Almost 170 tax staff at three borough bases are facing an uncertain future after Her Majesty's Revenue and Customs announced a wholesale review of their office premises accommodation across the North West region.
HMRC, formerly the Inland Revenue, pledge that tax-payers will notice no difference in service levels while the proposals, now the subject of an eight-week consultation with employees, will save money in line with the requirements of a Government drive to cut civil service spending.
But unions have damned the scheme as a "crude drive to slash jobs."
Wigan town centre has two tax offices. Under the suggested programme HMRC Bridgeman House in Bridgeman Terrace (55 staff) will close, although Lingate House in Chapel Lane, which has 53 employees, will be retained.
It has already been decided after a separate earlier review that HMRC Leigh will close next spring, while its 60 employees will be relocated to existing HMRC offices in Bolton and Salford.
But they will retain an inquiry centre in Leigh so that members of the public can continue to visit their staff "face to face" as they have done in the past.
HM Revenue and Customs insist this review process will ensure that the needs of all taxpayers are met while continuing to deliver value for money to the taxpayer.
HMRC Director responsible for the programme Mary Hay said: "The need for this reorganisation of accommodation arises, in part, from the integration of the former Inland Revenue and HM Customs and Excise which has resulted in the new department having more office space than it needs.
"By consolidating work in fewer locations HMRC will be able to work more efficiently and so improve customer service as well as providing better value for money.
"The consultation with staff, trades' unions and other stakeholders is part of a review to determine which buildings the department will occupy in a number of ''cluster'' and ''individual'' locations within the North West.
But the civil service union PCS has reacted angrily to the proposals, claiming it would eaxcerbate the £42bn in uncollected tax nationally.
A spokesman for the local branch said: "This is part of a crude drive to slash jobs and cut costs which will leave HMRC unable to deliver quality public services.
"Access to tax advice will be damaged by these proposals hitting businesses and the public as well as taking quality jobs out of local communities.
"We will be campaigning to keep as many offices open as possible, as job cuts are already damaging the ability of HMRC to function and undermining public confidence.