PCS has raised concerns about the planned closure of Caxton House, the Department for Work and Pensions' headquarters.
CSW revealed on Monday that the Government Property Agency is expecting DWP to exit the Whitehall site next year, with officials set to move to Sanctuary Buildings, the Department for Education’s HQ – a five-minute walk away.
Fran Heathcote, PCS’s general secretary, said the union was “disappointed” by the announcement and “extremely concerned” that staff may be “squeezed into inadequate office space”.
The move, which is part of the Boris Johnson-era plan to streamline the Whitehall estate, was mentioned in the GPA’s latest business plan, published on 23 December, which also revealed Ministry of Justice HQ 102 Petty France is earmarked for closure in 2028.
The document says the moves are "subject to support from HM Treasury”.
The office closures are part of the government’s plans to reduce the Whitehall campus to 16 buildings, as set out in the 2022-2030 Government Property Strategy, which was published in August 2022.
Heathcote said PCS has not seen details of the new office provision in Sanctuary Buildings, but is “extremely concerned about staff being squeezed into inadequate office space for the sake of delivering a government property strategy launched by the previous government”.
She said the closure and reduction of workspace “would seem to be at odds with the government’s drive to force members back into the workplace”, referencing Labour’s decision to stick with the 60% in-office mandate introduced by Rishi Sunak’s government.
Heathcote said more than 2,700 staff work at Caxton House in a variety of roles, and that the union “will not stand by and watch the working conditions for our members deteriorate”.
She added that PCS is looking forward to detailed consultation with DWP on the planned move “to ensure that any new accommodation is fit for purpose and delivers for our members as well as DWP”.
CSW understands that Sanctuary Buildings is undergoing refurbishment to increase utilisation of the available space, improve accessibility, and reduce annual running costs and that the plan is for DWP officials to be able to work at the new site with the same working practices.
A GPA spokesperson said: "DWP staff currently based in Caxton House will be relocated to Sanctuary Building, a short distance away, once the building's lease expires in 2026.
"This is in line with our ambition to provide high-quality workspaces in modern, efficient buildings — creating a greener, more cost-effective public estate that benefits both civil servants and taxpayers."