More than one in 10 workers may be without a job at the peak of the economic contraction due to the coronavirus pandemic, which 15 top economists on average predict will push the budget to a record $140 billion deficit next financial year.

The most pessimistic forecast was for the deficit to blow out to $300 billion in 2020-21 and 20 per cent unemployment.

Prime Minister Scott Morrison and Treasurer Josh Frydenberg have introduced major stimulus packages to help limit the economic impacts of coronavirus. Credit:Alex Ellinghausen

The Sydney Morning Herald and The Age surveyed the economists for a special edition of the biannual Scope survey focused on how the virus and measures to slow the spread will affect jobs, economic growth and government spending.

The panel on average expects the budget to fall into deficit by $87 billion in 2019-20 and $140 billion the following year.