The public sector’s top earners enjoyed an average pay rise of 5.4% last year, while 323 civil servants earn more than the prime minister’s salary of £194,250.
Figures released by the TaxPayers’ Alliance showed eight public sector employees were paid more than £1m, and 806 earned more than £150,000 in 2008-09.
In total, 120 people were paid more than £250,000, while 35 earned more than £500,000.
The figures are thought to have been increased by the addition of state-owned bank bosses, with former RBS executive Mark Fisher topping the list having earned £1.388m.
The highest paid non-bank employee was Adam Crozier, chief executive of Royal Mail, who was paid £1.309m.
In total, 50 Transport for London staff earned more than £150,000, compared to just three at the Treasury.
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John O’Connell, policy analyst at the TaxPayers’ Alliance, said: “Executive pay in the public sector is completely divorced from the reality of Britain’s fiscal crisis. Ordinary families, struggling to make ends meet in the recession, don’t pay their taxes to fund gold-plated deals for public sector fat cats.
“All parties now agree that excessive pay packages must be tackled but the time for action is now, not next year.”
