For the half-year ended Sept. 30, BT Group recorded pretax profit of £1.1 billion, 12% above the year-earlier figure, as cost cutting supported earnings, The Independent reported Thursday.
BT’s workforce, excluding its international business, stood at 90,000 on Sept. 30, the outlet said. That was 7,731 fewer than at the end of March and 11,712 below the year-earlier level, a decline of 11%.
BT’s fiber network expansion has passed its peak, a shift The Independent linked to fewer Openreach positions. The outlet said the division accounted for most of the workforce decline.
BT aims to generate about £3.5 billion in annual savings by 2030, according to the report. The target was reduced from £3.7 billion to reflect the planned separation of the international business.
The Independent reported that BT expects its workforce excluding the international business to be about 65,000 to 70,000 by 2030. With that business included, the company’s forecast was about 75,000, down from 130,000 in 2024; the earlier figure included contractors.
In BT’s results release, Chief Executive Allison Kirkby said the company achieved £312 million in annualized savings during the first half. She also said the proposed international joint venture with Verizon was progressing.
