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The government is going to cut 287 marketing and advertising jobs as part of its spending cuts programme, it has been announced.
Staff numbers at the Central Office of Information (COI), which distributes government publicity, information and communications, are to be reduced from 737 to 450.
The COI said the move follows a government freeze on "non-essential advertising", resulting in a significantly reduced volume of work
Staff are being offered the chance to be considered for voluntary redundancy, however if this does not produce the required numbers there will be redundancies made on a compulsory basis.
Turnover from the agency had fallen by 52 per cent this year in June, compared to the same period in 2009.
Chief executive Mark Lund said: "COI has always adapted to meet the requirements of government and the changing media landscape. A leaner COI is in line with new government priorities.
"Our future will be grounded in continuing to deliver excellent communications to achieve government aims, in the most cost efficient and effective way possible."
A formal 90-day consultation with staff started today, which will run until November.
COI is a trading fund, without its own budget, tt works for various government departments and public spending bodies.
Meanwhile, the government today released figures revealing its freeze on advertising and marketing had saved almost £6.5m since its launch in June.
Cabinet Office minister Francis Maude said the savings showed that the freeze is starting to make a "real difference".
"The days of spending millions of pounds on expensive projects are over," he said.
"I know that tough decisions like this one have difficult consequences, and the COI's restructuring announcement today is evidence of that, but it is incredibly important that we keep pushing to make government as efficient as possible.
"As we go forward, we will continue to look for more cost effective ways of delivering key government communications in the future."
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