Currently reading: Ford confirms UK job losses as part of cost-cutting

Manufacturer launches voluntary redundancy initiative to reduce headcount in UK and Germany

Ford has confirmed that it will cut more than 5000 jobs in Germany and a yet-to-be-determined number in the UK as part of the cost-cutting reorganisation of its European business.

The American company has begun a voluntary separation programme for employees in the two countries as part of a major restructuring, which it says is designed to ‘transform’ its European business and return it to sustainable profitability by reducing costs and bureaucracy. 

Ford said it expects to cut more than 5000 jobs in Germany, including temporary staff. It added that “the total number of positions in the UK is still to be determined”.

The company employs around 53,000 people in Europe, including 12,000 in the UK and 24,000 in Germany. 

The restructuring of its European business, which is part of a £14 billion global cost-cutting programme, includes splitting the business in the region into three groups, for commercial vehicles, passenger vehicles and imports respectively.

Ford is also planning to boost production of its strongest European-made cars and ditch slow-selling models.

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James Attwood

James Attwood, digital editor
Title: Associate editor

James is Autocar’s associate editor, and has more than 20 years of experience of working in automotive and motorsport journalism. He has been in his current role since September 2024, and helps lead Autocar's features and new sections, while regularly interviewing some of the biggest names in the industry. Oh, and he once helped make Volkswagen currywurst. Really.

Before first joining Autocar in 2017, James spent more than a decade in motorsport journalist, working on Autosport, autosport.com, F1 Racing and Motorsport News, covering everything from club rallying to top-level international events. He also spent 18 months running Move Electric, Haymarket's e-mobility title, where he developed knowledge of the e-bike and e-scooter markets.