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Publications

  1. CAS submission to the Scottish Parliament Economy, Energy and Tourism Committee
    Rob Gowans
    Publication date:
    August 2015

    Scotland’s Citizens Advice Service is the most common external source of advice for employees who experience problems at work. In 2014/15 clients sought advice on 50,625 new employment issues, a number that has been increasing in recent years. Additionally, citizens advice bureaux see first-hand the effects of in-work poverty, with a growing number of working clients seeking advice because they are struggling to pay for essentials. These twin problems – unfair employment practices and low paid jobs – represent a worrying trend in recent years and ones which CAS believes need to be addressed.

  2. CAS written evidence to the Scottish Parliament Devolution (Further Powers) Committee
    Rob Gowans
    Publication date:
    August 2015

    Whilst there are a number of areas of the Scotland Bill that fully meet the word and spirit of the Smith Agreement, Citizens Advice Scotland (CAS) believes that, as currently drafted, there are a number of sections of the Bill relating to social security and tribunals that do not appear to meet its intent.  CAS is concerned that without changes being made there are clear risks of detriment to CAB clients, who sought advice on 207,875 new benefits issues in 2013/14 and who have been subject to recent changes to reserved tribunals which have had a marked and detrimental effect on consumers in Scotland.

  3. Publication date:
    June 2015

    Employment problems are one of the most common types of issues that people seek advice on at a citizens advice bureau. Citizens Advice Scotland (CAS) has published reports showing the impact of poor employment practices, Employment Tribunal fees, non-payment of Employment Tribunal awards, and the misuse of zero hours contracts, which are causes for concern based on the negative experience of CAB clients in Scotland.   This briefing was sent to all MSPs ahead of the debate on Employee Rights and Access to Justice tabled by The Cabinet Secretary for Fair Work, Skills and Training, Roseanna Cunningham.  

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  4. Robert McGeachy, Gail Walker, Rob Gowans and Lauren Wood
    Publication date:
    April 2015

    The Scottish Government’s consultation focuses on changes to the public procurement rules in Scotland. These changes are as a result of new EU legislation, and are designed to further simplify the public procurement rules, and to support wider public policy aims including delivering sustainable economic growth. CAS’ response highlights the need to make sure that the changes deliver positive outcomes for the paying public, and deliver value for the service end users. Our response also emphasises that the changes to the procurement rules need to ensure that public bodies promote fair employment practice through public procurement.

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  5. Publication date:
    April 2015

    A study of employment issues amongst BME workers within Perth and Kinross

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  6. The impact of Employment Tribunal fees on CAB clients in Scotland
    Lauren Wood, Emily Rose and Eleanor Kirk
    Publication date:
    March 2015

    This report presents findings from a collaborative research project between the University of Strathclyde and Citizens Advice Scotland (CAS) into the views of Citizens Advice Bureaux (CAB) advisers within Scotland on the impact of Employment Tribunal (ET) fees.

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  7. Scottish Parliament debate - 'An End to In-Work Poverty'
    Rob Gowans
    Publication date:
    March 2015

    The most recent figures from the Scottish Government show that in-work poverty is rising. The majority of working age adults in poverty (52%) are now from working households and it is not the case that work by itself is a route out of poverty. Citizens advice bureaux in Scotland are reporting a growing number of cases where clients are in work, but are struggling to pay for essentials. Citizens Advice Scotland’s ongoing ‘Working at the Edge’ series of publications examines the growing problems caused by in-work poverty through the stories of the thousands of clients advised by citizens advice bureaux in Scotland, and makes recommendations for change.

  8. Protecting Scotland’s Workers from Unfair Treatment
    Rob Gowans
    Publication date:
    February 2015
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  9. Consultation on Tackling Avoidance from Department for Business, Innovation and Skills
    Rob Gowans
    Publication date:
    November 2014

    Based on evidence from bureaux, CAS has consistently raised concerns over misuse of zero hours contracts by employers. The UK Government proposes to ban exclusivity clause in zero hours contracts as part of the Small Business, Enterprise and Employment Bill, and consulted on how avoidance of the ban could be tackled.

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  10. House of Commons Public Bill Committee
    Rob Gowans
    Publication date:
    October 2014

    The Small Business, Enterprise and Employment Bill proposes changes on three specific issues of concern to CAS – the misuse of zero hours contracts, the non-payment of Employment Tribunal awards, and workers being paid less than the National Minimum Wage.

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  11. Rob Gowans
    Publication date:
    September 2014

    CAS responded to the Low Pay Commission's consultation on what future rates of the National Minimum Wage (NMW) should be set at. Based on bureau evidence showing that workers earning the National Minimum Wage are increasingly struggling to afford essentials, CAS recommends the purpose of the NMW should increasingly focus on tackling low pay and in-work poverty, together with a proactive approach to targeting employers who do not pay their staff the National Minimum Wage.

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  12. Rob Gowans
    Publication date:
    July 2014

    This briefing focusses on a concerning aspect of the rise of the zero hours contract – the insecurity of working hours and income caused by workers being guaranteed no set amount of work, or even any hours at all in any given week. The human impact of the insecurity of income can be seen through the stories of CAB clients who have been forced to borrow from payday lenders and even resort to food banks because of significant variances in their pay from week to week. In this situation, budgeting can be impossible and the safety net of the benefits system inaccessible because of the unpredictable nature of their working hours.  We make a number of recommendations including a call for workers on a zero hours contract to be given a statutory ‘right to request’ a contract that guarantees hours, without fear of dismissal.

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  13. Working at the Edge
    Rob Gowans
    Publication date:
    March 2014

    National statistics show that more than half of the people living in relative poverty in the UK live in a household where at least one person works.

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  14. Response from Citizens Advice Scotland
    Rob Gowans
    Publication date:
    March 2014

    Clients facing problems with zero hours employment contracts have been increasingly reported by CAB. Based on their evidence, CAS responded to the Department of Business, Innovation and Skills' consultation on the issue.

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  15. CAS response
    Rhiannon Sims
    Publication date:
    October 2013

    Citizens Advice Scotland has reponded to the Scottish Affairs Committte's request for written evidence on how zero hours contracts affect people in Scotland.

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  16. Digital exclusion amongst Scotland's CAB clients
    Sarah Beattie-Smith
    Publication date:
    May 2013

    In November 2012, the UK Government launched its Government Digital Strategy .  This paper sets out how the Government will transform the way it delivers services to citizens, including moving services online – a change in ethos to “digital by default”. The strategy includes an expectation that 80% of benefits applications will be completed online by 2017 .  This new strategy comes at the same time as the Government’s changes to the welfare system which, coupled with at least £18 billion of cuts to the UK welfare budget, will cause significant upheaval for citizens currently in receipt of benefits.

  17. Consultation response
    Beth Reid
    Publication date:
    March 2013

    The Department for Work and Pensions is asking for ideas about how they can make jobsearch requirements work for in-work benefit claimants.  Read CAS' response here.

  18. Lauren Wood
    Publication date:
    February 2013

    The Economy, Energy and Tourism Committee launched an enquiry into the issue of underemployment which CAS and Norma Philpott (Chief Executive of CARF) were invited to provide oral evidence to on the 23rd January.  This written evidence followed the oral session, reinforcing the arguments made on the day.

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  19. Sarah Mitchell, Social Policy Volunteer, Perth CAB
    Publication date:
    September 2012

    This report is the concluding publication of Perth CAB's campaign which sought to research the issues young people face in the workplace, and find out how much they felt they knew about their employment rights.

  20. Keith Dryburgh
    Publication date:
    August 2012

     CAS' response to the Scottish Parliament in relation to the draft Scottish Budget 2013-14.

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