Jobs at risk as government plans to sell off DWP office in Gloucester

The government is also closing its offices in Chippenham and Exeter - meaning in total, nearly 250 jobs are at risk. Credit: Google

The Department of Work and Pensions has announced it will close its office in Gloucester - putting 107 jobs at risk.

The Public and Commercial Services Union (PCS) has condemned the government's plans to close offices in the South West, including Cedar House in Spa Road.

PCS say there are a total of 249 jobs at risk across the region, as civil servants were told on Thursday 17 March that offices in Gloucester, Chippenham and Exeter will be sold off by 2023.

PCS General Secretary Mark Serwotka criticised the decision. He said: “The government was quick to clap civil servants at the start of the pandemic - they’re even quicker to scrap them now they’ve declared the pandemic over.

“Our members have worked tirelessly behind the scenes, keeping the country running, paying out benefits to almost two and a half million families, helping them to put food on their table and keep a roof over their head.

“These are the workers rightly praised in 2020 by Secretary of State for Work and Pensions Theresa Coffey as ‘exceptional’ and in November last year by Prime Minister Boris Johnson as ‘miracle workers’.

“But now, as food and fuel prices rise faster than ever, they’re being abandoned by the government and left to fend for themselves. Their union will be there for them, fighting for their jobs.

“But if they need support from the state, who will provide it when they’re gone?”

Work and Pensions Minister David Rutley said most staff member can be relocated. Credit: PA

Department of Work and Pensions Minister David Rutley said parts of their estate were unfit for purpose. He said the 'vast majority” of staff' can be relocated 'very, very close to their current facility'.

Staff in Gloucester are understood to have been told they could work in Worcester, around 28 miles away.

He said the delivery of the first stage of the DWP’s strategy is being announced to affected employees today.

The Gloucester Jobcentre which is at the same building is understood to be unaffected by the announcement.

A Government spokesperson said: “As part of plans to improve the services we deliver to claimants, help more people into employment and modernise public services, DWP is moving some back-office staff to better, greener offices, which will not affect any public-facing roles.

“This is not a plan to reduce our headcount – where possible, our colleagues in offices due to close are being offered opportunities to be redeployed to a nearby site, or retrained into a new role in DWP or another government department.

“We are making every effort to fully support our staff through this process.”

Report by Carmelo Garcia for Local Democracy Reporting Service