Civil servants have voted in favour of nationwide strikes in protest at the Government's public sector pay policy.

The move by members of the Public and Commercial Services union threatens a winter of industrial action across Government departments and agencies, including job centres, courts, coastguards and immigration centres.

The union, which represents 270,000 workers in the UK, said 54% of those taking part in the ballot backed industrial action.

The union's executive will meet next Thursday to decide dates for a programme of industrial action which could last for the rest of the year.

The union said the yes vote came as civil servants faced mounting pressure on their finances because of the Government's 2% pay cap.

General secretary Mark Serwotka said: "With a quarter of the civil service earning less than £16,500 and thousands earning just above the minimum wage, the Government's policy of capping public sector pay has hit some of the lowest paid in the public sector the hardest, leading to real terms pay cuts and pay freezes.

"The hardworking people who keep this country running, from passports, immigration and justice, to coastguards, tax and jobcentres, face increasing financial hardship because of the pay cap.

"Pay freezes and real term pay cuts are simply not sustainable when you are earning a pittance and experiencing double digit rises in food, fuel and housing costs. Bailing out bankers should not be at the expense of those who deliver public services or those who rely on them.

"Members feel betrayed and this ballot result illustrates that they are prepared to stand up for fair pay.

"The Government have a window of opportunity to avert industrial action and to recognise that their public sector pay cap is compounding the financial misery of hardworking families in these unstable economic times."