Jobs to go as customers choose online contact

British Gas is proposing to cut 684 office-based jobs and close an office in Oldbury under plans to “consolidate” its operations.

It will consult workers and unions over the next 45 days and explore redeploying staff if the West Midlands closure is confirmed.

Claire Miles, managing director of customer operations, said: “British Gas has been implementing a strategy to improve service and reduce costs, to ensure we can price competitively.

“We must also respond to the changing needs of our customers, and they increasingly want to contact us online.

The price of gas must be competitive.