Most large UK firms are considering outsourcing major business functions abroad, according to research by Roland Berger Strategy Consultants.

The research shows that 81% of large firms are thinking about moving major functions abroad, while 29% of their current UK jobs could be transferred to lower-cost economies by 2015, which firms put down to the dual impact of the economic crisis and decreasing UK competitiveness.

David Stern, UK managing partner at Roland Berger Strategy Consultants, says: “The recession has prompted our largest companies to re-examine the UK as a business location in terms of skills, cost and infrastructure.

“Globalisation is enabling them to consider unprecedented levels of offshoring across all aspects of their business, which could result in permanent damage to the UK job market and economy.”