78 Job Centres to Close

Mersey_2

www.mirror.co.uk/news/uk-news/plan-close-scores-jobcentres-across-9698561


The reasoning is that most claims are now submitted online and the claimant count has reduced, as well as the buildings leases all being up for renewal next March.


From the comments on here, the Mail and BBC pieces - and perhaps understandably - claimants do not have much sympathy with DWP staff who may themselves now face the prospect of having to 'sign on.'


[Perhaps unfairly, but amusingly, it does remind me of the welfare to work advisor, Pauline, in the League of Gentlemen who herself became a claimant. Although my favourite gem from her was that a claimant was forbidden to attend a job interview, as it'd mean he'd miss her advice session on, 'how to get an interview.']


For their part the PCS union have said they'll oppose the 750 job losses.

[Deleted User]

I feel more sorry for those who are now going to have to find money to travel further for appointments.

teddysmum

The Mail's version says that most staff will be offered jobs at the remaining centres which will have to take on clients who would have used the closed premises.

NYM

1000's of jobs at risk...

The Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) said it expected the employees in branches set to close, to move to other sites.

The DWP added that four out of five claims for Jobseeker's Allowance and 99% of applicants for Universal Credit submit their claims online.


"We will always make sure that people have the support they need to get into and progress within work, that's why we are recruiting 2,500 more work coaches to help those who need it most.

The way the world works has changed rapidly in the last 20 years and the welfare state needs to keep pace.

As more people access their benefits through the internet, many of our buildings are under-used.

– EMPLOYMENT MINISTER DAMIAN HINDS


Job Centres and benefit centres are covered by old building contracts which are coming up for renewal.

The proposals include merging 78 smaller Job Centre Plus offices in urban areas with larger ones nearby, co-locating around 50 offices with local authorities or other community services and closing 27 back office buildings.

More than 700 existing offices will be retained.

The Government said that any redundancies would be "very small."


Where will people now need to go when they have to 'sign on' or whatever it is they have to do?

Mersey_2

They appear to be closing them so that they are no longer within walking distance (in cities at least) eg in Liverpool, they are to close 5 JCPs. But are still within 3-5 miles.


I expect a lot will take redundancy or early retirement, as in the city centre JCP staff I've seen going in and out all seemed to be aged over 50, with a few 20-30-year-olds.

Glen_Clark

When I went in one I saw the poster from the PCS union. They are obviously keen to associate themselves with the Tolpuddle Martyrs - trade unionists who worked for the very worst kind of private Capitalist landowners hundreds of years ago. I wondered what they would make of people who work for the public using their name to take a bigger slice of the pie from the public - most of whom have worse working conditions.

Glen_Clark

Problem is there isn't enough jobs. Nobody knows exact figures but its something like this. 5 million unemployed - 1 million jobs = 4 million unemployed. The jobs coach might teach some how to write a CV, interview technique etc, to get a job so they jump the jobs queue. Then they can claim they have found all these people jobs. But there will still be 4 million unemployed. Just a different 4 million. So jobcentres are largely a waste of public money.
But I do sympathise if people have to travel further at their own expense to sign on.

Mersey_2

Yes, were designed before email (to apply by sending a CV), internet job searches etc.


They also tend to be over manned due to the paperwork/bureaucracy involved - which essentially is different parts of the DWP sending each other paper.


There are a few decent 50 somethings who know ie were taught about benefits, but sadly most don't and coupled with 2 failing IT systems, it's hardly a recipe or efficiency.

nannytone_2

Mersey wrote: »

They appear to be closing them so that they are no longer within walking distance (in cities at least) eg in Liverpool, they are to close 5 JCPs. But are still within 3-5 miles.


I expect a lot will take redundancy or early retirement, as in the city centre JCP staff I've seen going in and out all seemed to be aged over 50, with a few 20-30-year-olds.

a lot of JB staff are on fixed term contracts and don't have permanent roles.

they just shed them at the end of the contract.
means they don't have to pay redundancy

52%

"We will always make sure that people have the support they need to get into and progress within work, that's why we are recruiting 2,500 more work coaches to help those who need it most.

– EMPLOYMENT MINISTER DAMIAN HINDS

Utter hogwash and predictable DWP spin.

52%

Glen_Clark wrote: »

When I went in one I saw the poster from the PCS union. They are obviously keen to associate themselves with the Tolpuddle Martyrs - trade unionists who worked for the very worst kind of private Capitalist landowners hundreds of years ago. I wondered what they would make of people who work for the public using their name to take a bigger slice of the pie from the public - most of whom have worse working conditions.

The PCS union! Don't make me laugh.
I remember Mark Serwotka ( the leader of the PCS union) bleating to the DWP in dismay over his members being cajoled into issuing more and more sanctions to [STRIKE]claimants[/STRIKE] customers.

One could have been fooled into believing he had some empathy with [STRIKE]claimants[/STRIKE] customers, but in fact the main thrust of his angst was the likelihood of verbal abuse or even violence toward his members by those that had been sanctioned.
The obvious answer (if he was that concerned) would have been to instruct his members not to cooperate with management, or at least subvert the system by ignoring minor infractions.