Workers in the public sector face real pay falls of thousands of pounds by 2020, according to a new analysis published today by the TUC.

The TUC’s research revealed midwives, teachers and social workers will see losses of over £3,000, while nurses, firefighters and border guards face losing more than £2,500.

Ambulance drivers are set to miss out on over £1,800.

The TUC argued the falls in real pay are caused by Government restrictions on public pay, which limit salary increases to 1% a year.

They urged Whitehall to allow each part of the public sector to determine appropriate pay rather than having a blanket national limit.

The trade union representatives also called for pay review bodies to be made ‘genuinely independent’ and for the public sector to become a real living wage employer.

‘Everyone in the UK has bills to pay, and it’s only fair that wages should at least keep up with rising living costs,’ said TUC general secretary Frances O’Grady.

‘Workers in the public sector are already feeling the squeeze, and it seems like there’s worse to come.’

‘Government pay restrictions hurt staff in overstretched public services, and make it even harder to recruit good people,’ Ms O’Grady continued.

‘Particularly at a time of crisis in the NHS, we need to be recruiting the best people for the job.

‘It’s time for ministers to give public employers the freedom to negotiate with unions for pay in their sectors.’