E.ON UK to seek around 500 job reductions

The UK energy market continues to change at an unprecedented rate and remains an increasingly competitive environment. The company is looking to reduce numbers across non-customer facing departments as part of ongoing efforts to transform how it operates, to improve efficiency and continue to innovate in its service for customers.

E.ON currently employs more than 9,400 people across the UK.

Michael Lewis, Chief Executive of E.ON UK, said: “We’re always looking to make sure we’re equipped to respond to the rapid pace and challenges of the UK energy market and we know we can never stand still if we are to continue giving customers a high quality and cost-effective service.

“We’ve undertaken a rigorous review of our options to ensure we keep costs as low as possible, become a more agile organisation and remain a sustainable business in the UK. In discussion with our trade unions we’ve identified potential reductions of around 500 roles across the UK and we’re committed to achieving these reductions on a voluntary basis wherever possible.

“This is one element of our ongoing transformation which, in total, will help us achieve savings of around £100m across our mid-term plan.

“I’m very aware this will be a difficult time for our colleagues but our aim has always been to keep uncertainty to a minimum and I can assure everyone affected that we'll be as supportive as we can."

Due to the voluntary nature of the proposed job reductions, it is not currently possible to say how many people at individual sites or specific business areas will be affected by the proposals.

Michael Lewis added: “Clearly there are numerous challenges across the energy market and we are dealing with all of them, not least the forthcoming price cap. Our proposals today are part of a wider range of measures to reinvent our core business for the new energy world; where self-reading smart meters give customers more accurate bills and greater knowledge about their energy, and a wide range of solutions such as solar, storage and e-mobility put customers more in control of their energy.”