05/06/2015
NAO Report Reveals Civil Servant Cuts
Significant reductions have been made by government departments to their staff numbers and salary bill since 2010.
According to a report by the National Audit Office (NAO), the number of civil servants fell by 18% from 492,000 to 405,000 between March and December 2010.
The annualised government worker salary bill stood at £11.13 billion in March 2014, 18% (£2.49 billion) lower than four years earlier.
The staff reduction has been achieved by minimizing recruitment, with older staff comprising a greater proportion of the workforce.
Workers aged between 20 to 29 have reduced from 14% to 9% in the last four years, while 50 to 59-year-olds increased from 26% to 31%.
The NAO has said there is "growing awareness" in the government of the risk these low levels of recruitment may bring.
However there is not a "clear understanding" of the potential consequences or necessary management actions.
Amyas Morse, Head of the NAO, said: "Departments have significantly cut their staff numbers and costs in the last five years but not enough planning has gone into making sure that, over the longer term, the reductions already made and any required in future are sustainable and do not damage the delivery of public services.
"The centre of government must do more to help departments meet these challenges, including managing the heightened risk of a shortage of vital skills."
(LM)
According to a report by the National Audit Office (NAO), the number of civil servants fell by 18% from 492,000 to 405,000 between March and December 2010.
The annualised government worker salary bill stood at £11.13 billion in March 2014, 18% (£2.49 billion) lower than four years earlier.
The staff reduction has been achieved by minimizing recruitment, with older staff comprising a greater proportion of the workforce.
Workers aged between 20 to 29 have reduced from 14% to 9% in the last four years, while 50 to 59-year-olds increased from 26% to 31%.
The NAO has said there is "growing awareness" in the government of the risk these low levels of recruitment may bring.
However there is not a "clear understanding" of the potential consequences or necessary management actions.
Amyas Morse, Head of the NAO, said: "Departments have significantly cut their staff numbers and costs in the last five years but not enough planning has gone into making sure that, over the longer term, the reductions already made and any required in future are sustainable and do not damage the delivery of public services.
"The centre of government must do more to help departments meet these challenges, including managing the heightened risk of a shortage of vital skills."
(LM)
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