PCS to hold consultative ballot on government’s plans to extend opening hours of jobcentres and universal credit service centres from 30 November 2020

Union writes to the DWP demanding that there should be no escalation of footfall in jobcentres, and that only interviews with the most vulnerable are conducted in jobcentres throughout the course of the COVID-19 pandemic

The Public and Commercial Services Union (PCS) is to hold a consultative ballot with its members on the government's plans to extend opening hours of jobcentres and universal credit service centres.

The PCS - which represent tens of thousands of civil servants working for the DWP - has raised concerns about the government's plans to extend operating hours to 8pm and include Saturday opening in 270 jobcentres and 21 universal credit service centres.

Highlighting the risks of a second wave of coronavirus (COVID-19), the PCS argues that the proposed extension of the operating hours - due to be introduced from 30 November 2020 - would put the safety of its members at risk, and it therefore calls for the DWP to - 

• withdraw its notice to staff to extend operating hours;
• ensure there is no escalation of footfall in the jobcentre estate, and only interviews with those identified as the most vulnerable are conducted in jobcentres throughout the course of the pandemic;
• ensure that changes put in place during the pandemic, which have allowed the focus to be on paying benefits to those who need them, continue with no 'escalation in labour market activity';
• carry out a meaningful consultation on the demand to extend services and ensure that a risk assessment process takes place nationally prior to any formal notice being issued to staff; and
• carry out a full equality analysis on both the extended hours and re-opening of jobcentres in consultation with the PCS and ensure identified risks are fully mitigated.

For more information see PCS consultative ballot of jobcentre and Universal Credit workers opens 17 August from pcs.org.uk

Update (5 October 2020) - the PCS has confirmed that, following talks, the DWP has formally offered that the extension of operating hours to 8pm be paused until March 2021, although it still intends to introduce Saturday opening from 30 November 2020.