Start with your employer’s display screen equipment (DSE) assessment rather than a fixed shopping list. The Health and Safety Executive (HSE) says that, for relevant long-term home and hybrid DSE users, the assessment should consider both work locations; it may identify a need for separate display or input equipment, while a dock depends on the laptop and peripherals it must connect. If the assessment indicates that equipment must be provided, the worker cannot be charged for that action; keep optional personal upgrades separate from the employer’s arrangements.
If laptop work is a normal part of both home and office days, establish which arrangements your employer needs to assess before choosing equipment. The HSE says the DSE Regulations can apply to workers who routinely split their time between the two locations.
If the screen, built-in keyboard and trackpad make your usual arrangement difficult to set up, raise those separate factors in the assessment. The HSE’s workstation checklist covers display screens, keyboards and pointing devices; it does not prescribe the same accessories for every worker.
If you move a laptop between locations and regularly reconnect a display, network connection or peripherals, check the laptop’s ports against the exact hub or dock. Dell and Kensington describe model-specific connection capabilities, so the connector shape alone is not enough to settle the choice.
For routine hybrid laptop work, settle the employer’s assessment and equipment arrangements before deciding whether the remaining need is a different screen and input layout, easier desk connections or call equipment.
| Concern | What to check | Who this matters to |
|---|---|---|
| Assessment and provision | Ask whether the employer’s DSE assessment covers both normal work locations and how any identified equipment will be supplied or approved. The HSE says workers cannot be charged for action required by the assessment. | If I routinely work in both places, I want to know what my employer needs to assess and arrange before I choose anything myself. Around 36% of consumers put assessment and provision first. |
| Screen and input arrangement | Identify the display, keyboard or pointing-device issue through the assessment, then check whether the proposed arrangement fits the desk and works at the relevant location. | When I use a laptop as my regular workstation, I want the screen and input positions considered together rather than assuming one accessory fixes the setup. Roughly 29% of consumers prioritise this arrangement. |
| Desk connectivity | Match the exact laptop and hub or dock specifications for the required video output, charging, data connections and operating-system support. | Moving between home and office makes repeated peripheral connections my main practical concern; about 21% of consumers put desk connectivity first. |
| Calls and meetings | Check the job’s call requirements, existing laptop equipment and conferencing-platform compatibility before considering a webcam or headset. | If regular calls are part of my work, I need equipment that fits those tasks rather than a general desk upgrade. Around 14% of consumers place communication equipment first. |
The HSE does not prescribe a universal home-office equipment list. An individual assessment may call for action, but it may not call for every accessory on a shopping list.
Use your employer’s DSE process first, then confirm which items it will provide or approve and which would be optional personal choices.
Kensington explains that USB-C describes the connector, while video, power delivery and data capabilities depend on the implementation. Anker also specifies that display output for its 565 USB-C Hub depends on the laptop’s DisplayPort capability.
Compare the laptop manufacturer’s port specifications with the exact dock model, including the displays, charging arrangement, operating system and power accessories you need.
Raising the screen also changes where the laptop’s built-in keyboard and trackpad sit. The HSE’s workstation checklist considers screen and input factors separately.
If a stand is being considered, assess the resulting screen and input arrangement together before deciding whether separate devices are needed.
Equipment supplied or reimbursed through an employer’s process is not the same decision as choosing a different model for personal preference. GOV.UK sets conditions for the tax treatment of employer-provided or reimbursed home-working equipment.
Confirm the employer’s approval, reimbursement and ownership arrangements before ordering a personally chosen alternative.
Dell UK lists travel hubs and desk docks for connecting laptops to displays, data devices and other desk equipment.
Logitech’s UK business range covers keyboards, mice, webcams and headsets for desk and conferencing tasks.
Kensington offers laptop risers and docks across USB-C, USB4 and Thunderbolt categories.
Anker UK lists compact USB-C hubs and docks for connecting laptop peripherals and displays.
No. The HSE says relevant home and hybrid DSE users need an individual assessment, and home workers may not need office-type equipment. Where a worker routinely uses DSE at home and in the office, the assessment should consider both arrangements and identify any action needed.
The DSE Regulations can apply to permanent or long-term home workers and to workers who routinely split time between home and the workplace, according to the HSE. Its guidance describes DSE users as people who work on DSE daily for continuous periods of an hour or more; occasional or short periods of home use do not fall within that home-working application guidance.
No. The HSE says that where a DSE workstation assessment indicates action is needed, such as providing DSE equipment, the worker cannot be charged for that action. Confirm how your employer will arrange the identified equipment before making a personal purchase.
Possibly, but check it through your employer’s DSE process first. The HSE notes that a worker’s own equipment may not be suitable or sufficient; a dock also needs to match the exact laptop and connected devices.
Confirm the employer’s approval and expenses process before buying. GOV.UK says employer-provided or reimbursed home-working equipment can qualify for particular tax treatment when it is used only for business or any private use is insignificant; that condition does not establish that an unapproved personal purchase will be reimbursed.