Reform UK to axe 68,000 civil service jobs if they win next general election
Reform UK has announced plans to cut 68,500 public service jobs if the party wins the next general election.
The proposal, led by East Wiltshire MP Danny Kruger, who is overseeing the party’s government preparations, aims to cut the wage bill by 17 per cent and save taxpayers £5.2 billion each year.
Speaking at Westminster, Mr Kruger detailed the financial impact: “This means a difference of £4bn in wage costs over two years and a further £1bn in pension contributions over the coming years.”
The party’s first phase of reform also includes investing an additional £400 million into the bonus pot (£500 million in total).
The fund aims to reward “high-performing” civil servants by moving away from what the party sees as “overly generous” pension contributions.
Mr Kruger stressed that these plans would improve central government operations and described them as “radical” and “comprehensive”.
He said: “Someone once said it was going to rain hard on Whitehall, and I see the need for serious weather, but after the rain and the storm there will be sunshine; it will be a better place to work.”
Asked how he expects to attract talent into the public service by reducing pension contributions, a key attraction for many people to apply, he said: “We value people who have had a long career in the public service. “Obviously, pensions should reflect their service.
“However, we don’t want an organization where the main reason to work there is to look forward to a good pension after retirement.
“We want people to work for the public good, and we want the kind of people who will be incentivized by the opportunity for performance-based pay rather than a distant and overly generous pension.”
He said he expected the cost of redundancies in the civil service under the Reform UK plans to pay for itself within two years, as it costs around £60,000 to let one person go.
