The National Trust is poised to shed about 550 jobs as it seeks to significantly reduce its wage bill amid mounting financial pressures.
The conservation charity has informed staff that escalating costs, notably increased national insurance contributions, are now outpacing the growth in both visitor numbers and donations.
It is part of a broader strategy to achieve £26 million in savings.
The proposed redundancies are anticipated to result in an estimated 6 per cent reduction across the National Trust’s total workforce, which stood at 9,575 individuals at the end of February.
That means it could impact at least 550 full-time roles.
Recent increases to employer national insurance contributions and the national minimum wage have added more than £10 million to its annual wage bill, the charity said.
The tax hike was a central tenet of Chancellor Rachel Reeves’ autumn Budget, to raise billions of pounds for the Treasury.
But it has been met with fierce criticism among businesses affected, many of whom have said they would be forced to pass on the higher costs through job cuts or price rises for customers.
The National Trust said in a statement: “Although demand and support for our work are growing with yearly increases in visitors and donations, increasing costs are outstripping this growth.
“We know how difficult this is for our people and are incredibly grateful for their skill and professionalism.
“We are working hard, with the union Prospect, to make the transition as painless as possible.
“This follows months of other cost-saving measures. We always want to avoid job losses.”
The charity said that the proposed changes will enable it to “keep on caring for and championing our shared historic and natural environment in England, Wales and Northern Ireland, long into the future”.
The National Trust is one of the largest landowners in the UK, with nearly 250,000 hectares and more than 500 historic homes, castles, monuments, reserves, parks, and gardens in its stable.
