Gap year breaks ‘increase 14-fold’

The number of Britons taking gap year trips and other long breaks has increased 14-fold since the 1970s, it was revealed yesterday.

Gap year-style breaks were enjoyed by only around 270,000 people in the period 1970-1979, according to research from Santander Credit Cards.

This number rose to around 710,000 in the 1980s and soared to four million in the period 2000-10.

Since 2008, a total of 1.22 million Britons have taken a gap year break, a sabbatical or other lifestyle breaks.

These long breaks are still being taken mainly by students, with 25 per cent of students aged 18 and over saying they are currently planning such a break and eight per cent of the population overall intending to take some extended time off.

Until now, 59 per cent of those taking gap year breaks took between six and 24 months off.