The public are less likely to support the government's benefit cuts once they know low-paid workers will be hit the hardest, the TUC said yesterday.
The union organisation has accused the government of spreading "prejudice and ignorance" over benefits.
More than two out of five people believe benefits were too generous and three out of five agreed Britain's welfare system had created a culture of dependency, according to the TUC's poll.
But it said people's opinions were based on "widespread ignorance" about welfare spending, the level of benefit fraud and the generosity of payments.
TUC general secretary Frances O'Grady said: "When people learn more about benefits support moves away from coalition policy."
Foreign Minister Alistair Burt's admission that the Cameron government has "supported" a survey of attitudes to US drone strikes in Pakistan's tribal areas amounts to a tacit admission of British involvement.