- Some workers have been away from desks for more than a fortnight
- They are likely to suffer from 'social jetlag' symptoms
- Massive VAT, petrol and rail fare increases pile on the misery
- Worse still, it's three months and 22 days to Easter
Millions of Brits will trudge back to work today after one of the longest festive periods for years - just in time for another blast of freezing weather.
Snow returned to many parts of Britain yesterday, with fresh warnings of more to come.
The North Yorkshire Moors, Devon, Somerset and parts of Wales were all hit by falls. Forecasters said temperatures would remain below the January average of 6-8c (43-46f) for at least a further fortnight. In Harwood Dale Forest in North Yorkshire, the snow was several inches deep (pictured above).
A forestry surveyor wades through deep snow in Harwood Dale Forest in North Yorkshire after heavy snow showers drifted down the North Yorkshire coast yesterday
It comes after the Met Office said it was ‘almost certain’ that Britain had endured its coldest December since records began in 1910. This would mean the average temperature was lower than the 0.2c (32f) recorded in December 1981. For the first two weeks of December it was -0.7c.
Met Office forecaster Rebecca Sherwin said: ‘We could see further wintry showers and more snow in the coming days.’
And as if that wasn't enough, workers are now facing the longest period of the year with no holiday - three months and 22 days until Easter, which falls on April 24 this year.
The date is the latest day but one that Easter Sunday can possibly fall in the year.
Vroom and gloom: An abandoned car in Scarborough, North Yorks, is the last sign of a rescue operation last night when dozens were stranded in their vehicles by snow and ice
Health bosses have also warned that the return to work will fuel the recent increase in the number of reported flu cases, which have killed 39 people and seen intensive care beds full of patients fighting for their lives. In the last week the number of critical cases doubled to 738.
Parents have been urged to remain vigilant to the threat of flu ahead of an expected spread of the virus as children return to school following the Christmas holidays.
Health experts also stressed that it was not too late for members of 'at risk' groups, including those with chronic respiratory problems, to be vaccinated against flu.
The Government relaunched its national flu prevention campaign on New Year's Day in an attempt to quell the rising number of people being diagnosed with the illness.
Chilly: A Met Office graphic showing predicted temperatures across the country for 9am (left) and 6pm (right) tomorrow
The winter is being made even bleaker by tomorrow's hike in VAT from 17.5 per cent to 20 per cent - with extra duty on petrol to boot - and a massive increase in rail fares across the country.
Stores were today filled with shoppers who were in a last-minute rush to beat tomorrow's VAT rise.
London's Oxford Street was crowded with consumers as they stocked up on electrical appliances and clothes for the new year.
Abi Tucker, 22, from Kent, said: 'I've come shopping because I'm worried about the increase and I don't want to be caught out by it. I've done a lot of shopping these past few days because I know things are going to get a lot pricier.
'I made sure I got my DVD player yesterday and an MP3 player today, ahead of tomorrow. I realise that it's the VAT increase on expensive products like a DVD player that will hit hardest.'
The coalition Government hopes that the VAT increase will raise £13 billion and insists it is necessary to help reduce the UK's deficit.
But many people expressed their concern over the price hike and claimed it would decrease their spending over the coming year.
Roxanne Tomlinson, 25, from east London said: 'I stocked up on electrics last week and now I'm buying clothes. I'm on maternity leave and so I haven't got any money coming in at the moment so the VAT increase will really affect me.'
Also on maternity leave was Lauren Collins, 25, from east London. She said: 'I think the rise is disgusting, I'm out today buying clothes for my baby because I know things will be more expensive tomorrow. I'm spending a lot of money, by the end of the day it will probably come to a couple of hundred pounds. After today I won't be in any hurry to buy clothes.'
And anyone wishing to drown their sorrows with a pint of beer may wish to think again, as it was revealed today that the average price of a pint has topped £3 for the first time.
Walkers trudge across the North Yorkshire Moors following fresh snowfalls overnight
A cold and slippery slope: Temperatures could fall as low as -1C in some p[arts of the country tomorrow
If that wasn't enough to make even the most stone-hearted Christmas Scrooge wish the holiday season would continue, research has revealed that Britain will also be hit by a bout of 'social jet-lag' due to late nights and lazy lie-ins.
And Cambridge researchers warned bleary-eyed workers will be suffering from irregular sleep patterns after a fortnight of festivities.
Jill Laughlin warned that many may suffer symptoms similar to flight jet-lag, such as feeling tired, sluggish and distracted, because their body clocks are out of kilter.
REASONS TO BE CHEERFUL...
- Cricket World Cup kicks off in February and runs until March
- Free bank holiday for Royal Wedding on April 24
- Royal Wedding on April 29
- No Big Brother
... OR TO BE GLOOMY
- VAT increases to 20%
- Average price of beer over £3
- Tax on petrol means ANOTHER price hike in April
- Forecast is predicting coldest winter for 300 years
Ms Laughlin, of therapeutic lighting firm Lumie, said: 'Over the festive period, many will have treated themselves to well deserved lie-ins, and going to bed later than normal.
'But when faced with going back to work, and a routine of waking up in the dark, this can throw our internal body clock, or circadian rhythm, out of synch.
'As a result, people are left feeling similar effects to jet-lag, whereby they struggle to get up in the morning, feel sluggish, find it difficult to fall asleep at night and feel sleepy during the day - this is known as social jet-lag.'
The coldest weather will blast commuters around rush hour tomorrow when temperatures fall as low as -1C in parts.
Queues form at a Morrisons garage in Cambourne, Cambridgeshire, ahead of the big return to work
Met Office forecaster Rebecca Sherwin said: 'It will feel fairly chilly in most parts of Britain.
'Today saw some snow in the Bristol, Devon and Cardiff areas and there could be more in the north where it is likely to be fairly unsettled with wind and rain and snow in the hills.'
Professor John Oxford, Britain’s leading flu expert, said: ‘We can expect the number of cases to keep going up, possibly reaching epidemic levels before it peaks in the next two to four weeks.
‘This virus thrives on close human contact, so we can expect an explosion of cases.’
But there is light at the end of the tunnel. March will see if England can recreate their Ashes success in the Cricket World Cup and April will host the first royal wedding since 1986.
As a result there will be an extended Easter holiday to accommodate the festivities. And this summer will be the first in over a decade that there will be no Big Brother.