30/07/2008

Northern Rock Reveals Job Cuts

Northern Rock is set to shed up to 1,300 jobs as part of a restructuring plan.

The troubled bank, which was effectively nationalised this year, aims to limit the number of compulsory redundancies to 800, while 500 staff will leave voluntarily.

The job cuts are in line with previously announced plans to cut 2,000 staff by 2011.

The plans also involve cutting back the size of its mortgage business and boosting savings deposits.

The Newcastle-based business expects to be left with an estimated 4,000 staff.

It is expected that the majority of job losses will come this year.

The group will work with local development agency One NorthEast to help as many as possible find new jobs.

Northern Rock's Executive Chairman Ron Sandler said: "Confirming job losses is never easy but our staff have been kept well informed and the need to contract the size of the company is well understood.

"This remains a very tough time for our staff but the restructure of the company is nearing completion and we are now in the final phase of this difficult process."

The North East Chamber of Commerce said it is "disappointing news" but that "there are other job opportunities in the region".

The Newcastle Building Society has recently announced plans to recruit another 250 staff.

Last September, the lender became a victim of the credit crunch and borrowed £27 million in emergency funding from the Bank of England before being taken into public ownership in February.

At the end of May, the bank owed around £24 billion and hopes to repay the entire loan by the end of 2010.

Last week, the bank appointed Gary Hoffman as new Chief Executive Officer, effective from 1 October 2008.

Mr Sandler said the appointment was a "major step forward" for Northern Rock.

(DS)

Related UK National News Stories
Click here for the latest headlines.

10 February 2015
Birmingham Council Considers Job Cuts In Money Saving Drive
Birmingham City Council has voted to reduce the opening hours of the city's new £189 million library by almost half. Opening hours of the library, which opened in September 2013, are to be cut from 73 to 40 as part of a drive to save money.
26 March 2013
Job Centre's Referring Claimants To Food Banks
Job Centre staff are referring thousands of welfare recipients to food bank, over concerns they have not got enough money to eat, according to the BBC. Benefits officials have given around 6,000 people vouchers for emergency food parcels in the last year, figures obtained by the BBC suggest.
26 April 2012
2,200 Job Cuts Confirmed At HSBC
HSBC has confirmed that it is to cut more than 2,200 jobs in the UK as part of its global cost-cutting plans. Over 3,100 posts are being closed but the bank said that new roles were being created as well, which would result in 2,217 staff leaving.
22 September 2015
JCB Launch Consultation On 400 Job Cuts
JCB are to undertake a consultation over proposed redundancies following a "rapid deterioration in world construction equipment markets". The company has briefed employees that up to 400 staff positions are now at risk in the UK.
25 June 2012
HMRC Staff To Strike Over Job Cuts
Some 55,000 Revenue and Customs (HMRC) staff will strike over job cuts and "creeping privatisation". Public and Commercial Services union members are protesting about plans to cut 10,000 HMRC posts by 2014/2015.