I'm working for a non UK company and commuting to my place of work. We have a scheduling system (carmen) which I use to my full advantage, i.e requesting mid morning/afternoon starts and one early flight back on my last day, works a treat. I have also only had 16 days of standby this year, none of which I have kept, my crew control colleagues know I live in the UK and always try their best to get me trips, which like I said hasn't failed yet in two years on the same fleet.
It can be done, but you have to get in first, sitting in an interview and saying that you want all of this will not go in your favour.