One in five owners of small businesses in the South-East has not taken a holiday during the past year.

A third of businesses are forced to close down when the owner takes time off. On a national scale, this costs businesses £2.6 billion through 8.25 million lost working days.

In an independent survey for Clearlybusiness, a business service provider, nearly half of small business owners in the South-East with children called for a change in the school year to help them take a holiday, making the summer less stressful.

According to the research, they have managed to take an average of just nine days off in the previous year and very few have been able to take this holiday in significant blocks of time.

One in ten has not had a complete week's holiday in more than two years.

The research also revealed a gulf between small business owners and managers and their larger corporate counterparts - who are legally entitled to a minimum of 20 days' holiday through the Organisation of Working Time Act, 1997.

Markus Clavin, director of Clearlybusiness, said: "Many small business owners and managers find it extremely difficult to take holiday as they have to accommodate other members of staff.

"What's more, school holidays are often the busiest times for many businesses, particularly those in the retail sector, which rely on the tourist trade.

"If the academic year was changed to four terms with more evenly spread holidays, small businesses would be under less pressure during the summer holiday.

"Owners would have more opportunities to take a break in less busy periods.

"Even when small business owners and managers do get away from it all for a few days, they inevitably end up checking up on things back home.

"Our survey shows that at least a third contact their business during their holiday."

Psychologist Sue Keane said: "Most small business owners and managers decide to set up on their own in order to be in control of their time and work-life balance but find that things can quickly spiral out of control.

"It's not easy to take time out when running your own business but it really is necessary to get away from the day-to-day grind by spending time with family and friends.

"For many, however, it's not just a case of finding the time but also about finding someone they trust to run the business in their absence.

"In the survey, nearly one in ten of small businesses in the South-East said they had to rely on friends and family to take control while they were away."