The specialist bank has found that 40% of workers were planning to have a gap year when they are 60-plus and will fund the trip with savings built up through a lifetime of work.

Meanwhile, just 18% were planning gap years by the time they were 30.

The research found that 49% of over-45s had never taken a gap year or an extended break from work, but intended to take their chance to travel once they were in their 60s or retired.

Source: Charter Savings Bank, September 2017

Charter Savings Bank found that 63% would take money from their savings accounts to fund the trip, with just 7% using credit cards.

“Many of us think about gap years being the preserve of backpacking students, but increasingly we're seeing that older customers are catching the travelling bug,” said Paul Whitlock, director of savings at Charter Savings Bank.

“It's worth remembering that once-in-a-lifetime opportunities can happen at any time of life, and while globe-trotting in your 60s might seem like a long time to wait, it does have the advantage of travelling in a little more luxury and not having to run up debts to fund it.

“It definitely highlights that a savings habit does pay off, even if the amount you're able to put aside today seems too small to make a difference.”