PCS says that it will oppose DWP’s decision to resume normal jobcentre opening hours from 12 April 2021 ‘by any means necessary’

Responding to DWP's announcement today, Union highlights potential risks to members in increasing claimant activity within jobcentres while Covid-19 pandemic is 'far from over'

The Public and Commercial Services (PCS) Union has said that it will oppose the DWP's decision to resume normal jobcentre opening hours from 12 April 2021 'by any means necessary'.

Responding to the DWP's announcement today that, from April 2021, jobcentres in England, Scotland and Wales will return to their pre-lockdown opening hours, the PCS says that -

'It is clear that this will mean a largescale increase in members having to return to office based working, as well as the increased risk of much more face to face contact with customers.'

Highlighting that the Covid-19 pandemic is 'far from over', the PCS adds that -

'Whilst this is not a return to business as usual, it will see DWP operating in a way that it has not done during any time in the last twelve months, and will increase the potential risks for our members. Although, there is not, as yet, any indication that DWP will be asking all customers to revert to face to face interactions, this is still a huge ramping up of customer activity within jobcentres and other operational areas. With the massive increase in the numbers claiming benefits since the start of the pandemic, necessitating the opening of new 'pop-up jobcentres', which will continue at a rapid rate throughout the year, DWP may well find that it is actually quite quickly calling more people into jobcentres after 12 April this year than it was before March 2020.'

As a result, the PCS says that, while it will continue to negotiate with the Department to understand the implications of its decision, it will -

'... oppose these attempts to increase footfall in our jobcentres by any means necessary.'

For more information, see PCS opposes announcement as DWP ends lockdown from pcs.org.uk