EAST Lancashire’s job centres, courts and tax offices will all be affected by today’s strikes.

Every job centre in the area, including the large Jobcentre Plus sites in Blackburn and Burnley, will be effectively closed for business, with staff on the doors turning away customers.

Courts, including Burnley Crown Court, will be open but are expected to operate just a ‘skeleton’ service, said the Public and Commercial Services (PCS) union, which is leading the strikes.

That is likely to mean far fewer cases are heard and it is understood jurors in trials have been asked to not even turn up for duty.

A small passport office in Ainsworth Street, Blackburn, and an HM Revenue and Customs site in Eastgate, Accrington, will also be affected.

Picket lines are likely to be seen outside public buildings across East Lancashire.

PCS spokesman Martin Kelsey said: “It is unfortunate people will be affected by the disruption but the Government is looking at sacking people and changing people’s pensions.”

Strikes by UK Border Agency staff are also likely to affect the North West’s airports.

Manchester Airport said it believed it had resources to cover for absent workers, but urged passengers on return flights today to have their passports ready to reduce delays.

Blackpool Airport said it was working to ‘minimise any potential disruption’.