The average British worker hasn't taken any time off during two months due to lockdown

People have also been stocking up on cancelled holiday days. (Getty Images)
People have also been stocking up on cancelled holiday days. (Getty Images)

The average British worker hasn’t had one day of holiday in over two months, a poll has found.

British people have also stocked up planned annual leave days – which account for around nine days per person – because of cancelled holidays and plans.

The poll, by the charity SPANA, found that over half of the UK had “completely written off 2020” when it came to the realities of going on holiday.

The UK government has opened travel corridors with dozens of countries around the world, meaning British holidaymakers can visit them without having to quarantine for 14-days on their return. This hasn’t encouraged tourists to go rushing abroad just yet, though, with the threat of COVID-19 still present.

Read more: Here’s where to buy face masks online

Although workers have been cancelling their plans, many people admit to feeling burnout. The average British person said they needed a day off every 43 days to maintain their mental health.

The majority cancelled their annual leave because of restrictions at their chosen holiday locations, with last-minute cancellations causing issues for many.

A silver lining was that 16% of British workers felt that they didn’t need to take time off now, because without the commute they felt they had more time to spend with loved ones.

With restrictions easing, people still aren’t keen on rushing off on holiday.

Seven in 10 people said that they’d feel revitalised if they could just spend a few days at home – not working.

Read more: Why you shouldn’t ignore feelings of stress during the pandemic

The fact remains that many people feel that staying at home just doesn’t quite feel like a holiday, though, especially given we’ve been confined to our homes for three months.

Over half of the people polled said they don’t feel like they’re actually on holiday unless they can stay somewhere other than their homes.

Many UK hotels have reopened this week, with strict COVID-19 measures in place for the foreseeable future. This might encourage those who are feeling the strains of lockdown burnout to venture away for a few days.

Others are reluctant to spend money on any type of holiday or staycation while so many restrictions are in place, worried about how this will impact their enjoyment.

Read more: How to talk to your children about coronavirus

While 2020 has left a lot to be desired, 57% of people already planning ahead.

With weddings galore and holiday plans looking more hopeful, now is a good time to save some precious holiday days for 2021 – that is, of course, if your annual leave carries over year-on-year.

However, 2021 may be looking like a more positive year for many, but that doesn’t account for the millions of people whose lives have been overhauled by 2020.

With job losses and company scale backs, many people said that they’re simply looking forward to take any form of break because their mental health has taken a turn for the worse since lockdown came into force on 23 March.