{"id":123383,"date":"2026-07-23T11:30:00","date_gmt":"2026-07-23T10:30:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/en.econostrum.info\/uk\/?p=123383"},"modified":"2026-07-23T11:28:43","modified_gmt":"2026-07-23T10:28:43","slug":"1300-jobs-gone-british-gas","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/en.econostrum.info\/uk\/1300-jobs-gone-british-gas\/","title":{"rendered":"1,300 Jobs Gone: British Gas Launches Massive Restructuring"},"content":{"rendered":"

British Gas<\/strong> owner Centrica<\/strong> will cut 1,300 jobs<\/strong> as part of a major restructuring, citing a sharp increase in the use of digital services and changing customer behaviour. The announcement comes as the energy group reported lower first-half profits while continuing to invest in large-scale energy projects.<\/p>\n

1,300 Jobs to Be Cut Across Multiple Sites<\/h2>\n

The total includes 500 redundancies announced last month<\/strong> and an additional 800 job cuts<\/strong> in Group Support functions, bringing the overall number of planned layoffs to 1,300.<\/strong><\/p>\n

The earlier reductions affect customer service and support teams based in Glasgow, Edinburgh, Cardiff, Leicester, Stockport, and Leeds<\/strong>. The latest cuts will be made across the group’s support operations, although Centrica has not provided a detailed breakdown of the affected positions.<\/p>\n

The company said the restructuring is intended to improve operational efficiency and reflect structural changes in the way customers interact with British Gas<\/a>.<\/p>\n

Digital Services Continue to Change Customer Behaviour<\/h2>\n

According to Centrica, customer engagement has shifted markedly over the past year. The company said the average number of customer contacts has fallen by 20% year-on-year<\/strong>, while around 90% of customers<\/strong> now use digital services to manage their accounts and access support.<\/p>\n

As fewer customers rely on telephone assistance, the company says it needs fewer call centre staff and is adapting its workforce to match demand. The restructuring has prompted criticism from the GMB union, which claims the eliminated roles are being replaced by artificial intelligence.<\/p>\n

Centrica has rejected that accusation, insisting the changes are being driven by evolving customer preferences rather than the deployment of AI.<\/p>\n

Lower Profits Reflect Difficult Trading Conditions<\/h2>\n

Centrica reported an 18% decline<\/strong> in adjusted operating profit for the six months ending in June. The company attributed the weaker financial performance to a combination of production outages, unfavourable weather, and weak market conditions, which affected several parts of the business during the reporting period.<\/p>\n

The decline follows a period of heightened volatility across energy markets, with suppliers continuing to adjust their operations after several years of sharp swings in wholesale gas<\/a> and electricity prices.<\/p>\n

Investment Strategy Remains Unchanged<\/h2>\n

Despite the lower earnings and workforce reductions, Centrica is maintaining its investment programme, including its participation in the Sizewell C nuclear power station project.<\/p>\n

The company has identified nuclear energy as part of its long-term strategy to strengthen its energy portfolio and diversify its sources of revenue.<\/p>\n

The latest restructuring highlights the wider transformation taking place across the energy sector as suppliers adapt to changing customer expectations, increased digitalisation and a more competitive operating environment. While the job cuts mark one of Centrica’s largest workforce reductions in recent years, the group says the changes are intended to reshape the business for the way customers increasingly choose to access energy services.<\/p>\n\n\n

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\ud83c\uddec\ud83c\udde7 200,000 jobs. One industry.

The British oil & gas sector supports hundreds of thousands of skilled workers across engineering, manufacturing, logistics and offshore operations.

Protecting energy security also means protecting jobs.#OilAndGas<\/a> #NorthSea<\/a> #Jobs<\/a> #EnergySecurity<\/a>\u2026 pic.twitter.com\/uO4UutVsrr<\/a><\/p>— Great British Business Council (@GBBC_UK) July 22, 2026<\/a><\/blockquote>