Civil service voluntary redundancy: 7,200 register interest

The aim of the civil service redundancy scheme is to lose the equivalent of 2,400 full-time posts

More than 7,200 civil servants in Northern Ireland have expressed an interest in the new voluntary redundancy scheme.

The aim of the scheme, which closed last month, is to lose the equivalent of 2,400 full-time posts.

Finance minister Simon Hamilton says that would save around £90m from the annual civil service pay bill.

The number of staff that have initially applied to be considered for redundancy is 7,285.

Borrowing

That figure covers job grades from administrative assistant to senior roles below permanent secretary level, and stretch across all age groups, the trade union NIPSA says.

But it does not reflect the final number of staff who will exit the civil service - the selection process has not yet taken place and those selected have the opportunity to withdraw.

Civil servants who leave under the scheme will get one month's pay per year of service up to a maximum of 21 months.

NIPSA general secretary Brian Campfield said the union did not believe that borrowing up to £700m to fund job cuts was an appropriate use of public funds.

"We do also have a major concern about the pressure that the remaining staff will be under to deliver services," he said.