People working in the public sector are more gloomy about their prospects under the new Government than their opposite numbers in business, according to new figures. The study by TNS Finance highlights public sector workers’ attitudes towards the coalition and perceptions of the impact it will have on personal finance and lifestyle.

The figures come in the wake of revelations about the salary levels of senior civil servants and while the debate around public sector pay seems certain to continue at least into the foreseeable future. The survey found just over half of public sector workers believed their situation was likely to get worse because of the budget deficit and spending cuts while only 40 per cent of private sector staff were as pessimistic.

Similarly, respondents in public sector jobs were more gloomy about the effect of the recession with 45 per cent predicting that it would have a negative impact on their lives compared to 38 per cent in the private sector. They were also more likely to believe their household income would fall under the new government. Half of them also believed the financial health of their employers would worsen. In the private sector fewer than a quarter of people held that view. The study found, however, that public sector workers were, however, less likely to change their jobs.