People in Whitstable and Herne Bay searching for work will be forced to spend a day’s budget travelling to Canterbury when the last Jobcentre on the district’s coast closes next week.

The Whitstable centre has already shut, and Herne Bay’s is due to close its doors on Friday, March 9.

It will leave jobseekers having to travel to Canterbury to sign on at a time when Stagecoch has just put up its bus fares.

A return from the coastal towns to the city now costs £7 – a jump of 30p and 12% of the weekly £57.90 jobseekers’ allowance for people aged 24 or younger.

A Jobcentre discount card offers half-price tickets, but this is only available to claimants who have been jobless for at least three months, and who meet other criteria.

Labour MP for Canterbury Rosie Duffield has spoken out against Jobcentre cuts.

She said: “The Jobcentres closing in Whitstable and now Herne Bay make things so much more difficult for those who need help the most.

“Bus fares are extortionate and now, with extra pressure on Canterbury Jobcentre, I really feel that this government is failing my constituents.

"The erosion of high-street services is one of the ‘great British shames’ of the past decade.”

In January alone, 570 people claimed “searching for work” benefits at the Herne Bay branch, with many more relying on the facility for help with other benefits, and finding employment.

Its closure will directly affect Ian Lyndon, of Fleetwood Avenue, Herne Bay. “I’ve been visiting the service once a fortnight for a while,” said the 62-year-old.

“Now they’re making it absolutely ridiculous.

“This is really going to impact people relying on buses, which can cost a lot and can often be late.

“I worry that if people are late for appointments they could face benefits sanctions.”

Caleb-Mark Vincent, 25, has been claiming benefits through Herne Bay’s Jobcentre since November, when surgery left him needing to have medical dressings changed daily.

“Even driving to Canterbury and back can cost six pounds, plus parking, which can be expensive there,” said the fatherof-three.

“People rely on Jobcentres because they need a little help with money to support their families.

“It’s not fair if they end up losing that money, and a lot of their time, just to get to appointments.”

The closure of the Herne Bay service is part of a recent, nationwide series of cuts to Jobcentres by the Department for Work and Pensions.

On October 13 the Whitstable office was also closed, despite protests from local residents.

Damian Hinds, employment minister when the closures were announced, said: “We will always make sure that people have the support they need to get into and progress within work.

"These changes reflect the fact that more people access their benefits online, resulting in many of our buildings being underused.

“The changes DWP is making to its estate across the country will offer a more efficient service, and deliver good value for the taxpayer.”

On Friday next week, Herne Bay Labour and Canterbury and Whitstable Stop the Cuts will hold a protest outside Herne Bay’s Jobcentre from 10.30am.