Chancellor Rachel Reeves has initiated a spending review that could lead to the reduction of over 10,000 civil service positions as part of Labour’s effort to achieve 5% savings across departments ahead of the 2029 general election. The civil service workforce has increased by 33% since 2016, leading to concerns about its size and efficiency. The government is exploring voluntary redundancy schemes and aims to enhance productivity through reforms, although unions express concerns over budget cuts and insufficient planning.