Unison and RMT launch campaign against public service outsourcing

Trade unions Unison and RMT have launched the ‘Insource Now!’ campaign, alleging that spending on private contractors for public services has increased significantly despite government commitments to reduce outsourcing.

Analysis by the unions indicates that outsourced contracts for ‘soft facilities’ management—including security, catering, and cleaning—reached £6.2bn in 2025, up from £3.5bn in 2024. The unions claim that figures for 2026 have already reached £6.6bn. The campaign argues that outsourcing leads to lower wages for workers and reduced value for the public, calling for services to be brought back in-house in sectors such as transport, health, and local government.