CONCERNED carers in the Borders have launched a petition asking for Scottish Borders Council to reverse its decision to scrap a specialist welfare helpline.

The Border Telegraph revealed in October how the local authority was pulling the plug on its benefits advice service.

And it was redirecting all calls to an authority-wide customer support service.

The decision was attacked by voluntary groups as well as local MSP Christine Grahame.

And last week members of the Galashiels-based Borders Care Voice began an online petition demanding that specialist advisors are retained.

The petition reads: "We, the undersigned require that Scottish Borders Council, in its redesign of the standalone welfare benefits service into the Customer Advice and Support Service must maintain the same standard of service to ensure the most vulnerable and deprived people in the Borders are not unfairly disadvantaged or face inequality of access to support services and income maximisation through benefits."

Dozens of concerned claimants used the specialist service every week to sort out the complexities of benefits and entitlements.

And that number was expected to have rocketed next year when Universal Credit replaces income support, housing benefit, child tax credit, jobseeker's allowance, working tax credit and employment and support allowance in the Scottish Borders.

The Borders Care Voice petition wants call handlers to be 'able to offer a comprehensive service, giving advice on all aspects of the welfare benefits system - from initial claims to representation at tribunals'.

And also 'acknowledge the error made in not carrying out any public consultation for the changes to the Welfare Benefits Service'.

Despite taking flack for the changes to its advice service, Scottish Borders Council bosses have defended their decision.

And they claim welfare benefits enquiries will still receive relevant advice.

A 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 petition at A Scottish Borders Council 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.”

The petition, which is available at change.org, will be delivered to Scottish Borders Council in the new year.