Aviva to cut up to 800 jobs to reduce costs

Aviva is continuing its £400m cost-cutting programme

Insurance group Aviva has announced that up to 800 positions in the UK could be at risk as it continues its £400m cost-cutting programme.

The group has an office in Belfast with fewer than 100 employees. Aviva said no employees in Northern Ireland would be affected.

It said redeployments and voluntary redundancies meant the actual number of people losing their job in the UK would be fewer than 800.

Aviva said it had already streamlined senior management roles and would create some new roles.

The Unite union has described the cuts as "totally unacceptable".

In a statement, Aviva said that its aim was that no one area in the UK "in terms of business or location will have a disproportionate impact".

"We recognise this is a difficult time for employees and will do everything we can to support them as we continue with our consultation process," it said.

David Fleming of Unite said: "Our members face being asked to pay the price of boardroom failure and Unite is dismayed that what started out as a shareholders' revolt on executive pay will result in a jobs cull.

"This is totally unacceptable."

Last year, Aviva announced it was to cut almost 1,000 jobs in the Irish Republic.