Protesters gathered outside Southall Jobcentre Plus on Friday (March 31) to fight its potential closure.

The Uxbridge Road spot is facing closure under country-wide plans from the Department for Work and Pensions (DWP).

It comes after nationwide research showed eight out of 10 claims are made online with 20% of office space underused, DWP said.

On Friday around 50 people gathered outside the Southall centre's doors from midday, in an attempt to reverse the plan they feel will damage the area.

One sign reads: 'We need Southall Jobcentre'

Oliver New, chair of Ealing Trade Unions Council, said desperate job-seekers would find it harder to secure work.

Mr New, who attended the protest, added: "Southall really has quite a lot of deprivation and it is a very mixed community, with people who speak a lot of different languages.

"So moving the job centre that has evolved would be quite a loss.

"Most people who live in Southall do not live on Uxbridge Road, which means that the great bulk of residents would have to get two buses to another job centre."

He continued: "They are on the breadline and they would have to pay.

"If you are going to close a job centre, why Southall? Where it (the centre) is used and where there is a high rate of unemployment.

"What they say is people should use the Internet but not everyone has access."

One protester took to drumming to get his point across

The DWP said travel would not be a problem since claimants only need to pay fares when they initially sign on. Occasions after this would see their travel fares reimbursed, a spokesman said.

The department added it hoped the country-wide plans will save taxpayers around £1.8billlion.

Across the country, 78 smaller Jobcentre Plus offices would be merged with larger ones nearby, with around 50 co-located with local authorities or other community services.

It added a decision would be made on the centre's future after a consultation with staff had been completed.

A DWP spokesman said: "We’ve been clear that this is about improving the services we deliver, while making best use of taxpayers’ money.

"We are in the process of consulting with staff, and final decisions will be made after that is completed."

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