If your password is on this list you must change it immediately

The most common and guessable passwords have been named on new list - with people who use them urged to change them for more secure alternatives. The most frequent passwords are used by thousands of people across the UK and are easy for criminals to crack.

Some people opt for simple and short passwords because they fear they might forget them or for ease but online security experts say they should be as strong and difficult to guess as possible. The most common password is simply 'password'.

It may come as a shock to many that people could use a password which is so simple and easy to unlock but it remains the number one code for Brits. Qwerty - the letters next to each other on the top row of a keyboard - is also a favourite. Simple codes containing consecutive numbers also remain popular, while football teams are also common.

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It means criminals only need to know a little bit about you to potentially crack your password and steal your information. Boffins claim 78 per cent of the world's most common passwords can be cracked by cybercriminals in less than a second.

The top 10 UK passwords, according to research by NordPass, are:

1. password
2. qwerty123
3. qwerty1
4. 123456
5. liverpool
6. 123456789
7. password1
8. qwerty
9. liverpool1
10. arsenal

It comes as scam warnings have ramped up in the run-up to Christmas when more people are likely to become targets as millions await parcels from the top delivery companies. Karolis Arbačiauskas, head of business product at NordPass, told MailOnline: "No matter if I wear a suit and tie at work or I'm scrolling through social media in my pyjamas, I am still the same person.

"'This means that regardless of the setting I am in, my password choices are influenced by the same criteria - usually convenience, personal experiences, or cultural surroundings." He went on: "'Password reuse is widespread, and the reason is simple - it's just easier.

"Nevertheless, cybersecurity hygiene requires using a different password for every account because the convenience of password reuse does not outweigh the risks it poses."