the PCS union reacts as claimants are denied payment unless they agree to be paid into a bank/post office
from the Star
Job Centre staff in row over payments by giro
A FURIOUS row has blown up between unions and management in Sheffield JobCentres over new rules for the payment of benefits to claimants.
PCS union members say they are "outraged" at changes which mean benefit payments being suspended for customers who cannot provide bank account or Post Office account details.
They claim staff have been told by bosses to turn down people wanting payments by giro instead. And they allege staff have been threatened they will be "monitored by line managers for compliance". The union says the changes are being used as an excuse to ultimately axe staff.
Department bosses have confirmed giros are being phased out but say they are simply offering "encouragement and advice." But union bosses insist the public still have a legal right to payment by giro if they want.
A PCS spokesperson said: "Senior management in Sheffield have instructed staff to tell customers 'that if they do not have a bank/post office account then a first payment cannot be made as giros are no longer available'. They added 'in future, we only make payments by account'."
The union claimed management insisted that staff do not offer customers the option of being paid by giro and told line managers to monitor employees to make sure they advise people to accept direct payment.
A PCS spokesperson said: "Direct Payment is being used as a means to axe staff at a time when the government has announced its intention to cut jobs and close offices. This is their motivation rather than customer choice. We are opposed to the public being pressganged into Direct Payment."
A spokesperson for the Department of Work and Pension confirmed giro payments were no longer an available form of payment in normal circumstances, but could be paid in urgent cases.
He said: "Giro cheques are being phased out."
01 February 2005
Job Centre staff in row over payments by giro
A FURIOUS row has blown up between unions and management in Sheffield JobCentres over new rules for the payment of benefits to claimants.
PCS union members say they are "outraged" at changes which mean benefit payments being suspended for customers who cannot provide bank account or Post Office account details.
They claim staff have been told by bosses to turn down people wanting payments by giro instead. And they allege staff have been threatened they will be "monitored by line managers for compliance". The union says the changes are being used as an excuse to ultimately axe staff.
Department bosses have confirmed giros are being phased out but say they are simply offering "encouragement and advice." But union bosses insist the public still have a legal right to payment by giro if they want.
A PCS spokesperson said: "Senior management in Sheffield have instructed staff to tell customers 'that if they do not have a bank/post office account then a first payment cannot be made as giros are no longer available'. They added 'in future, we only make payments by account'."
The union claimed management insisted that staff do not offer customers the option of being paid by giro and told line managers to monitor employees to make sure they advise people to accept direct payment.
A PCS spokesperson said: "Direct Payment is being used as a means to axe staff at a time when the government has announced its intention to cut jobs and close offices. This is their motivation rather than customer choice. We are opposed to the public being pressganged into Direct Payment."
A spokesperson for the Department of Work and Pension confirmed giro payments were no longer an available form of payment in normal circumstances, but could be paid in urgent cases.
He said: "Giro cheques are being phased out."
01 February 2005
Comments
Hide the following 5 comments
common cause
01.02.2005 21:55
What should we do about it? Write to The Star (which had a reasonable editorial about it), phone PCS regional office 0113 200 5300, let people know they have a right to be paid by giro if they want (and insist). And perhaps some action that's more direct?
stu
common cause
01.02.2005 23:28
I like the way "Department bosses" describe their campaign of browbeating claimants into accepting direct payment as "encouragement and advice". It took me 3 phone calls, a letter and an interview before they stopped their "encouragement and advice" and listened. I've seen the pressure that Job Centre workers are under to sell the direct payment message and know that many think it stinks.
Action? Write to The Star (which had a reasonable editorial about it), phone PCS regional office 0113 200 5300, let claimants know they have a right to refuse direct payment and perhaps some action of a more direct nature.
stu
.
02.02.2005 00:16
stu
we are all quotas now
04.02.2005 15:49
Staff cuts are also leading to some pretty surreal situations: for example, having to use the phones in Job Centres to call a national call centre in order to make an appointment to see someone in the very same Job Centre, sitting just feet away.
stu
DWP Direct Payment
09.06.2005 13:33
All in all not what I joind the DWP for............
Richard
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