Inquiry over Jobcentre 'carol'

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Tony McNulty, Employment and Welfare Reform minister, ordered an inquiry after the staff described their office being overrun with spotty youths, recovering alcoholics, screaming babies and fleas.

The song, passed around by email, ends each verse with the refrain: "And a scally in a hoodie."

Mr McNulty said: "These comments are in no way representative of the attitude of the vast majority of Jobcentre Plus staff who work very hard to support our customers."

A print-out was seen by an unemployed man at a Jobcentre in Birkenhead, Merseyside, who complained but was reportedly told the joke was helping staff morale.

The verse, titled 12 Days at Brunswick - a reference to the Jobcentre building - lacks the real gifts delivered by the song's true love.

On the first day at Brunswick the author is sent a "scally in a hoodie" rather than a partridge in a pear tree. The second brings "two missed EVs" - evidence claimants bring in to prove they should receive benefits.

The third day of Christmas brings crisis loans; the fourth Fresh Starts - a scheme to help the long-term jobless find work. And the fifth day brings direct payments; the sixth "DMAs", which are Decision Maker Actions, what the staff decide to do.

Recovering alcoholics are the seventh day's gift with P45s following the next day. Day nine sees "screaming babies" come to the Jobcentre with "fleas-a-leaping" on the tenth.

Spotty youths are in abundance on Christmas's penultimate day and "hunting rifles" are the gift on the final day.