Public sector sick leave hits new high

The soaring amount of sick leave taken by civil servants is revealed today.

New Government figures show that the average public sector worker took a record two weeks off because of illness last year.

The number of days claimed rose despite a massive campaign. The figures - released by the Cabinet Office today - show that the Government is now trailing behind a target to reduce sick leave in the civil service to an average of 7.2 days a year for each worker by 2003.

The report reveals that 4.8 million working days were lost in the civil service due to sick leave last year - costing taxpayers

£386million.

Women took an average-of almost three more days than men. However, a third of civil servants took no sick days - suggesting a hardcore takes far more than the average.

A rising number cite stress, anxiety or depression. The report says of mental illness: "There has been an increase from 4.9 per cent in 2002 to 5.1 per cent in 2003." The Prison Service has the most serious problem with the average member of staff taking 12.5 days sick leave.

At the Crown Office the average is almost 12 days off a year and the DVLA also has a high rate. But at National Savings the average was just 1.5 days.

The more senior the worker, the less likely they were to take sick leave. Chancellor Gordon Brown plans new measures to prevent staff exploiting the system.