Scottish Borders benefit claimant support call issued

It has been claimed disabled people have been adversely affected by the changes

Councillors in the Borders have ordered officers to look into the needs of benefit claimants in the region.

It comes after a petition called on the authority to re-evaluate a restructure which it alleged had adversely affected disabled people.

It said their ability to claim benefits had suffered following moves designed to save £300,000.

The council will now look at ways to increase accessibility and support for benefits claimants.

The local authority previously employed welfare benefits assistants, who helped people fill out application forms and could represent claimants at tribunals.

However, following the restructure, those roles were absorbed into a combined customer, homelessness and benefits service.

The council is to look again at the needs of benefit claimants in the region

The restructure was also carried out without any public consultation, which it has been claimed has led to confusion among benefits claimants.

The petition was presented to councillors at a meeting of the council's audit and scrutiny committee.

Chief author Jenny Mushlin, who chairs the Borders mental health forum, said there was known to be an association between money worries and poor mental health.

"Problems with welfare benefits and poverty can trigger both new and known mental health problems," she told the committee.

"We would urge you to recognise that the welfare benefits service is a vital service for the mental health and wellbeing of all in the Borders, monitor all the effects of changes and take appropriate action," she said.

In response, Jenni Craig the council's service director for customers and communities, outlined the changes made.

'Whole ethos'

She said that the authority used to have the equivalent of 1.7 welfare benefit assistants to help with basic benefit inquiries while it now had 49 customer advice and support advisers working across a wider range of locations.

"These advisers already deal with a range of benefit inquiries and applications as well as carrying out assessments for blue badges," she said.

"However, in hindsight we would have benefited from consulting with service users before the restructure.

"The whole ethos was to bring savings but also to balance our responsibilities.

"We now have a new model where we have staff coming together and providing advice, and we want to offer a wider, more accessible service right across the Borders."

Councillors agreed to formally refer the matter to the service director to advise on whether the petition's demands could be implemented.

They also called for better consultation and communication in future.

• Story by local democracy reporter Joseph Anderson