Jonathan Reynolds, Business Secretary, has said that he thinks flexible home working policies increase productivity and reduce regional inequality.

In an interview in September, Mr Reynolds said: “Jacob Rees-Mogg made this big thing as business secretary, declaring war on people working from home. That’s pretty bizarre given the economic position the country was in and the real business agenda that needs to be pursued.”

Ministers are quietly ignoring rules introduced under the Conservatives that required civil servants to be in the office 60pc of the time and are reportedly taking a much more relaxed attitude towards home working.

Paul Nowak, TUC General Secretary, said: “Flexible working – and in particular working from home – is being misrepresented to attack the Government’s wider plan to Make Work Pay. It’s time we called it out.  

“Improving access to flexible working will benefit workers and businesses, whether it’s through increasing staff productivity or higher retention.”

Other signatories of the letter included founder of Flex Appeal Anna Whitehouse, the Women’s Budget Group and the Young Women’s Trust.

The letter cited research from the Chartered Institute of Professional Development (Cipd) last year, which found that around four million people have changed careers because of a lack of flexibility at work.

Jemima Olchawski, Fawcett Society chief executive, said: “We have to ask who benefits from parroting the fallacy that flexible working and flexible workers are bad for business – it’s just nonsense. 

“What really holds growth back is rigid, outdated work practices that exclude women, older workers, and those managing health conditions.”