More than 2,000 apply for Tata Steel redundancies including at Wednesfield site

The majority are from Port Talbot where the Indian-owned company plans to close its second blast furnace at the end of September.

Some applications have been received from the Steelpark site at Wednesfield where around 400 are employed.

Tata Steel has begun assessing whether those who have expressed an interest in taking redundancy are in roles which could be closed.

The first of 2,800 workers to lose their jobs are expected to leave the business within weeks.

Unions at Tata Steel – Community, Unite and the GMB – have pledged to ballot their members on whether to accept the redundancy deal which is said to be the company’s best ever offer to staff.

Tata Steel will give employees 2.8 weeks’ salary for every year of service, up to a maximum of 25 years.

They will receive a guaranteed minimum payment of £15,000 and an attendance-related payment of £5,000.

A Tata spokesperson said: “We are currently working through how people’s aspirations may align with the future organisational structure requirements.

“Whilst we have made great efforts to put together an employee support package that will help many of those people affected to transition out of the business, it is also vital that we retain our core knowledge, skill base and experience through this most challenging of times.”

Of the 2,500 whose jobs are under threat this year around 300 to 400 are believed to be at risk of compulsory redundancy.

The switching off of the las blast furnace at Port Talbot will end the production of steel from iron ore in south Wales.

Tata plans to build a £1.25bn electric arc furnace, which produces steel by melting scrap metal.

The G government is expected to reach a final agreement with Tata Steel over £500m in funding for its electric arc furnace at the beginning of September.