I agree with your recent editorial welcoming an increase in working from home and the opportunities for living in Herefordshire which that allows.  

But it will not provide significantly more jobs for young people.

The majority of people who work from home are older with higher qualifications and more experience. They are executives, specialists and communicators.

Many are based in London, but are currently anxious to avoid public transport and long commutes (see the latest ONS figures.)

Many cannot work far from London because of their own or their partner’s commitments; others have already found that working from home is not as idyllic as it is cracked up to be! 

This is unlikely to change much since young people starting out in their careers need the easy exchange of help and information – as well as the camaraderie and corporate spirit – of a workplace environment, whether that’s an office, factory or community organisation.

People who work entirely from home can live anywhere, just as people who are fully retired can live anywhere.

If we want to attract more people to our beautiful rural county we need to bear those caveats in mind.

I suggest that the future prosperity of Herefordshire depends on a) encouraging the building of SMEs (small-to-medium businesses) preferably related to our environment, which would employ local young people in good jobs close to their homes and b) developing services and houses which are suitable for older people, enabling those who retire here at 50-plus to stay on here at 80-plus. These aims are not mutually exclusive.

In October last year an eminent professor at London University said the two “economic drivers” of the 21st century would be “green” issues and social care.

They should be perfect for Herefordshire. Let us develop the future of the county on those bases.

Julia C Evans
Lyonshall