Fears are being voiced that some of the region’s most vulnerable residents could suffer following changes to the team which helps them access their benefits.
But Scottish Borders Council says a redesign of its welfare services will actually make it easier for customers to reach them.
Members of Borders Voluntary Care Voice raised their concerns after receiving a letter from Head of Customer Services, Jenni Craig, stating that the Welfare Benefits Service, Homelessness Service and Customer Services are currently under review.
It said that anyone looking for help in relation to welfare benefits will be told to contact customer services. They may then be advised to visit a local contact centre or library rather than be directed to the welfare benefits team.
“Where necessary, the customer services adviser may arrange a call back from welfare benefits staff. There is no longer an allocated duty worker.”
Further changes will take place in the future, the letter added.
Chief Officer of Borders Voluntary Care Voice, Jenny Smith, said: “Our members are concerned that the dedicated welfare benefits team is being disbanded altogether. There is no real clarity on what is happening, as we are hearing conflicting information, and people are getting very worried.
“We have also heard that the specialist Macmillan support service will be reduced as SBC has removed its funding, and that the specialist Mental Health Adviser post has been removed.
“People could be getting referred to other advice agencies such as Citizens Advice, for more complex advice, but there are no additional resources to help them cope with this increased demand.”
Jenny Mushlin, chair of the Borders mental health forum, says any delays in accessing payments could lead to members struggling to afford to eat or heat their homes.
Jenny added: “It appears that all calls to welfare benefits are now being routed through the SBC customer services advisers, who are supposed to deal with ‘simple’ benefits enquiries – it is incredibly rare that that such enquiries are simple. The benefits system is very complex and is subject to change, and some people are always going to need specialist help. It is appalling at a time when so much is happening in relation to welfare benefits, resulting in so many people needing advice and support, that this specialist team is being reduced.
“In addition, there appears to have been no public consultation on these changes, or any equality impact assessment to identify the affect the plans will have on local people.”
“There is no indication how people will be supported,” Jenny added. “These changes are bound to put additional pressure on already over-stretched advice and support services.”
The SBC Welfare Benefits service, as well as giving general benefit advice, can give advice when benefits have been sanctioned and help people to prepare benefit appeals and represent them at a tribunal.
“Reducing or removing the service will therefore leave a huge gap in the Borders,” added Jenny.
Scottish Borders Council says help will be available to anyone who needs it.
A local authority spokesperson said: “As part of a redesign of the service existing welfare benefits duties within the Council have been integrated with and will continue as part of the Customer Advice and Support Service. That service has financial inclusion as part of its wider spectrum of responsibilities, including the duties carried out by the Welfare Benefits Officer (Mental Health).
“Customer Advice and Support Advisers already handle varied and at times complex advice and support matters on a range issues and will in future provide a wider range of advice and support after appropriate further training. Customers will have easier and wider methods of contact with a larger pool of staff able to provide initial advice and support but with quick and easy options to be referred to more specialist staff within the Council or other providers when appropriate.
“These options will include referral to an SBC Financial Inclusion Officer who can provide similar advice to that previously available.
“The two members of staff delivering the Macmillan service provision will continue to the end of the 2017/18 financial year and will extend beyond that date if the external funding resource continues. These posts have always been temporary and one of them, an Assistant role, for only a short time.”
Article originally appeared on Planet Radio
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