Jobseekers in Edmonton will soon face changes as the local Job Centre shortly closes their doors for good.

The closure will affect a large number of residents in the wards of Upper Edmonton, Lower Edmonton, Edmonton Green, Jubilee and Haselbury wards.

Unemployment in Edmonton is higher than the rest of the borough, and there is a higher population of black and ethnic minorities.

In addition, the Job Seekers’ Allowance (JSA) claimant count at January 2017 for the affected wards stood at 1,650, representing over 35% of the borough’s total JSA claimant count which was 4,600 for the same period.

The Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) estimates that a higher proportion of claimants are now making benefit claims on-line therefore less staff resource is required for customer interaction. They also state that customers claiming long term sickness benefits are only required to attend interviews with their work coaches on an infrequent basis, and these can be arranged to suit the claimant’s needs.

Enfield Council’s Cabinet Member for Economic Regeneration & Business Development, Cllr Alan Sitkin, said: “This imminent closure of the Edmonton Job Centre has been a real concern to me as many Edmonton residents, some of the most disadvantaged in our borough, rely on the services provided there.

“Enfield Council will continue to work to influence DWP’s service delivery to our most disadvantaged residents in these wards through our own interventions. The Council will continue to provide services for claimants and job seekers in our libraries in Edmonton Fore Street and Edmonton Green Shopping Centres, at our Change and Challenge Troubled Families project running from the Claverings Estate and our outreach gang mentoring.

“We will do everything we can to mitigate the impact of this closure, and if possible reverse the decision, to help our most vulnerable residents.”