DWP chiefs plan to close around 42 offices, with a number of sites across the North East set to be affected by closures.
Unions claim "thousands" of jobs are at risk after staff were summoned to meetings at 10.30am today to be told of a major shake-up in the Department for Work and Pensions estate. Of the 42 offices, it is understood 13 will be shut with "no other strategic site nearby" for their 1,300 workers to move to.
Staff could lose their jobs or be shunted to another government department. While roughly another 29 offices will shut with their 12,000 workers having to move to another site nearby.
