Scores of Brighton and Hove jobs could be at risk after a leading insurance firm announced plans to slash nearly 10% of its national workforce.

Legal & General, which has separate offices in Brighton and Hove, is consulting on proposals to cut 600 staff across its four UK centres.

Around 1,500 people work at L&G in Brighton and Hove though it is unclear how many will be affected.

The vast majority of city staff are employed in L&G’s Assurance Society (LGAS) division, which is the area facing the cuts.

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The division’s 6,000 staff face 10% cuts meaning as a proportion 150 jobs could be lost in Brighton and Hove – though this could be higher or lower.

Unite, the union which represents financial services staff, said it was dismayed by the announcement.

Unite national officer Dominic Hook said: “The union is dismayed at this announcement from Legal & General Assurance Society, which signals yet more job losses within financial services at a time when most employers are making large profits.

“We are continuing discussions with the company through formal consultations and will work on our members’ behalf to mitigate the need for compulsory redundancies. In addition our on-site Unite representatives are providing support throughout this distressing period.”

In July 2012 Legal & General restructured its business divisions with LGAS formed from the Savings and Annuities and Protection Divisions. The potential redundancies come from this combining and restructuring.

Brighton and Hove’s L&G workforce once stood at 2,000 but this was slashed by around a quarter in 2009.

The firm proposed more than 1,000 job cuts across the group in 2009 with around half being lost at City Park, The Droveway, Hove.

The job cuts followed pre-tax losses of £1.5 billion in 2008.

A Legal & General spokesperson said: “We have entered in consultation with employee representatives and Unite in relation to potential redundancies in Legal & General Assurance Society (LGAS).

“We aim to keep redundancies down to a minimum and provide redeployment in Legal & General where possible.

“The LGAS business division was formed in July to provide better goods and service propositions. The potential redundancies are a result of combining and restructuring the business units in the new division.”