There could be several reasons, according to experts – the primary reason of which being that… well, that it’s just easier to get drunk.

Dr Daniel Atkinson, Clinical Director at Treated.com, says: “When you drink at home you’re essentially serving yourself. When you drink in a pub or a bar, you’re being given a measured unit each time, and you’re paying for it. So really, you’re more likely to keep track of how much you’ve had if you’re out drinking because each drink you buy costs you money.

“If you’re drinking at home, everything is ‘free’, or at least already paid for, so you might top up your glass of wine before it’s finished, or add an extra splash of gin to your glass. This makes it harder to know how much alcohol you’ve already drunk. So it’s much easier to get drunk at home, not only because alcohol is much more readily available – we just go to the kitchen for it, we don’t need to queue up in a busy bar – but also because we don’t have as tight a handle on the measures as a bartender would. And the more we drink, the worse our hangover is.

Andy King, a physician associate working in general practice, agrees.

“You’re probably drinking a bit more than you normally would as you’re in the comfort of your own home and having less ‘rescue tap waters’ during the binge.”

And one NHS healthcare assistant, who asked to remain anonymous, adds: “You know you can drink more, because you don’t have to worry about getting home that same night, and you know that no one will see you the next day. Plus, a lay-in is guaranteed.”