Andy Burnham is facing fresh pressure as 10 major companies confirm plans to cut more than 11,000 UK jobs. The Prime Minister is grappling with a rising unemployment rate, which reached 4.9% between May and July 2026, a 0.2 percentage point increase compared with the same period last year.
In another setback, the number of job vacancies also fell, with 8,000 fewer postings compared with the previous quarter. A range of top firms have confirmed they are slashing roles in recent months, from national broadcasters to postal workers and car manufacturers.
Royal Mail and Jaguar Land Rover lead cuts
Royal Mail has confirmed plans to cut thousands of jobs by the end of 2027, citing falling demand for letter deliveries. Around 2,500 head office and supporting roles will be lost, a decision that will see 2% of the 131,000 workforce lose their jobs. Royal Mail bosses said the proposed changes will “remove duplication” and allow them to “invest further in the service” for customers. Frontline postal workers are not understood to be part of the restructuring process.
Last month, Jaguar Land Rover confirmed it would cut thousands of jobs in the UK in a major blow to the car industry. The company plans to cut 4,000 jobs, with most coming from its head office. JLR said it hoped most of the cuts could be made through voluntary redundancy. JLR chief executive PB Balaji said: “The automotive industry faces significant challenges, with technological change amidst intense competition and ongoing geopolitical uncertainty.”
BBC and Greggs announce further reductions
The BBC is facing another series of job losses as part of a bid to save £500 million, with up to 2,000 roles likely to be lost. It is understood that BBC Local staff have now been told that the number of specialist correspondent roles will be reduced. Laura Davison, general secretary of the National Union of Journalists, previously criticised the decision to cut more roles. She said: “The BBC’s ongoing campaign of cuts is devastating and demoralising for our members and severely undermines the broadcaster’s ability to serve audiences across the UK.”
Greggs, the UK’s most loved bakery chain, is also scrapping hundreds of roles. The company plans to shut four of its factories, with manufacturing sites at North Lakes, Cumbria, Pettigrews, Seaham and Enfield closing their doors. This will see 740 job cuts, with estimates that the scheme will save around £20 million across the 2028 and 2029 financial years. Greggs has said that retail shops would not be affected by the proposed changes.
