More than half of people want Scotland to remain in the UK while just over a quarter believe the country should become independent, a new poll has suggested.

Research carried out for the Scottish Mail on Sunday also revealed 49% of people questioned thought their families would be worse off under independence compared to 23% who believed they would do better.

The poll, by Progressive Scottish Opinion, was carried out shortly after First Minister Alex Salmond launched the Scottish Government's White Paper for independence.

The document, which runs to almost 670 pages, sets out the SNP administration's aims for negotiating terms if there is a Yes vote in the referendum, to be held on September 18 next year.

The paper also indicates what an SNP Government would do if re-elected in 2016, including pledges to improve childcare, scrap the so-called ''bedroom tax'' and remove Trident nuclear missiles from Scotland.

A total of 1,134 people were questioned for the poll, with 56% saying they did not support independence while 27% wanted Scotland to leave the UK and 17% said they did not know.

When asked if their household would be better or worse off if Scotland was independent, 49% said they thought they would be worse off while 23% believed they would be better off. A total of 13% thought there would be no impact and 16% did not know if they would be better or worse off.

Alistair Darling, leader of the Better Together campaign to keep Scotland in the UK, said: "This poll confirms that Scots are choosing devolution in the UK over separation from the UK.

"But we cannot be complacent for one moment. The SNP are spending hundreds of thousands of pounds of taxpayers' money on propaganda selling independence."

Scottish Conservative leader Ruth Davidson said: "The majority of the Scottish people have seen through the empty prospectus of the White Paper and have recognised it is little more than an uncosted wishlist."

A spokesman for the pro-independence Yes Scotland campaign said people were shifting from being No voters to being undecided, which "reflects a trend that we are finding more and more as the campaign progresses".

He added: 'We know from our own research, which is far more exploratory and detailed than conventional binary polling, that the more people learn about the benefits of independence, the more likely they are to vote Yes.

'We also know that most Scots want decisions over vital issues such as taxation, pensions and welfare to be taken in Scotland rather than at Westminster.

"That's because they realise that Scotland's future in Scotland's hands is a much better choice than sticking with a broken and discredited Westminster system that isn't working for Scotland.

"As other recent polls would suggest, between a fifth and a third of voters have yet to decide how to vote, and between now and the only poll that really counts next September we will be doubling our efforts to provide people with all the quality information that they need to help them make a properly informed decision."