In an effort to save the government over £21 million annually, civil servants are requesting permission to work a four-day workweek, arguing that the change is "critical to attaining a good quality of life." Department for Environment, Food, and Rural Affairs (Defra) officials predict the deal would more than halve staff turnover and free up funds to hire an additional 2,345 employees. The study was conducted by the Public and Commercial Services Union (PCS), which represents civil servants, and it indicates that sick leave may also decrease from an average of 4.3 working days lost per staffer per year to 1.5 days.Whitehall officials are campaigning for Defra to carry out a pilot four-day week scheme within the department so that managers can assess the arrangement.Statisticians within the department who are members of the PCS say the Government could save £21.4 million from the move.

That figure is based on Institute for Government (IfG) modelling of the year 2016-17 and updated to reflect a rise in salaries, staff numbers and turnover since then.In a survey of 1,200 members carried out by the PCS as part of its research, 80% of respondents said a four-day week would give them health and wellbeing benefits.

General secretary Fran Heathcote said the study suggested any opposition to employees working a four-day week was “purely ideological”.“Why else would an employer stand in the way of progress?” she said.

“Our members are resolute in their belief that a four-day week is critical to attaining a good quality of life, improving their health and wellbeing and helping them to meet caring responsibilities, while all the time increasing their productivity.”

The Government last week dropped official concerns about South Cambridgeshire District Council’s four-day week after the authority faced opposition from the previous Tory administration.

At Prime Minister’s Questions on Wednesday, Kemi Badenoch attacked Sir Keir Starmer over the move, asking him: “If he is going to bail out the public sector then can he tell us this: does he think it is appropriate – as the Ministry for Housing has done – to approve a four-day week for councils that is not flexible working but is actually part-time work for full-time pay?”

Sir Keir replied: “Questions based on what we’re actually doing are usually better than fantasy questions made up.

“What did they deliver in 14 years? Low growth, a stagnant economy, a disastrous mini-budget, a £22 billion black hole and now she wants to give me advice on running the economy?

“I don’t want to be rude but no thank you very much.”

A Defra spokeswoman said there were no plans for a four-day week.