THE Revenues and Customs office at Lillyhall, Workington, is to close, workers were told today.

There are currently 200 staff employed at the tax office. 

They were told by managers that the office will remain open until at least 2018 while options were considered.

The move is part of a plan to close 137 local offices across the country, replacing them with 13 'regional hubs'. 

Workington MP Sue Hayman said: "It's very disappointing that we're going to lose the site at Lillyhall and that so many people are going to be in danger of losing their jobs. 

"The Commons Treasury Committee has accused the Her Majesty's Revenues and Customs' call centres of being 'staggeringly bad' and I'm not sure that cutting back staff is going to improve services." 

Gordon Rowntree, assistant group secretary for the Public and Commercial Services Union, said:  "We see the move as totally unnecessary. There has been no parliamentary scrutiny, no public scrutiny and we will be demanding that there is for what is a crucial public service." 

The Lillyhall call centre opened in 2009.

Nationally, HMRC is looking to cut 58,000 full-time equivalent jobs to 51,000.