A new study, commissioned by Premier and conducted by Savanta ComRes, has found 26 per cent of UK adults cannot remember the last time someone, other than family, called them to ask how they were. 

The poll revealed that those aged between 35-55 were least likely to have said they received such a call. 

Director of Premier's Lifeline, Jonathan Clark, said that technology often replaces the human element people are missing. 

"Lots of people have been so used to emails and texting, but they are missing that human contact and the voice, and the telephone can do that."

The findings were announced on Blue Monday, the third Monday in January which is considered the most depressing day of the year.

Talking about the results, Mr Clark highlighted Premier Lifeline's latest campaign, Call5, people to reach out to five others in need of a call. 

"You've got a hand with five digits on it." he said. "What we want you to do is to identify people to call on a regular basis, people that you think might welcome that friendly voice, someone at the end of the phone, to just ask them how they are, to talk, to have that human contact," he concluded. 

You can take part in the Call5 campaign by clicking here.