With many businesses fighting for survival, employees on furlough or worried about redundancy, a lucky few are actually escaping the financial ill effects of the pandemic.

In fact, half of Brits who are still able to work are reporting less financial stress than usual, according to research by income streaming provider Wagestream.

Covid-19 has brought the country to a standstill, shut entire industries, brought financial misery to households and forced more than six million workers to be furloughed. But despite this, financial data shows that just over half of those still working are actually feeling better off than usual.

Wagestream analysed how much pay 70,466 workers have been drawing down early using its income streaming service. In total, 52.5 per cent of those still working are accessing less pay than usual prior to payday. This has been blamed on lockdown, which has restricted leisure spending, including visits to bars and restaurants, as well as holidays.

The lockdown has also led to noticeable changes in consumer spending patterns. Among those drawing down their wages early, the amount spent on groceries has risen from 14 per cent pre-pandemic to a lockdown average of 27 per cent. So while Britons can't go out and have a good time at bars and restaurants, they are indulging more at home.

At the other end of the scale, the pandemic has delivered acute financial stress, with 2.4 per cent of those still working increasing the amount they are drawing down each month by 200 per cent or more.

Peter Briffett, CEO and co-founder of Wagestream, said: "This data puts a positive spin on the pandemic for a lucky few, but it's important to remember that most people will be feeling significant financial stress and anxiety about the future.

"Financial resilience, consumer confidence and spending power are going to be key drivers of Britain's recovery in the coming months."