More than one third of Britons will be shunning overseas travel and will holiday in the UK this year, a figure up by 10% on 2010.

This is one of the findings of a survey of 5,000 adults by hotel operator Travelodge, which also found that while expenditure on holidays, and travel and accommodation, would be down, expenditure on visiting attractions would be up.

Financial difficulties are thought to be the main reason for the growth of the “staycation”, and for the very late bookings of it.

Meanwhile research by ING Direct indicates that 17 million people in the UK are opting for a “nocation” and not taking a summer holiday at all.