The elderly querying retirement allowances, self-employed people struggling with tax returns and migrants baffled by the UK taxation system would no longer have face-to-face help available at the Holland Road office.

Around 30 permanent staff and 20 part-timers may be asked if they can relocate to Peterborough, Lincoln or even as far as Nottingham once consultation ends on May 14.

HM Revenue and Customs is proposing cutting its number of offices from ten to two in Lincolnshire and Nottinghamshire and save around £30 million in 2008.

But the Spalding workers are not going without a fight and want the thousands who use the office to sign a petition opposing the move – or to contact MP John Hayes, who has already pledged his support.

Public and Commercial Services Union representative Sonia Wyles said: "I have been working here since 1984 and there are many here that are the same, if not longer.

"They have discussed it before, but now it is an actual proposal. It has been a bit of a shock because you never think it's going to happen."

A statement from the PCSU said: "Workers in Spalding Tax Office live locally and their families and local communities in and around Spalding rely on their income.

"They are not highly paid senior civil servants. Many work part-time and have childcare or other caring commitments. If asked to relocate many will have no option but to reduce their working hours or give up their jobs."

An HMRC spokesman said a tax "inquiry point" will be retained somewhere in Spalding.

To join the Save Spalding Tax Office campaign write to MP John Hayes at the House of Commons, London SW1A 0AA.