Job centre to close as part of government streamlining

The new report published by the DWP contained a full list of job centres that will either be retained or divested.Some 78 smaller job centres will be merged with larger ones, and 50 others will be co-located with local government premises. Up to 27 back office buildings will be closed to make way for five brand new sites which are planned for 2018.The DWP said the proposals will enable them to offer a more efficient service while delivering good value for the taxpayer whilst saving £180m a year for the next decade. It also claimed that 20 percent of Jobcentre office space was currently being under-used. It also cited outdated building contracts that were soon due for renewal, stating that “the welfare system has undergone large scale reform” since these contracts were signed. Other borough branches at Ashton-in-Makerfield, Brocol House and Griffin House will be retained. Minister for Employment Damian Hinds said: “The changes we’ve announced today will help ensure that the way we deliver our services reflect the reality of today’s welfare system.“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 underused. We are concentrating on our resources on what we know best helps people into work.“We will always make sure that people have the support they need to get into and progress within work.”The full list of The full list of jobcentres to be streamlined is available at gov.uk