Centralisation of Asylum and Human Rights Administration

PCS is in consultation on plans to centralise the admin function for Asylum Legacy Flow and Secondary Casework and Children

In June 2022 the Department wrote to PCS setting out the basic principles of a plan to centralise most of the Admin Function within the newly created Asylum and Human Rights Operations. This will impact on all admin teams based at Belfast, Bootle, Cardiff, Croydon, Feltham, Glasgow, Harmondsworth, Leeds, Liverpool, Newcastle, Sheffield and Solihull.

The key principle of the plans is to create ‘virtual’ centralised teams for the administration of workflow and correspondence. Whilst retaining smaller administrative teams on each site to support interviewing and the service of decisions.

PCS have been given assurances that these plans are not expected to lead to any job cuts and no individual is at risk as a consequence. Across Asylum and Human Rights, as with much of UKVI, there continues to be a staffing deficit at Admin Officer(AO) Grade with apparent difficulties at recruiting at the grade.

Although no exact figures have been provided to PCS it would seem that the department’s plans would require a doubling of the current AO workforce. Which the department insist they have agreement for despite the well-publicised Civil Service wide Job Cuts each department is expected to make over next 3 years.

The creation of a central workflow team and central communications team will result in there being 3 AO roles in Asylum and Human Rights Operations.

· Communication Hub Administrator

· Case Progression Support Officer

· Decision Making Unit Administrator

We have seen Job Analysis Forms for each role and these details will be available to affected members to aid discussions on which role they will transition to.

The expectations given to PCS is that most members will be able to either remain in their current AO role or join either of the virtual teams but there may be some location based restrictions. Where there are local restrictions in the choice available to staff, the department intend to use limited competition to allocate roles.

With no changes to any existing terms and conditions and assurances received that Members with Reasonable Adjustments will be supported during the transition and where transitioning to the new teams their existing adjustments would transfer with them PCS has not identified any significant areas of concerns with the plans.

Next Steps

PCS understands that over the coming weeks discussions will take place with individuals and as teams with Managers to explain in more details the roles and for decisions on placements to be made.

PCS members can ask their local branch reps for any assistance as they go through this process. Members can find out who your local Branch Reps are by logging into their PCS Digital Account. If you don’t have an account you can register here Register (force.com)

Any more general feedback on the proposals that may be relevant to ongoing discussions with the department please send to Philip.mount@homeoffice.gov.uk

Phil Mount

Assistant Group Secretary - UKVI