The National Trust has announced it is cutting about 500 roles through a mix of voluntary and compulsory redundancies in a bid to save £24m in workforce costs.
The charity announced the cost-saving plans back in July, and following consultation with staff it has now confirmed that it will reduce its workforce by 6% or around 500 full-time roles.
Of these, a third – around 167 – will be subject to compulsory redundancy.
In a statement, the trust said the savings were “due to sustained cost pressures that are affecting many charities, and to put us in the best position to deliver our new 10-year strategy”.
It initially planned a restructure to save £26m but said that it has reduced this by £2m, enabling around 50 roles earmarked for redundancy to be saved.
“We are grateful to all our staff and volunteers for the kindness and resilience they have shown throughout this process, and we thank our trade union, Prospect, for the skilled and diligent support they have shown for our people,” the National Trust said.
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“The savings will help the trust be successful in a very challenging financial climate and start to deliver our new strategy goals of restoring nature, ending unequal access to nature and cultural heritage, and inspiring millions more people to support our cause. We still have some work to do, but we aim to have new structures and ways of working in place for early 2026.”
Details of which jobs are to go, and the impact of cuts on the different properties the trust manages, are still emerging.
According to local media reports, sites such as Sutton Hoo will see changes to their operational teams, while elsewhere roles will be “merged” across properties.
Steve Thomas, deputy general secretary of Prospect union, said: “It is regrettable that National Trust has ended up in the situation where it has to make these cuts but it is welcome that after consultation it has reduced its savings target by £2m saving 76 jobs.
"Disappointingly, after a busy summer welcoming tourists and the British public to Britain’s historic venues many of our members are still facing compulsory redundancy.
“Our members are custodians of the country’s cultural, historic and natural heritage and cuts of this scale will inevitably have an impact on that mission.
“Prospect will be working with management to ensure that that this process does indeed secure the future operation of the trust and the preservation of vital national heritage. We will continue to support members through what is a challenging time.”
