The Government and unions will meet around the negotiation table today following yesterday’s strike over pension reforms.

The main teaching unions will hold talks today, while health service officials will sit down on Friday.

Unions claim that two million people took part in action yesterday and BBC reports 850,500 of those striking were council workers.

The Local Government Association said that although many council officers were closed yesterday, local authorities did ‘everything within their power’ to manage disruption and maintain essential 'life and limb' services for vulnerable people.

Services hit most were refuse collection, street cleaning, funeral services and leisure services such as libraries. Over 18,000 schools were closed across the country and transport networks were also affected.

Ministers have requested that £900 million are made in the local government pensions scheme (LGPS) by the end of the 2014/15 financial year. However, there are fears for the future of the scheme if reforms lead to a mass opt out from the scheme.

A survey of 1,000 LGPS members collated by the GMB trade union last week found that 55% of respondents could leave the £150bn retirement fund if ministers proceed with plans to increase staff contributions by 1.5% and reduce benefits.

Rallies took place in towns and cities across the UK, with the TUC estimating that 30,000 protesters had turned out in Birmingham and some 25,000 in London.

The Trades Union Congress (TUC) hailed it ‘the biggest strike in a generation’ while David Cameron described the action as a ‘damp squib’ in heated exchanges during Prime Minister’s Questions yesterday.

Cabinet office minister Francis Maude told the BBC that ministers were still prepared to alter what is currently being offered. He was confident that deals would be struck with the major unions over the reforms.

He was quick to downplay the impact of yesterday’s action, claiming the Government's ‘rigorous contingency planning’ had ‘significantly’ limited the impact of the strikes.