More than 100 business and charity leaders have signed an open letter calling on ministers to “drive the country’s transition to a shorter working week” amid a growing row over the future of the four-day week in local government.
The letter, coordinated by the 4 Day Week Foundation, comes after Steve Reed, the local government secretary, criticized South Cambridgeshire District Council – the first in England to trial a four-day week – claiming the move had harmed performance and value for money.
In a letter seen by the Telegraph, Reed expressed his “deep disappointment” at the council’s decision to make the four-day trial permanent. Citing an independent report, he said performance had “declined across key housing-related services, including rent collection, re-letting periods and tenant satisfaction with repairs”.
In response, more than 100 senior figures from businesses, charities and unions have called on the government to set up a working time council to oversee and guide the country’s move to a four-day week.
“As business leaders, union leaders, and advocates who have witnessed the successful transition to the four-day week (without sacrificing wages) in many contexts, we can say with confidence that it is not just an idea for the future – it is already delivering results today,” the letter said.
“From different industries and company sizes, we all experienced the same result: Shorter work weeks are not only feasible, but also transformative.”
Signatories include employers who have already implemented working time reductions and report benefits in productivity, employee well-being and employee retention.
Bridget Smith, leader of South Cambridgeshire District Council, rejected Reed’s claims, insisting that “independently assessed data” showed the vast majority of council services had improved or remained stable during the process.
“I am extremely disappointed with Mr. Reed’s letter,” she said. “Our employees have completed 100% of their work in 32 hours per week since the start of the four-day week. Our financial analysis shows we are saving around £399,000 per year, mainly by reducing our reliance on temporary staff.”
The process, which began in 2023, has been closely watched across the public sector. It is believed that at least 25 other municipalities are considering similar pilot projects for next year.
Joe Ryle, director of the 4 Day Week Foundation, described Reed’s intervention as “frankly ridiculous” and said it made the government appear “outdated and stuck in the past”.
“The evidence shows that four-day weeks and flexible working are good for workers and businesses,” he said. “The council as a whole outperforms other local authorities – so to pick and choose just a few metrics is frustrating and disingenuous.”
Ryle added that while the private sector has embraced shorter weeks, “with hundreds of companies now successfully operating under this model,” the idea “becomes politicized once it enters the public sector.”
The UK government has no legal power to ban councils from introducing four-day working patterns, but ministers can apply political pressure.
According to the Office for National Statistics, more than 200,000 workers have switched to a four-day week since the pandemic. The 4 Day Week Foundation estimates that at least 430 companies nationwide, representing 13,000 workers, have now implemented shorter work weeks.
Proponents say the model improves productivity, work-life balance and recruitment, while critics warn it leads to inefficiency and disruption to essential public services.
For now, the debate over the four-day week appears to be intensifying, with councils, campaigners and businesses calling on ministers not to stand in the way of what they see as an inevitable change to the way Britain works.
