A BRADFORD MP has spoken about her concerns over the outsourcing of more than 150 jobs at a city centre employer with a long history in the area.

Earlier this week, Vanquis Banking Group, formerly Provident Financial, on Godwin Street, announced that it is transferring around 180 jobs to its operational strategic partners Teleperformance and Sigma, both of whom are based in Cape Town, South Africa.

Bradford Telegraph and Argus: Vanquis Banking Group, on Godwin Street, BradfordVanquis Banking Group, on Godwin Street, Bradford (Image: Newsquest)

Naz Shah, MP for Bradford West, said: "It is concerning to hear that Vanquis Banking Group is moving around 150 jobs out of Bradford."

"Vanquis Banking Group, previously Provident Financial, have been a huge part of Bradford's history and I will be speaking with them to ensure we can retain jobs and business growth in Bradford."

The move has been heavily criticised, with scores of long-serving Bradford workers now facing uncertainty.

A Vanquis Banking Group spokesperson said: “Vanquis Banking Group has started consultation with some operational employees about a potential TUPE transfer of roles to Teleperformance and Sigma, who are our operational strategic partners.

"If the proposed transfer goes ahead, operations will be based in the UK and South Africa as is the case now, with the majority of roles in the UK.

"The proposed changes will improve customer outcomes and enable us to create a UK operations centre of excellence.”

The roles are understood to be jobs in the Bradford customer service department, which according to the Equality for Workers Union (EFUW) employs 344 customer service representatives there.

The Vanquis spokesperson, however, said: "In Bradford, roles impacted by the proposed TUPE transfer is circa 180."

The spokesperson added that jobs in Vanquis offices in Chatam and Peterfields are also affected.

"It's all been a shambles," said one Bradford employee, who wanted to remain anonymous. "It's just not clear what's going to happen."

When Ms Shah spoke about Vanquis (Provident Financial) being a "huge part in Bradford history", the company's roots go back 143 years.

The company was established in Bradford in 1880 by Joshua Kelley Waddilove to provide affordable credit to families in West Yorkshire as the Provident Cloth and Supply Company.

In December 2021, Provident Financial's doorstep lending business was placed into a managed orderly run-off and that part of the business closed.

In January 2023, it was announced that the company would be rebranded from Provident Financial to Vanquis Banking Group.

It changed its name accordingly on March 2, 2023.