91% of the UK companies that took part in the world’s largest four-day work pilot have said they will continue with it now the trial has ended.
The pilot programme – which was run by 4 Day Week Global, in partnership with think tank Autonomy, the 4 Day Week UK Campaign, and a number of university researchers from Oxford, Cambridge, and Boston College – began in June 2022, and ran for a total of six-months before it was brought to a close earlier this year.
More than 60 companies and 3,300 workers from firms spanning a variety of industries signed up to the trial – with companies in banking, hospitality, care, IT, software training, and even animation studios taking part in the trial.
Staff taking part in the trial were given 100% of their pay for 80% of their time on the understanding that they maintain maximum productivity over the four days.
With the trial now complete, the feedback from participating companies provided, and the results determined, 4 Day Week Global has revealed that almost every organisation from the trial will stick to a four-day week – with 91% saying they will definitely continue or are planning to continue, and a further 4% leaning towards continuing.
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Only 4% of participating organisations said they wouldn’t continue.
IT WORKS.
⁃ 92% of companies keep it ⁃ Burnout down by 71% ⁃ Sick days down by 65% ⁃ Revenue up 1.4% on avg.
No question about it – the UK’s 4-day week trial was a 𝙝𝙪𝙜𝙚 success.
Companies rated their overall experience of the six-month trial an average of 8.5 out of 10.
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Business productivity and business performance each scored 7.5 out of 10, while revenue rose by 35% over the trial period when compared to similar periods from the previous year, and hiring increased and employee absentees decreased.
The health and wellbeing of employees also improved, according to 4 Day Week Global – with significant increases in physical and mental health, time spent exercising, and overall life and job satisfaction.
Rates of stress, burnout, and fatigue all fell, and problems with sleep declined.
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Environmental outcomes were also encouraging, according to those running the campaign – with commuting time falling by an average of half an hour per week.
91% of UK trial companies to continue four-day work week after ‘major breakthrough’ / Credit: RawPixel
Speaking on the success of the trial, leader researcher Professor Juliet Schor of Boston College says she saw an “encouraging consistency” in the data, and added that: “Results are largely steady across workplaces of varying sizes, demonstrating this is an innovation which works for many types of organisations.
“There are also some interesting differences.
“We found that employees in non-profits and professional services had a larger average increase in time spent exercising, while those in construction and manufacturing enjoyed the largest reductions in burnout and sleep problems.”
Overall, 4 Day Week Global says the trial has been a “huge success” and a “massive breakthrough” – which ultimately signals “good news for the future of work”.
The campaign’s co-founder and managing director, Charlotte Lockhart, said the organisation is looking forward to adding its Australasian pilot results to the UK data “in the coming weeks”, as well as the results from the European, South African, Brazilian, and North American trials over the next couple of months.
Altrincham named one of the UK’s best places to live in 2026 in The Sunday Times’ annual ranking
Emily Sergeant
A popular Greater Manchester town has been named among the UK’s best places to live by the Sunday Times in its annual ranking.
That’s right… it’s that time of year, once again.
The Sunday Times is known for pulling together a list of what it considers to be the most sought-after places to live in the UK every year, and 2026’s ranking has officially been published today – with dozens of locations across the country making up the comprehensive guide, and six of those coveted locations being right here in the North West.
The Sunday Times’s expert judges have visited all locations on the list, and assessed factors such as schools, transport, culture, broadband speeds, access to green spaces, the health of the high streets, and much more to devise the always-talked-about annual ranking.
Macclesfield in Cheshire, Eden Valley in Cumbria, Lancaster in Lancashire, and Aigburth in Liverpool are just some of the North West areas named by the publication in the 2026 list.
Altrincham has been named one of the best places to live in the UK / Credit: The Manc Group
A spotlight has also been shone on two Greater Manchester towns, and one of two has even been given the regional North West title… but which are they?
Where has taken the top spot as the best place to live in the North West for 2026, and is therefore one of the best places to live in the whole of the country? Well, that honour has been given to none other than Greater Manchester’s very-own Altrincham.
The publication described the Trafford town as ‘classy, cool and effortlessly comfortable’.
“Altrincham is a top-notch town brimming with independent businesses and big brands, and now it’s flying even higher,” The Sunday Times said.
The fact that co-working has now arrived on the high street thanks to the conversion of the old Rackhams department store, and that the town’s cultural and creative ‘cachet’ is also on the rise, have been highlighted as reasons as to why Altrincham has been chosen as the North West’s winner, as well its newly-flourishing fitness scene.
Of course, the town has also been praised for its transport links into Manchester city centre and across the region, as well as it being a great place for families thanks to the excellent local schools on offer.
Didsbury was the other Greater Manchester town chosen to represent the best of the North West – with the Manchester suburb described as being ‘stylish, solid, safe, and, yes, a little bit smug in parts… but that’s okay’.
You can read the full Altrincham feature here, and see where else The Sunday Times included in its list for 2026 here.
Featured Image – Geograph
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11 arrested and £70k cash seized during early-morning police drug raids across Greater Manchester
Emily Sergeant
11 people have been arrested, as well as a large amount of cash and drugs seized, during early-morning raids across Greater Manchester.
The raids took place during the early hours of the morning yesterday (Thursday 19 March 2026), where Greater Manchester Police (GMP) successfully executed eight warrants simultaneously across Tameside, Oldham, and Rochdale to tackle a ‘suspected criminal network’ involved in the distribution of class A drugs and firearms.
Officers from Tameside Programme Challenger team, the District Intelligence Unit (DIU), and GMP’s Tactical Aid Unit (TAU) were deployed to each of the addresses.
Following weeks of intelligence gathering and preparation, a total of 11 people – each aged between 24 and 77 – were arrested on suspicion of drug-related offences during the raids.
Eight men and three women were arrested on suspicion of a range of offences, including conspiracy to supply class A and B drugs, being part of an organised crime group, possession with intent to supply, money laundering, and possession of an offensive weapon.
They all remain in police custody for questioning at this time, GMP confirmed.
During searches of the addresses, various class A, B and C drugs – including crack cocaine, heroin, cannabis, and nitrous oxide – were seized, while further recoveries of £70,000 in cash, a zombie knife, a BB gun, and four vehicles were also made at the same time.
Speaking following the success of the raids yesterday, Chief Superintendent Shan Nasim, District Commander for Tameside, said: “[This] operation has been a powerful example of our continued, determined effort to dismantle organised crime in our district and Greater Manchester.
“We have 11 people in custody being questioned by our investigation teams in relation to an organised crime group (OCG) that have been causing widespread harm across our communities.
“This action caused significant disruption of an organised crime group (OCG) and has prevented drugs and weapons from reaching the streets, as well as the associated harms that come hand in hand with organised crime.
“Organised criminals exploit vulnerable people and blight our communities; we will take robust action to catch offenders, keep our communities safe, and protect vulnerable people across Greater Manchester.”
Emily Sergeant -
22nd February 2023 
