British Gas has revealed it plans to cut 500 jobs from its loft and cavity insulation business.

After undertaking a 'wide-ranging strategic review', the company has decided to reduce its workforce in an effort to cut costs.

Mark Hodges, Chief Executive, said: "British Gas is well positioned to grow, but we must ensure that our costs allow us to be competitive for our customers.

"I recognise that this will be difficult news for the employees who may be affected. However I believe today's announcement is in the best long-term interests of the business."

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Brian Strutton, GMB National Secretary, said the announcement was a 'real sickener' for staff.

"This is an early stage of the programme of 6,000 job losses announced by parent group Centrica's CEO Ian Conn last summer," he said.

"At the end of last year we went through a reorganisation which we were told was to make that business competitive and everyone thought that was behind us.

"But it seems while we were doing that the company was hatching secret plans to shut the whole operation down."

Mr Stutton added the government will now need to revise its carbon emission targets as a result of the job losses.

(LM)