PAY in the public sector is growing at less than half the rate of that in the private sector, official figures showed yesterday.

Heroic public servants’ dosh has increased by just 1.2 per cent in the past year compared to a 3.4 per cent rise for those toiling at private firms.

Office for National Statistics figures also showed that pay rates have fallen over the past two months.

“While private-sector wages have made up some lost ground, public-sector workers are increasingly falling behind,” said TUC general secretary Frances O’Grady.

“We need a recovery that works for everyone across the country, regardless of which region or sector they work in.”

Labour shadow work and pensions secretary Owen Smith said the government’s cuts to tax credits would “take money out of the pockets of low and medium-paid families” already hit by flatlining pay.

“They now urgently need to reassure the millions of families worried about their finances that no-one will be worse off once they have completed their enforced rethink on tax credits,” he said.