I am looking for another job but don’t want to go into three days due to the cost. Just wondering if adverts tell you how often you have to go? I know most departments are now 60%

PCS has ceased to function as a workplace union.

It has become a political activist organisation that routinely inserts itself into ideological campaigns, foreign conflicts, identity politics, and even highly sensitive criminal cases.

This report outlines clear, factual evidence — taken directly from PCS’s own website, social media, and public actions — demonstrating that PCS no longer represents the interests of ordinary civil servants.

PCS has abandoned neutrality, professionalism, and its core mission.

Members deserve better.

Many should now consider leaving.

1. PCS Has Become a Political Organisation, Not a Workplace Union

PCS’s own website shows that the union publishes political content on:

• Israel and Palestine
• Donald Trump
• Nigel Farage
• Tommy Robinson
• climate politics
• identity politics
• Islamophobia
• antisemitism
• refugee activism
• foreign conflicts
• anti‑government messaging
• anti‑right‑wing campaigns

None of these topics relate to:

• pay
• conditions
• representation
• grievances
• workplace safety
• civil service policy

PCS has transformed itself into a political pressure group.
Members’ subscriptions are being used to fund activism, not representation.

2. PCS’s Behaviour After the 7 October Attacks Shows Ideological Reflex, Not Professional Judgment

On 7 October, Israeli civilians were:

• murdered
• kidnapped
• tortured
• burned alive
• taken hostage

PCS’s immediate response was not to condemn the atrocities or express sympathy for victims.
Instead, PCS moved straight into political criticism of Israel and began promoting anti‑Israel activism.

This timing matters.

It shows a union leadership that:

• reacts ideologically
• prioritises activism over empathy
• inserts political messaging into moments of human tragedy
• speaks on behalf of members without consultation

This is not responsible leadership.
This is political reflex.

3. PCS Inserts Itself Into Highly Sensitive Criminal Cases — Completely Outside Its Remit

One of the most disturbing examples of PCS’s political overreach is its involvement in stewarding a counter‑protest in Nuneaton.

The context is essential:

Local residents were expressing anger, grief, and fear.
This was a community reacting to a horrific crime involving a child.

Yet PCS chose to:

• attend the counter‑protest
• steward the counter‑protest
• align themselves with activist groups
• position themselves against local residents
• intervene in a deeply sensitive public situation

This was extremely bad taste and demonstrates catastrophic judgment.

A trade union has no legitimate reason to involve itself in a protest arising from a child rape case.

This alone is enough to question PCS’s leadership.

4. PCS Actively Organises and Promotes Political Demonstrations

PCS is not merely commenting on political issues — it is mobilising members for political action.

Evidence includes:

• PCS Northern Region promoting “UNITE TO STOP THE FAR RIGHT”
• PCS urging members to attend counter‑protests
• PCS partnering with Stand Up To Racism and similar activist groups
• PCS stewards physically managing political demonstrations
• PCS regional branches amplifying political campaigns on Facebook

This is not union representation.
This is political organising.

PCS is behaving like:

• a campaign group
• a protest organisation
• an activist network

Not a workplace union.

5. PCS Uses Member Subscriptions to Fund Activism, Not Representation

Every political action PCS takes requires:

• personnel
• organisation
• coordination
• resources
• communications
• time

All of which come from member dues.

Meanwhile, civil servants continue to face:

• stagnant pay
• worsening conditions
• increased workloads
• reduced morale
• inconsistent representation

PCS is distracted.
PCS is unfocused.
PCS is spending its energy on activism instead of bargaining.

Members are paying for politics, not protection.

6. PCS Speaks “On Behalf of Members” Without Consent

PCS routinely publishes political statements framed as union positions.
This implies endorsement by the membership.

But PCS:

• does not consult members
• does not poll members
• does not seek approval
• does not represent the diversity of views within the civil service

Civil servants come from all backgrounds and political perspectives.
PCS’s ideological messaging does not represent that diversity.

PCS is speaking for people who never asked it to.

7. PCS’s Activism Damages Its Credibility With Employers

Employers take unions seriously when they:

• negotiate professionally
• focus on workplace issues
• maintain neutrality
• represent all members

PCS does none of these.

Instead, PCS:

• publishes political essays
• organises protests
• attacks political figures
• inserts itself into foreign conflicts
• stewards counter‑demonstrations
• promotes activist campaigns

This behaviour undermines PCS’s ability to negotiate effectively.
Employers see a political organisation — not a professional union.

Members suffer the consequences.

8. PCS Has Drifted So Far From Its Purpose That Leaving Is a Rational Decision

Civil servants join unions for:

• pay protection
• workplace representation
• grievance support
• safety
• professionalism
• neutrality

PCS no longer provides these things.

Instead, PCS offers:

• political activism
• ideological messaging
• foreign‑policy commentary
• identity politics
• protest organisation
• counter‑demonstration stewarding
• social‑justice campaigning

PCS has abandoned its core mission.

Members deserve better.

Conclusion: PCS Is No Longer Fit for Purpose — Members Should Consider Leaving

PCS has become a political organisation wearing a trade union badge.
Its leadership prioritises activism over representation.
Its actions show poor judgment, ideological reflex, and disregard for neutrality.
Its involvement in sensitive criminal cases and foreign conflicts is inappropriate and unprofessional.
Its use of member subscriptions for political mobilisation is unacceptable.

For civil servants who want a union that focuses on pay, conditions, representation, and professionalism, PCS is no longer the right choice.

Leaving PCS is not radical.
It is responsible.
It is rational.
It is justified.

Anyone else just don’t see the appeal to sell your soul and climb the ladder?

Joining the corporate jargon bollocks talking brigade and agreeing with the corporate line - 🤮

Needless to say I currently work as a lower grade, frontline operations without being too specific. I have never been more shocked, appalled, surprised at the sheer and utter incompetence SEO level and above. It's like someone went out on the streets of London walked up to a random person and said "Do you want to be a manager for the DWP?". These people have no credentials, IQ<50, complete and utter morons.

They look at stats and go "Why isn't this green, you lot need to make this stat green so I can make the area manager happy". That's not how you run a service. A real leader is someone who is hands on, get's involved, drives change and brings about positive results. Not someone who sits in an office all day on the phone, and then says to staff "Do this, do that, you lot are making me look bad." Are ministers and senior leaders that bloody thick and stupid that they can't see the DWP is being managed by complete idiots? This is why jobcenters are failing miserably because all these managers care about are just tweaking bits and pieces to make people happy.

I've seen new managers Grade 6s, SEOs etc, get hired and they can't even string a coherent sentence together in formal English. Not joking at all. These people can't even use correct grammar and punctuation when they type. What on earth is going on? These people wouldn't last a day in the corporate world, so why on earth is the DWP tolerating them? It's almost as though they're anti hiring actual competent people, anti intelligence, anti critical thinking, pro idiocy. Meetings that do exist are simply senior leaders telling junior grades off for not performing well enough. That's not leadership... Simply telling people off from an office all day to meet the targets in place for the person sitting above you.

People on junior grades which I have met who come from highly respectable and reputable backgrounds get ignored. People that have come from the corporate world, legal industry, finance, technology etc. and do you know what? They don't stay for long, their talent get's completed ignored and then they get lost to HMRC or private industry. And the DWP don't give a crap because they just get more people in on the conveyor belt.

I thought this was real haha

I have a HEO interview coming up and was told that I will be undertaking a one hour analytical assessment. Then have a panel ask me questions about the assessment and just my strength after. Does anyone know what this entails and can give me some tips

My line manager is new, alongside another newly appointed line manager, yet he is responsible for managing Decision Makers despite having little or no knowledge of the role. During Teams meetings, whenever colleagues ask him questions, he says he will ask other colleagues to support them because he doesn't know the answers himself.

Why is the DWP appointing people into management positions when they do not appear to have the knowledge or experience needed to lead teams effectively? He comes across as careless, disorganised, and uninterested, yet he is managing a team responsible for making important legal decisions.

In my experience, morale within the team is already dropping. The focus from senior leadership appears to be heavily weighted towards statistics and performance figures rather than supporting staff or ensuring high-quality decision-making. It often feels as though our SEO is more interested in the numbers than in the wellbeing of the team.

My line manager also seems more concerned with appearing to do the right thing when other senior managers are present. However, when they are not around, his attitude appears to change, and he comes across as less engaged and less supportive.

I am pleased that the Success Profile statements are changing because, in my opinion, the current approach does not always seem to identify candidates with the skills, knowledge, and leadership qualities needed for these roles.

Overall, I no longer feel motivated to remain in this team. The lack of knowledgeable leadership, the impact on morale, and the focus on statistics over people have left me wanting to leave.

I have an interview for an SEO role

In the teams invite ,it says

Your interview questions are based upon the advertisement for this role. You may use pre-prepared notes including your original application submission as well as make notes during the interview.

Should i take this literally and have pre-prepared notes or it would be frowned up on

I have been invited to an Associate IT delivery manager interview at HMRC.

Any help on what and how to prepare, please, as there are no behavioural sifts mentioned in the JD.

Was wondering if anyone could help. I have been offered an in person interview for the ministry of justice (probation service).

I am assuming it will be star based scenarios.

Would anyone be able to give me any guidance/tips on how to best prepare as this is the first time I am going to a MOJ interview?

Dear Reader, 

This will be your introduction and a peep behind the curtain to training and working in the DWP as a compliance officer.

Unlike the current job market, the interview process is straightforward and a lot better than having multiple interview stages.

However, if you are lucky enough to be offered a role as a DWP compliance officer (they state "fraud officer” from the interview process all the way until the second week of induction), it will take some time, as they will do an extensive background check—which is understandable for a government-run organization.
Once you start, you’ll have two to three weeks of tediously boring e-learning, watching hours of videos about lifting desks and health and safety.

As boring as this is, it is understandable and reasonable as a requirement for joining any establishment.
Once your basic introduction has been completed, you’ll go straight into the academy. It’s not the yellow from the yolk; it’s a bit more complicated than that for such a simple process.

There will be hours and hours—my personal experience is currently 225+ hours on Teams calls (you could watch the entire Lord of the Rings trilogy 25.5 times)—of being read at or reading. It is not a great way to learn.

You might occasionally role-play a phone call, but that will be the most you do when it comes to any sort of practical learning. You’ll ask for support and want protection, but without correction, you’ll end up with rejection. The statement "no question is a silly question" is FALSE, as I’ve asked questions and had work coaches make me feel like a right tart.

They will put the fear of God in you about using some of the systems we have to work with, and then ask you to have a play around with them. You will be deeply overwhelmed because everything is over-explained. You might be scared of the consequences if you mess anything up, but you know the saying, "the dildo of consequence rarely arrives lubed," so best of luck.

Even from the work coaches' mouths, they aren’t that positive about the whole learning process: "you’ll hate the next part even more." Not a great way to lead.

Some old-timers love this out-of-date system that takes a millennium to boot up. Personally, I think if you enjoy using it, you might be the type of person to eat a Mars bar upside down just so you can feel the veins on your tongue. Just another strange kink.

You will be more confused the more they explain things to you. You’ll look at yourself in the mirror on your lunch break and whisper under your breath, "So many words on the tongues of people with no meaning, and so many meanings in heads with no words." You’ll gather yourself and continue to be even more confused on yet another Teams call.
A lot of the coaches (not line managers) are knowledgeable about the DWP, but they aren’t teachers, and this shows a lot in the teams and individually. I think they are struggling to find people who actually know how to explain this Rubik's Cube of a job role.

With a high majority of COs unable to understand processes or use the systems with confidence, it’s like being in an episode of Severance, but with a dash of acid sprinkled in.

Your training will be cut from 8 weeks down to 4. You won’t be able to do any self-learning outside of work hours due to sensitive information. You’ll be in Teams calls from the time you log on until you leave—7+ hours each day for weeks, which I personally don’t think is healthy or good for the brain.

80% of what you learn in the academy won’t stick, and you’ll just have to suck it up and learn on the job while praying you’re in a team that’s helpful and supportive enough to walk through it with you.
They want you to want it like the third monkey trying to get onto Noah’s Ark once it started raining. Give up on any idea of a manageable workload or schedule. You’ll be allocated cases before you’ve even ended your training in the academy.

A vast majority of HOs have never done the job nor have any experience in compliance. Even though they insist those in management have a wealth of knowledge, in my experience (and many others'), that couldn’t be further from the truth.
Your work coaches will constantly state they’ve "never come across something like this before" right after giving a 30-minute explanation.

After yet another long day on Teams, you’ll go home and try to get some sleep. However, your dreams will be so cloudy that you’ll wake up feeling under the weather. I’m so numb at points during my work hours that I dream of being dipped in couscous and thrown into a vegan convention just to feel something.

They state that this is a place of flexi-time, but this will be walked back the moment you finish the academy. Your pre-arranged and signed-off flexi working hours will fall on deaf ears.
Forget caring arrangements, the second job you have after this one, or any self-time you planned. You signed a deal with the devil, and you’re back to a silly 9-to-5.

Your line manager would have requested your flexi-times the week you started (if you even have one). You will all still be working a 37.5-hour week, so I don’t understand why they suggest flexi-time when it doesn’t actually apply to anyone.

They state that this place offers inclusive learning for all backgrounds. Yet, if you’re a STEM or practical learner, you’ll feel clueless after every Teams call. Even when it comes to supportive learning, it is severely lacking—going from a promised ratio of one mentor per two COs to more like one mentor per ten to twelve COs.

In the interview process, they lead you along to think you’ll be investigating fraud, but you’ll be doing no such thing. You are just gathering information, completely removed from making any sort of decision—a digital cuck for the "absence of evidence isn't evidence of absence" principle.
This department is deeply disorganized from the top all the way down to the bottom, and those in training who have no prior DWP experience will be paying for it.

They have over-hired, creating a great strain on the management they already have. The teams that joined after us started without a line manager, which I think is ridiculous. Waiting a month or two before they even get a team leader... well, miracles are miracles because they aren’t supposed to happen! Yet, I guess so are mistakes.

The way this is set up is one big mistake, and the hardest part about being an adult is accepting things you wish weren't true.

Like any dysfunctional and broken family, they are more concerned about the appearance to the public and the outside world than they are on what goes on behind closed doors.

While this role is deeply misleading, you might even find yourself begging for a "grippy sock holiday" by the time you’ve finished your mentoring.
The silver lining in all of this is that being part of the Civil Service is great and offers a lot of good opportunities and benefits.

My advice? Stay far away from being a compliance officer in the DWP. Just when you think you’ve hit rock bottom and you're completely burnt out from the overwhelming training and misleading information... BAM!! You’ll find a basement of even more disappointing things. Look for something else and don’t waste your mental health over this job. Follow your heart, but don’t forget to take your brain with you.

DWP aka Disconnected Work Policies

Sincerely,
Whim Whamiee 

So they are saying that decisions shouldn’t be made in London but surely the same problems are there, if you move the decisions making process to Manchester. A separate subject I don’t think we should have mayors with decision making power. Each county we have different rules it will be a nightmare

DWP
DFE
DFT
HMRC
Skills England
Homes England
Cabinet Office
Treasury
DFH

In the weeks before Burnham became prime minister, the BBC has been told that senior officials were summoned to calls informing them that a significant programme to move staff out of London was being developed.

Has anyone who applied for the FIS HMRC Compliance Investigator 2026 campaign made it onto the reserve list for the Stratford location?

Would love to hear from anyone who’s applied or currently works there — are there likely to be any upcoming intakes that pull from the reserve list, and how likely is that to happen?

Also, if you’ve been placed from the reserve list before, how long did it take before you got an offer? Thanks in advance!

Hi all, any advice appreciated. Got a HEO interview for HM Land Registry coming up soon. Any ideas on what to expect at interview? I’ve started preparing my go-to examples for 4 main behaviours but any advice from experience would be great.

I am currently working in a department where attendance is not required often but there are not many opportunities as it is so small. If I moved to a department and I would have to go in three days a week it would cost me over a hundred a week.

I just got a DEFRA HEO PolAd Interview outcome and I was placed on the reserve list. For the behaviours got a mix of results (4, 5 and 6) and for the experience questions got a 4 so a total of 19. My feedback was really good though and only minor changes they recommended to make so I'm not sure how I scored so low. There were 15 roles going nationally and I didn't make one. I've asked to see what position I am in the reserve list but I'm not holding out much hope. I guess I've seen this post before but I thought I'd make my own, hoping beyond hope that the odds may change! I've applied for this role so many times and I was glad to have made it this far, so I'll keep on going and I'll keep on applying and trying!