractors, research bodies and government organisations. It comes as the UK water industry begins to manage assets, deliver services and invest in infrastructure under the latest five-year regulatory cycle, AMP8, running from this year to 2030.

Amazon Filters’ Head of UK Sales Lisa Astbury and Sales Engineer Gareth Davies will both be on the company’s exhibition stand. Lisa said:

“We have made and supplied filters, housings and critical filtration solutions to the water industry in the UK and Europe for 40 years, helping to safeguard precious water resources right the way through from source to tap."

“We support essential activities such as drought and flood management, emergency response, turbidity control, chlorine reduction and the removal of iron, manganese, cryptosporidium and other contaminants and chemicals."

“The successful management and performance of all these activities over the next five years will be an essential aspect of water companies’ response to AMP8.”

Among the products Amazon Filters is exhibiting is SupaSpun II, an absolute-rated depth filter that is on the approved list for use in the public water supply under DWI Regulation 31.

Later this year, Amazon Filters will be a breakout sponsor of another major industry event, WWT Drinking Water Quality Europe, taking place in Amsterdam on 5 to 6 November.

The conference agenda there will feature a presentation by the company’s Technical Manager, Keith Wickert, on technology enhancements and water treatment innovation. In his role, Keith is responsible for managing the regulatory approvals for filters including German DVGW certification and, in the UK, DWI Regulation 31.

For further details of the DWQ event, visit here.

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Rising Costs And Work-Life Balance Are Driving Britain’s Home Business Boom

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