More than 800 workers at Norwich Union's Worthing offices could be at risk of redundancy.

Staff were today due to meet management to hear more details about the merger between Norwich Union and CGU.

The £19 billion deal to form the new company, CGNU, will mean the loss of 4,000 jobs throughout both companies, which employ about 34,000 people across Britain and 77,000 worldwide. The move will create the UK's largest insurance group, ousting Prudential from the top slot.

Norwich Union refused to say where the jobs will be cut but the 820 staff at its offices in Durrington, Worthing, will be told this morning whether they are affected. Job losses are expected to come from areas of duplication, such as asset management, public relations, I.T. and technical divisions and underwritings.

Bob Scott, CGU chief executive, said: "Both companies have put together a strong merger plan. Everybody will agree this is a very good model. "We are similar businesses with similar cultures and a similar style. The situation is that we have 35,000 staff in the UK from Exeter to Inverness and a large branch structure. 4,000 is not a large number relative to 35,000."

The redundancies are expected to be introduced over the next 18 months. Bosses say they will concentrate on trying to restrict the losses to voluntary redundancies and natural turnover. It is too early to say whether there will be compulsory redundancies.

Norwich Union chief executive Richard Harvey said the deal would create significant value for shareholders. Roger Lyons, general secretary of the white-collar union MSF, said: "I am confident there will be detailed consultation with the union reps and that we will be able to avoid forced job losses."

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