Around 43 per cent of freelancers said they have felt the need to hide holiday time from clients over fears that they may be considered unreliable, according to new data.

The study, conducted by HoneyBook, also found that 92 per cent of freelancers continue to work when they are on holiday.

Unsurprisingly, of those who work while they are meant to be off, 41 per cent admit to hiding their work from friends or a partner.

When asked, the majority of the 800 self-employed workers surveyed said they work on holiday because they felt that they had to.

During their time off, most male freelancers spent time indulging their hobbies, while women tended to use their time to take care of a child.

The trend of working during a vacation was more prevalent amongst older people (24 per cent) than amongst millennials (11 per cent) and Generation Z (9 per cent).