Civil service staff in five different government departments are to be balloted in the New Year over strike action, it has been announced.

The Public and Commercial Services Union argues that the "increasingly hard line" approach by the government has left them with no option, after pay deals were imposed.

A ballot was planned for 86,000 workers at the Department for Work and Pensions.

But the vote, which will take place between January 5 and January 20, will now also involve a number of staff from the Home Office, the Treasury Solicitors, the Department for Constitutional Affairs and the Prison Service.

"This is not a step we have taken lightly and we still hope there is an opportunity to sort out the deepening crisis," said PCS general secretary Mark Serwotka.

"However, by imposing pay offers, which are below even the new lower calculation for inflation, members have been left incensed and angry.

"The hardening stance of some government departments does nothing to alleviate low pay in the civil service where a quarter earn less than £13,750 and further underlines the need to end the anomalous delegated pay bargaining system and return to national pay for the civil service."