Industrial action will take place on 5 November

The Public and Commercial Services union polled its 260,000 members over government plans to cut 100,000 jobs.

It will be the biggest action in the civil service since 1993, hitting Jobcentres, benefit agencies, pensions offices, customs and driving tests.

The union says it is concerned about pensions, sick pay and forced relocation as well as the cut in jobs.

I hope that when our members demonstrate overwhelmingly on 5 November their anger at what is being done, the government will get the message that it's time to talk Mark Serwotka What is the strike all about?

The PCS said 2,000 people had become members in the last month.

Last month it was announced that a total of 37 social security offices and jobcentres across the UK would close in the first wave of plans to shed civil service jobs.

Picket lines

The number of civil servants in Britain rose to more than 520,000 in April.

Announcing the strike, PCS general secretary Mark Serwotka said the size of the vote for action - two to one of those cast - reflected the anger felt at the scale of job losses and attacks on pensions and retirement pay.

HAVE YOUR SAY The public sector has become too bloated and needs to be cut James Smith, London, UK Send us your comments

He said: "The government has failed to come up with a single one of the six assurances we'd asked for and I hope that when our members demonstrate overwhelmingly on November 5 their anger at what is being done, when we see picket lines outside public sector buildings and workplaces, the government will get the message that it's time to talk.

He said civil servants "work tirelessly to deliver services from the cradle to the grave", and only voted in favour of strike action when things were "pretty desperate".

Mr Serwotka predicted the strike would have a massive impact across the country and accused the government of getting involved in a "Dutch auction" with the Conservatives over which party could cut the most civil service jobs.

'Efficiency measures'

Other areas the strike will affect include passports, museums and galleries, libraries and health and safety inspections.

The union's executive is to meet next week to consider whether to sanction any emergency service cover on November 5.

Director of the Confederation of British Industry, John Williams, attacked the decision to strike, but added support for action "might reflect that the government needs to communicate more clearly the aims of its reform policies to its staff".

A Cabinet Office spokeswoman said the government was taking "essential efficiency measures across the public sector to increase investment in vital frontline services".

She added: "Our decisions mean more police, teachers, doctors and nurses. We will not be diverted from this essential investment and we hope to continue to discuss this with the unions in a constructive way."