Public sector workers ‘paid 8% more’

The average public sector worker is paid between 7.7 per cent and 8.7 per cent more than the typical private sector employee, a new study has found.

According to the Office for National Statistics (ONS), this was the typical difference in 2011, with notable causes including the higher qualifications enjoyed by public sector workers.

In addition to this, the general tendency for pay to rise with age may benefit the public sector, which has an older workforce.

The difference may suggest that of those in work, private sector employees may be more likely to get into debt because they are paid less and therefore more prone to borrowing to make ends meet.

However, it may be public sector workers at greater overall risk because of government cuts, meaning jobs have been shed by central and local government bodies, something that can leave people without the income to meet their repayments.

Earlier this month, the ONS revealed the three months to January 2012 saw private sector pay rise by 45,000 while public sector employment dipped by 37,000.

By James Francis