The charity’s report The Lonely Society?, released today, says just over one in ten people (11 per cent) often feels lonely and just under half (48 per cent) believe people are getting lonelier in general.

Social networking websites like Facebook and Twitter make it easier to communicate with family and friends, but young people complained they did not give them the real contact they needed.

The findings also suggest increased wealth has led to a psychologically fragile society in which welfare services have failed to get a grip on the growing problems of mental illness and distress.