Birmingham’s job centre staff are being subjected to an increasing tirade of abuse and attacks, figures show.

Last year saw 867 reports in Birmingham and Solihull job centres – up from 566 just five years before, a rise of 53 per cent, a Freedom of Information request revealed. Most of the attacks were verbal but some led to cuts and bruises, and more serious injuries.

Over the five-year period there were 84 physical assaults along with 109 attempted attacks in spite of staff being equipped with panic alarms, and many meetings taking place behind a glass barrier.

Reported by the Birmingham Post. You can read the full story here. 

Matthew Burgess
http://www.mattburgess.co
I am a journalist and author. I am a journalist at the UK edition of WIRED magazine. In 2015, my first book Freedom of Information: A Practical Guide for UK Journalists, was published. My second book Reed Hastings: Building Netflix, was published in March 2020. I created FOI Directory in 2012 and have maintained it in my spare time ever since.