Prospect general secretary Paul Noon welcomed the new development saying: "Prospect is an independent and forward looking union and we are proud that our recruitment facilities have embraced the technology of the 21st century.

"This latest development aims to make joining a union easier by eliminating the need for time-wasting paperwork and providing quick and simple access to advice and representation at work."

Previously, prospective members could print off an application form from the union’s website but security concerns meant that this still needed to be posted back to the membership department with a signature authorising payment.

However the union has now overcome these obstacles and its new online direct debit system has been vetted as financially secure.

Would-be Prospect members need only to click on the join us link on the Prospect home page, at www.prospect.org.uk, and follow the simple steps to join forces with the union’s 104,000 members in the public and private sectors, and take advantage of the range of membership services and benefits and workplace representation. However those who prefer to print and return an application form still have the option to do so.