A trade union representing more than 140,000 workers across the UK is calling on the government to introduce a “right to disconnect” for employees outside of office hours.

Prospect, whose members include engineers, scientists, managers and civil servants, says the measure is vital to “safeguard workers’ health” after a survey found that working from home had “blurred the line” between their working lives and their personal lives.

It wants government legislation giving employees the “right to disconnect” after their working shift at home is completed, and this could have a major impact on the estate agency sector.

Andrew Pakes, research direct at Prospect, said: “It is clear that for millions of us, working from home has felt more like sleeping in the office, with remote technology meaning it is harder to fully switch off, contributing to poor mental health.

“Remote working is here to stay, but it can be much better than it has been in recent months.”

The Republic of Ireland, Germany and France have already legislated to protect employees working from home from being forced to work longer hours.

The TUC is backing the “right to disconnect” call.

General secretary of the TUC Frances O’Grady said: “We all need a good work-life balance with some proper downtime.

“It is time that workers in the UK were protected too with a legal right to disconnect from work.”