Five times as many households now have access to the internet compared with four years ago.
The National Statistics Omnibus Survey confirmed 45 per cent of all households, 11.4 million homes, can now go online.
It said 62 per cent of adults had accessed the internet at some time. In the 16 to 24 age group, 95 per cent had used the internet, decreasing with age to just 15 per cent for the 65s and over.
The survey showed men still use the internet more than women - 66 per cent compared to 58 per cent.
Almost half the adults surveyed had ordered tickets, goods or services over the internet, while 29 per cent have used it for personal banking or finance.
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