News · 23 December 2025
Government advises councils against four-day work week
Local Government Secretary Steve Reed has written to all English council leaders warning that four-day working weeks for staff could be considered an indicator of failure. Reed described the arrangement as council staff undertaking part-time work for full-time pay without compelling justification. The warning comes despite positive results from trials, with South Cambridgeshire District Council, the first to adopt the policy permanently, reporting improved performance and cost savings. Government sources state that voters deserve five-day service delivery from councils.
Reported by LBC · How we write briefs