Low-paid workers may have to spend twice as much on pension contributions with poorer returns than high-income earners, according to the Amicus union.

Part-timers and low-paid staff would have to twice as much into defined contribution schemes or through the Government's stakeholder pension to have a chance of earning the same proportion of pension as higher paid workers, the union insists.

Amicus is calling for compulsory contributions to pension schemes from workers and employers.

, as well as a Government-backed scheme guaranteeing pension returns for low-paid workers.