The civil service is losing over four million working days due to staff sickness a year, with absence rates rising by more than ten per cent a year.

Figures show that Whitehall is on track to report its highest ever staff sickness level, with its previous peak of 8.3 days a year lost per employee two years ago.

Some officials criticised rules from the previous Conservative Government, which stated that civil servants needed to spend at least 60 per cent of their time in the office.

One said they have evidence that people called in sick when they may have been able to work from home.

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Almost 600,000 hours have been lost in the Home Office due to sickness

The Home Office has also noticed a considerable rise in sickness rates, with almost 600,000 hours lost a year.

Angela Rayner's Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government absences have also risen by 12 per cent.

Deputy general secretary of the union Prospect called the rise a "source of considerable worry".

He said: "What we are hearing from our members is that many are experiencing uncertainty about their future thanks to mixed messages on absolute numbers of civil servants and where they will work in future, unclear communication about reform, the long-term impact of pay restraint and a spending review which has many departmental budgets falling in real terms."