19 June 2015

Office for National Statistics data shows a loss of 400,000 public sector jobs in the UK. The North East lost the most jobs, with the South East losing the least.

Public sector employment now stands at 5.4 million, its lowest level since the record began in 1999.

TUC General Secretary Frances O’Grady said: “While public services are under pressure from extreme cuts across the UK, it’s clear from these figures that some communities have been harder hit than others.

“What’s more some of the regions that have lost most public sector jobs also have unemployment rates well above the national average, while more prosperous parts of the country have seen fewer overall public sector job reductions.

“The North of England has been hardest hit of all. The promise of a northern powerhouse cannot be delivered off the back of more austerity and more job cuts. Devolving power to the regions will fail if at the same time communities are starved of the public investment they need for modern infrastructure and services.”