Telecoms group BT is poised to axe another 10,000 jobs as part of a redundancy programme expected to be announced next month, it was reported yesterday.

Telecoms group BT is poised to axe another 10,000 jobs as part of a redundancy programme expected to be announced next month, it was reported yesterday.

The efficiency drive, in addition to 10,000 job cuts made last year, will be disclosed at the same time as year-end results showing write-downs of up to £1.5bn on contracts at BT's division serving multi-national customers.

A London-based newspaper said the annual results will mark one of the lowest points in BT's history since it was privatised in 1984.

The efficiency drive will also dent the legacy of Ben Verwaayen, BT's former chief executive who left eight months ago to become the chief executive at Alcatel-Lucent.

BT has just completed a cost-cutting programme that removed 10,000 positions from the business by the end of last month.

Many of the cuts affected BT's indirect labour force such as agency workers, contractors and offshore staff.

A spokesman for the company, which has a total workforce of around 160,000 people in 170 countries, declined to comment on the latest reported jobs losses. BT said in January it planned to announce a review of its cost base within global services as part of its results on May 14.

Yesterday's report said BT will also disclose £1.5bn of write-downs on the value of contracts within the global services arm.

BT has already announced £340m of write-downs because of a more cautious view of cost efficiencies and contract performance at the division. This is thought to have related to 15 of its 17 biggest contracts.

However, the remaining two are believed to be significant, with the biggest being the NHS programme to upgrade its IT systems.

BT's chairman Sir Mike Rake and new chief executive, Scottish-born Ian Livingston, are expected use the results as a chance to clear up the company's balance sheet and draw a line under further provisions at global services.

The firm's remaining three divisions, including retail, are said to be enjoying their strongest performances for five years.

However, the figures will be further dented by a big contribution to address a pension deficit that will exceed £8bn, the newspaper reported.