The staff, members of the Public and Commercial Services Union (PCS), have been working hard in very stressful circumstances to ensure that tax credit payments are made to those in need. They have borne the brunt of customer frustrations with the failures of the new system, at the same time as they have seen their workload more than double. Phone call volumes rose so much that they swamped the system [9m attempted calls to IR Contact Centres across the UK on one day alone] and there has been a huge rise in the number of drop-in enquiries at tax offices. In some case the increased number of customers has lead to offices being shut to avoid chaotic overcrowding and ensure the safety of both customers and staff.

The protests follow a debate earlier this week at the PCS Inland Revenue annual conference where delegates threatened industrial action over the chaos caused by the introduction of the government’s New Tax Credit (NTC) scheme and called for the resignations of those deemed responsible.

Graham Steel, PCS National Officer, said:

“ Our members have been brilliant in the face of extreme pressure, having been inundated with phone calls and drop in callers to the offices. They have pulled out all the stops to make sure that claimants receive their payments as quickly as possible. They understand that the people lodging the claims desperately require the payments and are sympathetic to their frustration. The problems people are now experiencing are not of my members making, yet they are on the receiving end of customers frustration. Staff have staged these spontaneous protests because they feel they are not receiving the support they deserve from management. What they require is a more reliable computer system, better training and more staff to handle the extra workload.”

Mark Serwotka, PCS General Secretary, said:

“This spontanoues protest was for many members the last resort. We urge Inland Revenue management to work with PCS in finding a solution to these problems.”


For further information and interviews please contact:

Marney Crainey
Campaigns Officer
Public and Commercial Services Union
Tel: 020 7801 2820
Email:  marney@pcs.org.uk
Web: www.pcs.org.uk
PCS, 160 Falcon Rd, London SW11 2LN