Nearly half of under 25-year-olds do not use a condom with a new partner, according to the findings of an alarming new survey.
The National Aids Trust also reported that 200 of the young people questioned admitted to rarely or never using a condom.
The finding has prompted the Trust to call on the Government to raise awareness by allowing condom advertising on the TV and radio before the nine o' clock watershed. The Trust also wants condom awareness to feature more greatly in the school curriculum.
Deborah Jack, chief executive of the Trust, said: "In National Condom Week, the British public need a wake-up call on condom use.
"Too many people don't know the basic facts on how condoms prevent a sexually transmitted infection such as HIV.
"Too many people are inconsistent in how they use condoms and too many people give up on condoms in a relationship without a health check-up, thus possibly harming their health or that of their sexual partner.
"We need to educate the whole population in the importance of condoms."
The Ipsos MORI survey found that 49% of Britons don't always use a condom with a new sexual partner.
Some 24% of people questioned who had a new sexual partner within the last two years said they would only stop using a condom once they had both been tested for HIV and other sexually-transmitted infections (STIs).
The results of the survey were released to coincide with National Condom Week.
The National Aids Trust also reported that 200 of the young people questioned admitted to rarely or never using a condom.
The finding has prompted the Trust to call on the Government to raise awareness by allowing condom advertising on the TV and radio before the nine o' clock watershed. The Trust also wants condom awareness to feature more greatly in the school curriculum.
Deborah Jack, chief executive of the Trust, said: "In National Condom Week, the British public need a wake-up call on condom use.
"Too many people don't know the basic facts on how condoms prevent a sexually transmitted infection such as HIV.
"Too many people are inconsistent in how they use condoms and too many people give up on condoms in a relationship without a health check-up, thus possibly harming their health or that of their sexual partner.
"We need to educate the whole population in the importance of condoms."
The Ipsos MORI survey found that 49% of Britons don't always use a condom with a new sexual partner.
Some 24% of people questioned who had a new sexual partner within the last two years said they would only stop using a condom once they had both been tested for HIV and other sexually-transmitted infections (STIs).
The results of the survey were released to coincide with National Condom Week.
