Housing Correspondent Rory MacLean: Festive spirit will be provided

The survey for the charity, Crisis, also suggests that 14 % of young unemployed, and 20% of the elderly are not likely to speak to anyone all day.

Crisis is opening 29 Christmas shelters across Britain for the homeless and isolated.

Homeless charity Crisis will be looking after at least 5,000 people at their network of temporary Christmas shelters.

Most of those seeking refuge will be the unemployed, state pensioners and those on low incomes.

Chips are down: Potatoes are peeled for the hungry

In total, there will be 73 winter refuges across the UK over Christmas - and in some cases open for up to four months - providing shelter, companionship, hot meals and medical help plus advice on employment and resettlement.

Hairdressers, masseurs, entertainment and arts and crafts are also to be provided.

Loneliness at Christmas

The BBC's Housing Correspondent Rory Maclean: "Christmas day on their own"

Based on face-to-face interviews conducted by Crisis across the UK, the findings indicate that 6% of people living on low incomes will be alone at Christmas, compared to 2% among the better-off.

Shaks Ghosh: Shelters make Christmas less lonely

Crisis chief executive Shaks Ghosh said: "All of our services bring with them warmth, companionship and some festive spirit, making the Christmas period a less lonely and isolating time for Britain's homeless people and those who are alone."

She said that Christmastime, homeless people become more "visible" because they leave squats, hotels and temporary accommodation to find companionship.

Crisis Chief Executive Shaks Ghosh: "We make sure that homeless people aren't losing out"

"The people you see in the street in city centres and doorways are only the tip of the iceberg," she said.

"In central London, there's between 300 and 400 people sleeping out in the cold tonight."