Most City staff want to stay in the UK

The online poll of 415 workers in London's City finance district said only 14 per cent were actively seeking a job overseas, with the rest happy to remain in the UK.

Public anger over financiers' large salaries has not waned. Many still blame the industry for the credit crisis, which resulted in several banks being rescued with taxpayers' money.

This month, Britain fell into line with the rest of the European Union in introducing the world's toughest bank bonus curbs, and the politicians have kept up pressure to restrain excessive pay deals in the industry.

Banks claim that such regulation could see companies and staff move to less-stringent hubs in Asia or America, resulting in less money coming into the UK.

The survey revealed that 61 per cent of respondents had no concerns about their job security in 2011. Forty-one per cent of those surveyed said they believed their organisations would increase headcount next year.