Chancellor says she was ‘confident’ Civil Service numbers could be reduced by 10,000, but one union chief says the cuts could lead to some 50,000 staff being let go
Rachel Reeves' plan to cut Civil Service running costs by 15% is facing opposition from unions, who fear up to 50,000 job losses. While Reeves aims to reduce numbers by 10,000 and denies austerity, unions argue cuts will impact frontline services, referencing past failures. The Civil Service size peaked in September 2024 at 515,085 employees, following increases after previous reduction efforts.
