Health and safety budgets cut to save cash in 8% of UK firms

Health and safety budgets are being slashed by UK businesses in a bid to save cash as the recession bites, a study has found.

Of 720 UK business leaders surveyed by the Institution of Occupational Safety and Health (IOSH), 8% admitted they had cut spend on health and safety.

But for many firms it was not the first budget on the chopping block, the report revealed.

Nearly one-third of leaders said they would consider cutting incentive scheme budgets, while just over a quarter said staffing levels would be the first to come under scrutiny.

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Meanwhile, money set aside for staff development would be the first to be cut by 8% of business leaders.

The study, conducted by YouGovStone, was launched last week in the House of Lords, together with a new IOSH manifesto which urged the government to move on its plan to get people back to work.