In a significant development for the UK steel industry, British Steel has announced it will halt its ongoing consultation on redundancies, which was initiated by the previous management team. This decision follows successful efforts to secure a stable supply of raw materials for its two vital blast furnaces.
The company confirmed it officially withdrew the HR1 consultation form, which had been submitted to the Department of Business and Trade on March 27, 2025.
This move is a direct result of the government’s recent intervention, with the Steel Special Measures Act being passed on April 12, 2025. Since then, British Steel has been working urgently with government officials and industry partners to ensure a consistent supply of the necessary raw materials for both of its blast furnaces in the short term. This positive outcome means that the previously planned ‘Salamander Tap’ of one of its blast furnaces, Queen Bess, will no longer proceed.
The company has confirmed that all operations at British Steel will continue as normal, including the Scunthorpe Rod Mill.
Lisa Coulson, interim Chief Commercial Officer, acknowledged the uncertainty faced by the workforce, stating: “This has been a difficult and worrying time for British Steel staff and their families. I can however confirm that we are closing the redundancy consultation without action.
“Since the Government passed its legislation, we have been working day and night to ensure we are able to stabilise our operations. The work done to secure the raw materials we need for both Queen Anne and Queen Bess blast furnaces means we are able to run both continuously.
“We would like to thank our trade union partners for their professionalism and the support of their members over recent days and weeks.
“And I would also like to thank everyone in our workforce for their extraordinary dedication over recent days and weeks. It is your hard work and passion that means steelmaking in Scunthorpe has a bright future.
“Quite simply, British Steel workers are the finest in the world.”
This announcement will be welcome news for the thousands of workers at the Scunthorpe plant and in the wider supply chain, offering a degree of reassurance about the immediate future of steel production at the site. The focus now will be on building on this stability and securing the long-term viability of British Steel.
