Thousands of jobs are at risk following the closure of Department of Work and Pensions offices across the UK, a union has warned.

DWP made the announcement it was intending to make large-scale office closures yesterday – including a branch in Gravesend.

It comes as the government says it is planning to relocate staff to "greener", more modern offices.

But the Public and Commercial Services Union (PCS), which represents Jobcentre staff, said at least 1,000 jobs are at risk over the closure of 13 processing sites, with more job losses feared over the relocation of a further 29.

Among those branches set to shut with no alternative offered is The Grove in Gravesend. No other Kent locations have been earmarked for closure.

Affected staff could be relocated elsewhere, retrained for another role or lose their job altogether.

PCS General Secretary Mark Serwotka said: "The Government was quick to clap civil servants at the start of the pandemic – they’re even quicker to scrap them now they’ve declared the pandemic over.

“Their union will be there for them, fighting for their jobs. But if they need support from the state, who will provide it when they’re gone?”

DWP says although the Gravesend office is closing, no “front of house” roles are affected, such as those in local job centres. Last year it opened a new temporary site in New Road.

A government spokesperson said: “As part of plans to improve the services we deliver to claimants, help more people into employment and modernise public services, DWP is moving some back office staff to better, greener offices, which will not affect any public-facing roles.

“This is not a plan to reduce our headcount – where possible, our colleagues in offices due to close are being offered opportunities to be redeployed to a nearby site, or retrained into a new role in DWP or another government department.

"We are making every effort to fully support our staff through this process.”

Labour shadow work and pensions secretary Jonathan Ashworth condemned the move, adding that it exposed ministers' ambitions to help poorer areas as part of its "levelling up" agenda as "utterly hollow".

"Ministers are today cutting quality public sector jobs from communities who need them in the middle of a devastating cost of living crisis," he added.

DWP minister David Rutley told MPs that meetings were being held with affected staff yesterday.

Some 3,000 jobs within the DWP could be at risk from the plans to close offices, MPs heard.

Last year it opened a new temporary site in New Road in Gravesend town centre, and also moved into fixed premises at the Dockside Outlet at Chatham Maritime.