Campaign for UK-Based Call Centres

We are campaigning for all UK-based companies to staff their call centres from within the UK.

Why the Location of a Call Centre Matters

The WEU accepts that the physical location of a call centre is secondary to the ability of staff to communicate effectively and understand their business. However, exporting jobs abroad that could be performed domestically at a similar cost undermines the UK economy. Wages paid in the UK feed back into our economy through taxes and consumer spending, boosting local businesses. Since most call-centre operations are funded by customer payments, it makes sense for that money to remain within the UK and support our own citizens.

Language, Accents and Service Quality

Concerns about language barriers in overseas call centres are often overstated. The UK itself has a rich tapestry of accents and dialects. Ideally, all English-language call-centre staff should demonstrate clear pronunciation, good diction, and strong enunciation—but this is a global challenge, not one confined to offshoring.

Staffing Levels and Customer Experience

The most critical service call-centre operators must guarantee is adequate staffing. The familiar message, "We are experiencing a very high number of calls at the moment", often signals understaffing and frustrated customers. Companies must prioritise sufficient recruitment to deliver a prompt, satisfactory service.

Our Call to Action

The WEU urges that all companies registered in the UK should also operate their call centres domestically. We propose a mandatory requirement for businesses to inform customers of their call-centre location at the start of every interaction. Please join us in this campaign to protect UK jobs and ensure transparent customer service.

Related Articles

4,000 HSBC Staff Face the Axe (2013)

HSBC announced the loss of 4,000 UK jobs, transferring them to Asia over two and a half years. Approximately 1,400 of these cuts will come from call centres, with the remainder in administration. This move reflects a broader industry trend—firms in finance, airlines, and directory services are shifting operations to low-wage countries. HSBC claims the decision is essential for global competitiveness, despite criticism that it neglects the interests of UK customers, communities, and staff.

Key points:

• 3,000 jobs already moved abroad
• Closure of processing sites in Swansea, Sheffield, Birmingham, and Brentwood
• Further call-centre job losses in Hemel Hempstead, Leeds, Swansea, and Edinburgh
• Union warnings of strikes and predictions of 200,000 UK job losses over five years

Doesn’t Matter Where the Call Centre Is, It’s About Service

Santander’s decision to repatriate call centres from India was publicly framed as a commitment to customer satisfaction. The bank plans to create up to 500 new UK roles in Glasgow, Leicester, and Liverpool. Other firms—BT, Aviva, Powergen, and New Call Telecom—have similarly brought operations back home.

While linguistic stereotypes and local knowledge issues can affect certain sectors, the true driver of repatriation often lies in rising offshore labour costs. With wages in India forecast to increase significantly, many companies find it financially prudent—and good for public relations—to relocate their call centres to the UK.