The National Trust has announced plans to cut around 550 jobs — about 6% of its current workforce — blaming rising costs and recent tax changes introduced by Chancellor Rachel Reeves.
The conservation charity said it is facing “sustained cost pressures beyond our control,” including a higher National Living Wage from April and an increase in employers' National Insurance contributions. Together, these changes have added more than £10 million to the organisation’s annual wage bill.
In response, the Trust has launched a cost-cutting plan aimed at saving £26 million.
“While demand for our work is growing, with more visitors and increased donations, these rising costs are outpacing our income growth,” the charity said in a statement. “Pay is our largest expense, and recent tax and wage changes have significantly increased that burden.”
A 45-day consultation with staff began on Thursday. The charity, which employs around 9,500 people, said it is working closely with the Prospect union to reduce the number of compulsory redundancies. A voluntary redundancy scheme has also been opened and is expected to help minimise job losses.
Steve Thomas, deputy general secretary of Prospect, acknowledged external cost pressures but criticised management decisions that have contributed to the financial strain. “Once again, it’s our members who will bear the cost. These cuts risk losing vital institutional knowledge and skills that protect our cultural and natural heritage,” he said.
The proposed job cuts will affect staff at all levels, including management. Where possible, affected employees will be offered alternative roles. The consultation is expected to conclude by mid-to-late August, with job reductions taking place in the autumn.
The rise in employers' National Insurance contributions was introduced in last October’s Budget, part of a wider tax package intended to raise £25 billion by the end of the parliamentary term. However, business groups, including retailers, warned at the time that such moves could trigger job losses across the economy.