A third of entrepreneurs are finding themselves working longer hours, yet 27% of SME owners expect their personal earnings to decrease.

The government’s austerity measures have led to a drop in the commitment of public sector workers towards their organisations, research by Warwick Business School has found.

The majority of jobs created since June 2010 have been in industries where the average wage is less than £7.95 an hour, according to a TUC report.