Public and Commercial Services (PCS) Union members working at the Home Office’s Smedley Hydro office in Birkdale, Southport, are stepping up their campaign against proposals that could see their workplace closed, 1,400 jobs lost and work relocated away from the town.
Members will hold a rally in Birkdale Village this Sunday (6th September 2026) at 11am to highlight the impact the proposed closure could have on staff, their families and the wider Southport community.
The union says the proposal raises serious concerns about accessibility, jobs, costs and the future of a skilled workforce that has provided a unique national service from Southport for decades.
PCS members’ primary concern is the impact relocation could have on colleagues with disabilities, health conditions and caring responsibilities. Staff currently rely on the site’s accessibility features, including disabled parking and local transport arrangements, to enable them to work.
The union is concerned that reasonable adjustments may not be fully considered as part of any relocation plans, while longer journeys could make it impossible for some employees to continue working their contracted hours.
For many staff, the issue is also deeply personal. Employees accepted Southport-based roles specifically because of the location, with some making major career decisions on the understanding that they could work close to home. Others left previous employment to join the organisation without any indication that the future of the site was uncertain.
A move outside Southport could mean significantly increased travel times and costs, creating additional pressures around childcare, caring responsibilities and work-life balance.
Some members have told PCS they may have no option but to leave their jobs, seek voluntary redundancy or take early retirement if their work is relocated.
PCS general secretary, Fran Heathcote says:
“This is not simply a question of moving desks from one building to another. For our members, this is about their jobs, their livelihoods and whether they will be able to continue working for the Home Office at all.
“People have built their lives around being based in Southport. Some colleagues have disabilities or caring responsibilities and rely on the accessibility of this site to get to work.
“The Home Office needs to look at the whole picture. The site is fit for purpose, the workforce is highly skilled and experienced, and there has already been significant investment in the building. The potential of disrupting a specialist national service by losing experienced staff should not be worth the risk”
PCS is calling on the Home Office to properly engage with staff and the union, fully assess the consequences of relocation and explore all alternatives before any final decision is made.
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