Bexleyheath Jobcentre to expand and move into former Argos
Bexleyheath’s Jobcentre will takeover the former Argos branch recently vacated in the town centre.
It’s a temporary site and opens on 14th July.
The existing centre is to remain open. In 2017 plans were approved to convert that site into housing though little has happened.
Jobcentres are set to see an enormous increase as universal credit claimants visit centres. There has been a huge increase in claimants.
There were six million people on Universal Credit in April 2021 which was “broadly unchanged” from March 2021.
That is double the number seen before March 2020:
Over the past year the vast majority of contact has been via telephone, though more face to face meetings are now expected.
Dave Keogh, South London Service Leader for the Department for Work and Pensions, stated:
“Due to the economic impact of the pandemic, it is vitally important that the Department helps support both new and existing customers through these critical Work Coach roles. This will help ensure that our millions of customers receive the payments and help that they need and to ensure that we continue to support often the most vulnerable members of society.”
I believe a additional Job Centre is going to open in or above the Argos Store in Woolwich.
There was a Job Centre above Argos Woolwich many years ago along with a Job Centre in Spray Street before both were closed and staff moved in to the old Greenwich Council Social Services building at Nelson House on Wellington Street.