BT job cuts have reduced the company's headcount by 7,731 to 90,000 in the period since the end of March, excluding staff in its international business, which is being spun out in a joint venture with the US telecoms company Verizon.

Where the cuts fell

Most of the reductions have been at BT's Openreach division, where the buildout of the fibre network is slowing as the company seeks billions of pounds in savings by 2030.

The company has shed staff at speed under the bt cost-saving programme:

• •Two years ago, BT's workforce, including contractors, stood at about 130,000 people.
• •Since the end of March, the headcount has fallen by 7,731 to 90,000, not counting the international business.

Bigger savings target and higher profit

Chief executive Allison Kirkby, who joined BT's board before taking the top job in February 2024, has raised the company's savings target from £3bn by 2029 to £3.7bn by 2030. Headcount is now expected to end the decade at between 75,000 and 80,000, the lower end of the 75,000 to 90,000 range set out in 2023.

The reductions come alongside stronger results: bt pre-tax profit rose 12% to £1.1bn in the six months to the end of September, and shares rose as much as 6% in early London trading on Thursday, touching a five-year high.

TalkTalk takeover awaits regulatory review

Kirkby has also overseen BT's £400m takeover of the struggling smaller rival TalkTalk. The deal secured telecoms supply to 2.5m households and vital public service customers including hospitals and schools.

Virgin Media O2, which had also considered buying TalkTalk, called the deal a "stitch-up" that would further boost BT's dominant position.

Speaking on Thursday, Kirkby said she was unable to give details on plans for the business because the deal remained under regulatory review.

Fibre buildout still growing

BT told investors on Thursday that Openreach's full-fibre network has record demand and has so far been rolled out to 24.1m homes, with a target of 25m by the end of the year.