Britain has become a “sick society” which has “outsourced” its duties to the most vulnerable, a Tory minister has warned.

Dr Phillip Lee said families needed to learn from Muslim and Hindu communities, who cared for their old, instead of creating an “atomised” nation which is failing those in need.

The justice minister, who also works as a GP, suggested society had become too selfish, with help only delivered by workers who were “paid to care”.

He said Britain needed to face “uncomfortable” truths about the responsibilities families held, rather than expect an overstretched state to keep picking up the tab.

The minister, who is also a GP, said the bonds were likely to loosen, with younger generations forming “superficial” and “shallow” relationships, fuelled by a “blatant addiction” to mobile phones.

“Our society is quite sick and no one really wants to talk about it,” he told a meeting with Age UK.

“When I used to do visits I would go into residential nursing homes and I would rarely meet a Jew a Muslim or a Hindu,” Dr Lee said.

“In those communities it’s a responsibility that they look after their own; that they care for each other at different stages of our lives.”