Public sector workers earn 7% more on average than their peers in the private sector — a pay gulf that has more than doubled since the recession began.

Official figures show that staff employed by the state are enjoying bigger pay rises, working fewer hours and receiving pensions worth up to three times as much as those in the private sector.

Not only are public sector workers better rewarded, but they also take more time off work through illness. According to the Chartered Institute of Personnel and Development, state workers average 9.7 days of sick leave a year, compared with 6.4 days in the private sector.