The firm follows Taylor Wimpey, which announced 900 job cuts this week while Galliford Try, the construction group with interests in public sector housing, has also unveiled job losses with more than 250 jobs to go.

Barratt said it would close its offices in Sheffield and Chester and merge a further eight divisions into four, reducing its total number of divisions from 32 to 26. The company has now begun a consultation period with staff on job losses.