Strikes delay benefit warning

Social security offices and job centres throughout the district were hit, along with a debt centre and small units of the Child Support Agency and Pensions Service. Hundreds of members of the Public and Commercial Services union were expected to join the two-day national strike which was starting today.

Across the country tens of thousands of public workers will stage a 48-hour walkout, heralding the start of the biggest outbreak of industrial unrest in the civil service in more than a decade. A local union official warned the public would face delays in the processing of their benefits.

David Burke, Bradford branch secretary, said: "We are expecting the service to be much reduced in job centres and social security offices. Monday is the busiest day of the week and it will have an impact.

"It will delay the processing of benefits, though we don't expect anybody not to be paid.

"It is not our intention to hit the public. It is not anything we have done lightly. But it is inevitable it will result in delays in people getting benefits."

The strike action was affecting the main Department for Work and Pensions building at Westfield House in Manningham Lane, as well as job centres in Eastbrook Court and Vicar Lane, Bradford, Shipley and Keighley.

Also hit were social security offices in Manningham Lane, Vicar Lane, Leeds Road and Keighley, the debt centre off Canal Road and the CSA and Pensions units at Westfield House.

The dispute is over a 2.6 per cent pay offer and a performance scheme. The PCS says strike action is a last resort and claims DWP staff are so poorly paid many of them have to rely on the benefits and tax credits they administer. The union plans further action, including an overtime ban.

A spokesman for the Department for Work and Pensions said: "Maintaining services to our customers remains a priority. We have comprehensive plans in place and are confident we can minimise the impact on our customers."