Thousands of jobs ‘at risk’ over Jobcentre Plus revamp

Thousands of jobs are under threat after the Government’s biggest department announced plans to close a number of Jobcentre Plus offices, union leaders have warned.

The Public and Commercial Services union (PCS) said 17 benefit-processing sites and five contact centres will be shut, including premises in Halifax and Grimsby, affecting 2,400 posts.

The Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) said staff affected by the decision would be offered jobs elsewhere, adding that the announcement was about “buildings, not people”.

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But the union said yesterday there was “absolutely no way” jobs could be found for all those hit by yesterday’s move, which it described as “deeply flawed and dangerous”.

A DWP spokesman said: “All staff affected by this will be offered jobs elsewhere in the organisation... We simply can’t afford to carry on paying for buildings which aren’t fully used.

“Front-line Jobcentre Plus services aren’t impacted by this and benefit payments won’t be affected.”

Jobcentre Plus has already axed more than 10,000 jobs since 2009, said the union, warning that the latest losses will lead to further delays in processing claims.

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PCS general secretary Mark Serwotka said: “This is a deeply flawed and dangerous plan that will remove vital support to jobseekers and people claiming welfare at precisely the time the Government’s ideological cuts will throw more people out of work.”

The union’s annual conference next week is set to launch a campaign against spending cuts. Delegates are expected to agree to hold a ballot for nationwide industrial action by civil servants, which could be co-ordinated with other public sector workers, including teachers.