Remote and hybrid working has become a permanent feature of many UK organisations. However, first aid arrangements are often overlooked when staff are no longer based in a traditional workplace.
This guide explains how first aid responsibilities apply to remote, hybrid and home workers in the UK, what employers should consider, and how first aid fits within wider health and safety duties.
The guidance is written as a reference for employers, managers and small businesses with staff working partly or fully from home.
Yes. Home workers are still considered employees for health and safety purposes.
Employers have a duty to take reasonable steps to protect the health and safety of employees, regardless of where they work. This includes considering first aid arrangements as part of overall risk management.
However, first aid provision for home workers is different from that in a shared workplace and must be proportionate to risk.
First aid arrangements for home workers should be informed by risk assessment.
In most cases, home working is considered low risk, particularly for office-based roles. Typical considerations include:
A structured approach to assessing workplace risk is outlined in Workplace First Aid Risk Assessment (UK).
Most home workers carry out low-risk activities such as computer-based work.
In these situations, employers are not expected to:
Instead, reasonable steps may include ensuring workers know how to seek help and encouraging them to maintain basic first aid supplies for personal use.
Hybrid workers split time between home and an employer’s premises.
For these employees:
Clear communication helps avoid assumptions about coverage.
Not all remote work is low risk.
Examples include:
In these cases, first aid provision may need to be more robust, particularly where lone working is involved. Related guidance is covered in Lone Worker First Aid Requirements (UK).
| Work arrangement | Typical risk level | First aid considerations |
|---|---|---|
| Office-based work | Low | Workplace kits, appointed persons or first aiders |
| Home working (office role) | Low | Personal supplies, clear emergency guidance |
| Hybrid working | Low to medium | Separate arrangements for home and site |
| Remote lone working | Medium | Portable kits, emergency communication plans |
Employers should ensure home workers understand what to do in an emergency.
This may include:
Clear procedures reduce confusion and support consistent responses.
There is no automatic requirement to provide first aid kits to home workers.
However, depending on risk, employers may consider:
The approach should be proportionate and documented.
Incidents involving remote or home workers should still be recorded where appropriate.
This helps organisations:
Further guidance is available in Accident Reporting & First Aid Records (UK).
Understanding the limits and expectations helps organisations apply proportionate first aid provision.
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