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A two-day strike and an overtime ban are to take place next week by workers employed by the Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) in a dispute over pay.

The strike will affect members of the Public and Commercial Services Union (PCS) working in Jobcentres, the Pension service and Child Support Agency (CSA).

It will take place on Thursday December 6th and Friday December 7th and follows claims from the DWP that a recently-offered pay deal would see about 40 per cent of staff receive a zero per cent pay increase next year.

The pay offer averages just one per cent a year over the next three years, according to the PCS.

Anger has also been provoked among DWP workers by the closure of three pension centres located in Birmingham, Blackpool and Dearne Valley, resulting in 650 job cuts.

PCS claims that the closures will further damage the Pension service which it says has been hit by delays and backlogs.

Mark Serwotka, PCS general secretary, described the pay offer as "insulting".

"The department has provoked conflict and the inevitable disruption that strike action brings by walking away from last minute talks. Imposing a pay offer that averages out at one per cent a year will do little for the morale of staff who have seen job cuts and services suffer," he added.

"The government have got to start realising that its policies of cuts and driving down pay are not only damaging staff morale and services, but creating the conditions for systemic failure across the civil service.

"If the government and the department want to avoid damaging industrial action, then they need to re-start talks quickly on a fair pay deal for staff."

A DWP spokesperson said the pay award is a "good one" which benefits lowest paid staff and those at the lower end of their pay scales.

"We are disappointed that PCS has decided to call this action," the spokesperson added.

"DWP will do everything necessary to minimise disruption to its customers and is confident that its services and payments will be maintained."