The Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) has confirmed it is shutting the doors on 20 jobcentres in the next few weeks. The Government said it won’t affect people’s benefits as these jobcentres were all set up during the pandemic and were always meant to be temporary. However, the GMB said it will cost jobs and mean people on benefits like universal credit will have to travel further afield.
Eamon O’Hearn, GMB national officer, said closing jobcentres will not only cost jobs but will also undermine a government promise to grow the labour force.
He said: “Closures will undoubtedly impact on services and represent a screeching U-turn on the original programme to extend the reach of DWP into communities.”
However, the DWP has said no one will be made redundant and workers will be placed at other sites if their usual place of work is on the closure list.
The closures are spread across the UK and are all expected to happen before the end of March.
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Although people can apply for Universal Credit online, they then usually need to visit a local Jobcentre where they are assigned a work coach.
They will then need to make regular visits to meet their work coach and prove they are looking for work.
Meanwhile, Universal Credit, PIP and Pension Credit rates are rising 10.1 percent in April 2023 in line with September 2022’s inflation rate.
How much Universal Credit someone receives depends on individual circumstances, but it’s made up of the standard allowance plus any additional amounts which a person may qualify for.
The DWP has confirmed the timeline for the next cost of living support payments:
- £301 – First Cost of Living Payment – during Spring 2023
- £150 – Disability Payment – during Summer 2023
- £300 – Second Cost of Living Payment – during Autumn 2023
- £300 – Pensioner Payment – during Winter 2023/4
- £299 – Third Cost of Living Payment – during Spring 2024
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