Tens of thousands of civil servants are joining a national day of industrial action in a bitter row over jobs and pay.
Members of the Public and Commercial Services union are refusing to work overtime, will work the "minimum" hours required and will hand out leaflets to members of the public, explaining their case.
The workers, including those based in Jobcentres and benefit offices, tax offices and driving test centres, have just finished a two-week overtime ban following a one-day strike last month.
The union is protesting at job cuts, privatisation of services and below-inflation pay offers.
General secretary Mark Serwotka said: "A lack of staff through massive job cuts is leading to hard-working civil servants doing large amounts of unpaid overtime in order to keep key public services running.
"Added to this, you have some of the lowest paid being asked to take a pay cut in real terms as the Government seek to drive pay with below-inflation pay offers.
"Today's action, following on from January's successful strike and two- week overtime ban, is about highlighting these two factors and saying to Civil Service management and the Government that decent public services need enough properly paid and properly resourced staff to deliver them."
