Workers should be able to start work later, as this makes them more healthy and productive, an expert has suggested.

Dr Paul Kelly, a formed headteacher who let his pupils start at 10am, said a later start would also mean we can cut back on the sleep loss epidemic.

Talking to the Sunday Times, he even suggested that some workers should start as late as midday.

He said: "Across the western world, adults are averaging 6 and a half hours sleep a night during their working lives, when science shows we need at least eight.

"Start times of 10am are the fairest (and best) if everyone had to choose a single start time. That would reduce sleep loss for the population as a whole.

"This would have an immediate positive impact on current levels of adult sleep deprivation caused by early workday start times.

"It would reduce sleep deprivation by 70 per cent to 36 minutes on average a day."