HUNDREDS of Ipswich insurance workers will today face an uncertain future as job cuts are announced across the country.Insurance firm Norwich Union has announced it is to axe 700 jobs from five of its sites.

HUNDREDS of Ipswich insurance workers will today face an uncertain future as job cuts are announced across the country.

Insurance firm Norwich Union has announced it is to axe 700 jobs from five of its sites.

But the firm has today moved to reassure workers in the town their jobs are not under threat.

Norwich Union has said the jobs must go as part of a bid to reduce costs. David Taylor, director of strategy for Norwich Union Life said the redundancies would all fall within the Life sector of the company, which has bases in Norwich, Stevenage, Croydon, Bristol and York

"There will be no impact outside of these areas," he said.

"These are very difficult decisions we have to make and it is not one we take lightly."

"There are no future plans I am aware of today, but I cannot comment on future changes."

Although no immediate losses are expected in Ipswich, the future for local workers could now seem uncertain if these cuts follow previous trends.

The town has already suffered blows to employment levels after previous redundancies in the insurance sector.

Norwich Union has already cut jobs in Ipswich, when it announced in 2003 that 50 workers at its Crown Street offices would lose their jobs.

Ipswich was also a main casualty last year when Royal Sun Alliance announced it would be axing 900 jobs, with 240 of those at its call centre in Museum Street.

The restructuring will be completed by the end of 2005 and Norwich Union said the work currently undertaken by staff affected by the cuts will be out-sourced to other companies.

Do you work for Norwich Union? Are you worried about your future with the company? Write in to Your Letters, Evening Star, 30 Lower Brook Street, Ipswich, IP4 1AN or e-mail eveningstarletters@eveningstar.co.uk or visit the forum at www.eveningstar.co.uk