Up to 500 jobs are set to be axed at three steel factories because of weak demand in the construction industry.
Tata Steel said the cuts will affect mainly management and administrative roles at sites in Scunthorpe, Teesside and Workington.
About 340 jobs could be affected in Scunthorpe, 90 in Workington and 40 in Teesside.
Tata said the planned cuts were being made amid a prolonged downturn in demand for some of the key products made by the Scunthorpe-based Long Products business, including the UK market for construction steel, which is about half of 2007 levels.
Karl Koehler, chief executive of Tata Steel’s European operations, said: “European steel demand this year is expected to be only two-thirds ofpre-crisis levels after falls in the past two years.
“On top of the challenging economic conditions, rules covering energy and the environment in Europe and the UK threaten to impose huge additional costs on the steel industry.
“As difficult as the proposed changes are, they are intended to build a stronger future by enabling the Long Products business to compete in even the current challenging economic and regulatory conditions.
“We will of course engage fully with employees, trade unions and our political stakeholders during this restructuring process. We will do everything we can to support our employees through this unsettling time.”