Commuters work 54 days to cover cost of commute

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Joanne Swann
Work commute
Work commute

New research reveals that the average commuter spends the equivalent of 54 days of pay on their commute every year.

The analysis, conducted by employee benefits, rewards, and recognition platform, Rippl, investigated common commuter routes across the UK to reveal how many days employees work just to cover the costs of travelling to and from the office.

Commuters who travel into the office five days per week can expect to lose out on 54 days of pay per year. Those who benefit from hybrid working are slightly better off, working 32 days per year to cover the cost of commuting three times a week.

When it comes to type of travel, those commuting by car are worse off than those relying on trains. The research shows that the average yearly commute by car sets Brits back on average £9,452, whilst the cost of commuting five days a week by train averages £8,275.

The most expensive route analysed was Birmingham to London, which costs an eyewatering £75 per day on average. Oxford to London came in second, costing £56, and Brighton to London took third place, setting commuters back £49 on average.

Compared to average earnings in commuter towns, the analysis shows that those travelling between Birmingham to London are the worst off and could be spending 28% of their salary on the commute alone. At the other end of the spectrum, those travelling from Falkirk to Edinburgh spend 9% of their salary getting to work.

The research paints a stark picture of the financial burden commuting costs are placing on employees, especially as the cost of travel continues to increase. Losing 53 days of pay a year just to get to and from the office is a significant blow to household finances.

Chris Brown, CEO at Rippl, comments:

While pay rises are welcome, this isn’t always feasible for businesses. However, there are other ways that employers can meaningfully support their staff with the rising cost of working. By offering employee benefits that help offset commuting costs, such as more flexible working policies, travel allowances, public transport season ticket contributions or wider lifestyle discounts, companies can demonstrate their commitment to staff wellbeing through proactively easing the financial strain for employees.

Chris Brown, CEO at Rippl

The UK’s most expensive commuter routes (as proportion of average salary):

  1. Birmingham to London
  2. Worcester to Bristol
  3. Oxford to London
  4. Liverpool to Manchester
  5. Worcester to Birmingham

The UK’s most expensive commuter routes (total (£)):

  1. Birmingham to London
  2. Oxford to London
  3. Brighton to London
  4. Canterbury to London
  5. Cambridge to London
Joanne Swann, Content Manager, WorkWellPro
Editor at Workplace Wellbeing Professional | Website |  + posts

Joanne is the editor for Workplace Wellbeing Professional and has a keen interest in promoting the safety and wellbeing of the global workforce. After earning a bachelor's degree in English literature and media studies, she taught English in China and Vietnam for two years. Before joining Work Well Pro, Joanne worked as a marketing coordinator for luxury property, where her responsibilities included blog writing, photography, and video creation.

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