Published: 14 May 2007
DWP Accused of Burying Bad News
The Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) has been accused of ‘burying bad news’ last week, as it announced the closure of three debt centres in Makerfield, Lawnswood in Leeds and Edinburgh at the cost of 380 jobs on the same day as Tony Blair announced the date of his departure.
The Public and Commercial Service Union (PCS) reacted angrily to the closures and warned that the recovery of millions of pounds of overpaid benefits will be significantly undermined.
Part of the DWP's shared services, the debts centres have a target to claw back £257 million in benefits that have been overpaid due to fraudulent claims or where people have given the wrong information.
Coming at a time when the organisation is falling short of its target by £22.3 million due to a lack of staff and unstable IT, the union warned that the lost millions would spiral out of control due to a lack of resources.
The target for clawing back overpayments for next year with 380 fewer staff and three less debts centres is £277.3 million.
The remaining sites which have escaped closure are: Stornoway. Glasgow, Washington (Durham), Corby, Deane Valley, Bradford, Manchester, Nuneaton and Perth (Wales).
Commenting, Mark Serowtka, PCS general secretary said:
"It is scandalous that this announcement has been slipped out when all eyes are on the departure of Tony Blair.
Staff are already struggling to hit targets in overpayments due to a lack of resources and unstable IT systems. Cutting staff and closing offices at the same time as increasing the amount to be clawed back in the name of efficiency are the economics of the madhouse.
Hardworking staff who have already taken part in two national civil service strikes this year will view this announcement as contemptible spin.
With a change of prime minister the government have the opportunity to recognise that decent public services need civil and public servants to deliver them."
Further information
DWP - Debt Management
Public and Commercial Service Union (PCS)
To find a business you can trust, click on the related categories below: