Survey: 30% of adults comfortable being online all the time

Around a third of adults in the UK are comfortable being online on a round-the-clock basis, according to new research commissioned by Virgin Media.

The study, conducted by Future Laboratory, found as many as 85 per cent of parents keep their home broadband connection active all the time, while nearly 40 per cent would be concerned about being cut off from family members if they turned it off.

Nearly 30 per cent of workers questioned said they felt 'unshackled' when not online, although a similar number admitted to feeling stressed in the same situation.

Zara Rabinowicz, technology expert at Stuff Magazine, said: "Products like mobiles and laptops become lifelines to the outside world, whether it's a chat to your mum, or an update on a Facebook page. When this gets cut off, withdrawal symptoms quickly occur."

Broadband has become increasingly integral to everyday life and software such as VoIP solutions can enable people to communicate more cheaply.

Nearly 15 per cent of stay-at-home parents frequently use online parenting forums, according to figures from Virgin Media.