Jobcentres: Glasgow

(asked on 4th September 2017) - View Source

Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:

To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, by what criteria Easterhouse Jobcentre has been selected for closure.


Answered by
Damian Hinds Portrait
Damian Hinds
Minister of State (Education)
This question was answered on 11th September 2017

The increased use of our online services in recent years, coupled with reductions in unemployment and improved efficiency means that 20% of the rent currently paid by DWP is going toward space we are not using. In response, we have sought to redesign our estate in a way that delivers value for the taxpayer.

The city of Glasgow has a higher number of jobcentres than comparable cities across the UK and our revised estate balances the need for an accessible network with best use of taxpayers money. The decision to close Easterhouse was not taken in isolation but was as part of our service design for the Glasgow area as a whole.

We would stress that this is not about reducing services, it is about taking the opportunity to stop spending money on empty space so we can spend more on supporting those in need.

This has given us a unique opportunity to review which offices we will need in the future, taking account of the impact of Universal Credit and the anticipated demand on our services.

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