The research has revealed that one in seven men is not prepared to give up the life of luxury. This number is slightly lower than five years ago when one in five men wouldn’t opt for a change in lifestyle. It has also showed that many women are completely willing to indulge their menfolk and keep them in the manner to which they have become accustomed.

The research has also showed that over half are happy to be the main earner with one in five enjoying the fact that their financial status gives them more say on what they spend money on. Two-fifths of laid-back lads fill their days shopping for clothes at least once a week, a third meet friends for lunch, followed by a trip to the gym for one in ten to burn off the calories.

Inevitably though, some ladies subsidizing this languorous lads’ lifestyle are unhappy with the situation, and the findings reveal a backlash. One fifth of women would rather their male partners be the higher earner and one in seven hanker after a life of leisure for themselves. A further quarter finds their financial role highly stressful with a similar number resenting being the main breadwinner.

Alison Wright, chief marketing officer at Egg, said: It is encouraging seeing how many women are now finically savvy and taking controls of the household’s finances. There really has been a change over the last five years with some of the old stereotypes of who earns the money and who pays the bills being broken down. Whereas men have now fully appreciated that their female counterparts are capable of being the main breadwinners and as a result they seem to be embracing a life of leisure – much to the annoyance of most partners.