Barclays won't say if island jobs are among 5,000 global cuts

Barclays has declined to say whether any of its Isle of Man staff are among the 5,000 jobs it is cutting worldwide, according to Isle of Man Today.

When the newspaper asked whether the island would be affected, a Barclays spokesperson said the bank would not confirm redundancy numbers for individual regions.

The cuts were reported by the BBC last week, Isle of Man Today said, as the bank brings more artificial intelligence into the way it works.

The BBC said about 1,000 posts had been removed so far, and a further 4,000 were due to go before the end of the year. Combined, the cuts would represent around 5% of the bank’s global workforce.

The Barclays spokesperson said: “We are positioning Barclays for the future, building the workforce and skills needed to deliver our strategy.”

The spokesperson said the bank was committed to helping colleagues develop “rewarding careers” and was investing £150m in their future skills by 2030. The bank said 40,000 employees had already made use of its AI learning, which is open to all staff.

Staff affected by the changes would be offered career support and coaching suited to their circumstances, the spokesperson added.

On the island, Barclays now runs a single main branch serving the public, on Victoria Road in Douglas, Isle of Man Today reported. The bank’s branches in Castletown and Ramsey have since shut.

Barclays’ international banking office is at Eagle Court, 25 Circular Road, Douglas. According to the newspaper, that building is recorded as the principal business address of the bank’s island branch.

The bank’s statement did not say how many people it employs on the island or whether any roles here are under review.