Jobcentre closures ‘will hit women and carers hardest’
IMPACT reports on the closure of Glasgow Jobcentres will hit women and carers hardest.
A Freedom of Information request has uncovered assessments showing the harm that will be caused when six centres in the city shut.
Although the reports, given in response to a request by Scottish Labour, show closures will have a negative impact on clients, no plans are in place to minimise the effects.
Shadow Scotland Office Minister Paul Sweeney MP said: “The documents we have forced the Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) to release show that the Government is well aware of the damage it is doing with these closures.
“During its ‘consultation’ it sought contributions from charities and community groups representing those likely to be affected – then ignored them.
“Their own assessments reveal the real and disproportionate harm that these Jobcentre closures are having on their clients, including disabled people, carers, women and ethnic minorities in particular.
“The Tories claimed the Job Centre closure programme won’t have a negative effect on users but their own research shows this to be a lie.”
Parkhead Jobcentre closed last night making it the final of six to be axed in Glasgow in a DWP closure programme.
Easterhouse closed last Friday, meaning jobseekers will now have to travel almost three miles to Shettleson for compulsory appointments and to access services.
Anniesland, Bridgeton, Langside and Maryhill have already closed, despite the Evening Times’s Hands Off Our Jobcentres campaign.
We exposed the fact that, for example, to reach Shettleston from Easterhouse, people will need to walk for at least 2.8 miles or take two buses costing at least £4.50 a day.
The impact assessment for the Anniesland Jobcentre shows a higher proportion of female employees to male employees.
It says the extra 2.6-mile journey to work – services are moving to Partick – will impact mothers who have to pick up their children.
It reads: “One-to-one discussions with staff identified those with caring responsibilities, most were content to move to the new building others were not willing to.
“For those not willing to move to Partick, the District Manager has confirmed that individual circumstances will be looked at sympathetically including being offered other sites.”
Bridgeton Jobcentre, Parkhead and Easterhouse have merged into Shettleston Jobcentre.
Last week we told how a local MP fears violence could erupt between some young men from different communities after a previous programme to bring together services for under 25s had led to clashes among rival gangs.
David Linden, Glasgow East MP, told the Employment Minister Alok Sharma that while gang-related violence is not as serious as before, there is still a problem.
A DWP spokeswoman said: “We will always make sure that people have the support they need to get into and progress within work.
“These changes reflect the fact that more people access their benefits online resulting in many of our buildings being underused.
“They enable us to deliver better value for the taxpayer – saving more than £135million a year, for the next 10 years.
“We carry out an outreach service and vulnerable people will continue to receive home visits and postal claims where it is appropriate to do so.”