How older generations mind the gap

According to figures released today the number of people in the UK going on gap year trips has increased 14 fold since the 1970s.

Increasingly, older people are opting to take an extended trip abroad as a career break, or in some cases taking time out after losing their jobs.

A survey by bank Santander revealed 4.1 million Britons have taken a gap year in the past decade compared with only 270,000 during the 1970s. In the 1980s the number of people taking extended trips abroad rose to 710,000.

A further 4 million people are said to be planning trips in the future - including a million people aged between 35 and 54, and half a million over fifties.

In Scotland, 11 per cent of those questioned said they had already been on a gap year, with 6 per cent saying they were planning one in the future.

The highest proportion of people planning a getaway were Londoners, with 14 per cent saying they were planning a long trip abroad.

The chance to travel, to work abroad or simply to have a rest were cited as the main reasons people were keen to take an extended break.

Tom Griffiths, founder of gapyear.com, said according to the latest research half a million people in the UK will take a gap year every year.

Of these around 220,000 are between 18 and 24, 90,000 are between 25 and 35 and 200,000 are over fifty.

Based on the average amount people spend on gap years the UK market is worth 2.6bn a year - while the worldwide market is worth 10bn.

"If you look at the figures going back to the 1970s you have certainly had some growth," he said.

"Years ago it was only the richer students who had a gap year - today it has become much more common. Often parents are saying 'Before you go to university take a gap year to work out what you really want to do'."

He said a round-the-world trip with an extended stay in Australia was still the number one option for gap year breaks. And increasingly the prospect was appealing to older people looking for a career break.

He added: "The economic downturn has been fuelling the gap year market. There are less university places, there is 20 per cent graduate unemployment and a lot of more recent graduates have been made redundant.

"There are a lot of people choosing to take redundancy, selling their car, getting their deposit back on a rented flat - that gives you enough money for a really good trip."

Professor Cary Cooper an expert in the psychology of the workplace from Lancaster University said

He said: "This is the era of well being.People are reflecting more on their quality of life than ever before and thinking really 'Is my life just about material things?'. I think it's a good thing. People are working harder than ever and a lot of people see elements of burn out."

Ian Coles, director at Santander Cards, said: "It's a great opportunity to travel and to learn but unfortunately it doesn't come cheap. With lifestyle breaks costing around 5,000 to 6,000 on average, it's important that people weigh up the costs and the benefits, financially and otherwise."