RBS to cut 3,500 jobs

2nd Sep 2010 12:38

RBS is cutting another 3,500 UK jobs as it trims its back office operations, taking the number of staff axed since the bank was nationalised two years ago to 26,600.The staff cuts are part of a programme that aims to deliver annual savings of £2.5bn.About a third of the cuts are thought to be related to the sales of 318 branches to the Spanish bank Santander for £1.65bn.About 9,000 jobs were lost in back office operations, which include call centres and IT departments last year.'Having to cut jobs is the most difficult part of our work to rebuild RBS and repay taxpayers for their support,' RBS said. 'We continue to make efficiencies across our business and adjust our plans in line with the divestments we have been required to make by the EU.'