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Publications

  1. Ruth Mendel
    Publication date:
    September 2020

    Citizens Advice Scotland has responded to the consultation on proposed guidance for firms on the fair treatment of vulnerable consumers. We are pleased to see the continued commitment by the FCA to protecting vulnerable consumers.

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  2. Creating a framework for robust consumer protection in the energy efficiency and renewable retrofit sector
    Publication date:
    September 2020
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  3. Response to Scottish Parliament Social Security Committee inquiry
    Rob Gowans
    Publication date:
    September 2020

    Citizens Advice Scotland (CAS) welcomes the opportunity to comment on the draft regulations. CAS warmly welcomes the introduction of the Scottish Child Payment (SCP), which is an excellent example of imaginative use of Scotland’s devolved social security powers to provide much-needed support to Scotland’s citizens. Scotland’s CAB network regularly advises clients who have required crisis support from the Scottish Welfare Fund or food banks due to their social security entitlements not being adequate to pay for essential costs. The Scottish Child Payment promises to be an effective tool for reducing child poverty in Scotland.

  4. Stage 2 consideration briefing
    Rob Gowans
    Publication date:
    September 2020

    Citizens Advice Scotland (CAS) welcomes the Bill, which provides an opportunity to make minor amendments to address issues which have been identified since the passage of the Social Security (Scotland) Act 2018, including making provision for the introduction of the Scottish Child Payment. CAS welcomes the amendments brought at Stage 2, which cover a number of further areas which CAS and others identified in evidence at Stage 1.

  5. Tracey Reilly
    Publication date:
    September 2020

    Citizens Advice Scotland (CAS) has responded to the Equalities and Human Rights Committee’s inquiry into the impacts of COVID-19.

  6. Open Government Partnership: Report on work by CAS
    Publication date:
    August 2020

    Earlier this year CAS undertook to research how accountable public services in Scotland are. This report presents the findings of that work. 

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  7. Publication date:
    August 2020

    Impact report on 10 years of the Armed Services Advice Project (ASAP).

  8. Scottish Campaign on Rights to Social Security Report
    Publication date:
    August 2020

    A fundamental review of disability assistance in Scotland must be initiated by the Scottish Government during the next parliament, according to a coalition of organisations campaigning for a long-term improvements to social security for disabled people. 

    Following the devolution of powers over disability and ill-health benefits to the Scottish Government, the Scottish Campaign on Rights to Social Security, has launched its long-term vision for disability assistance in Scotland. 

  9. Michael O'Brien
    Publication date:
    August 2020

    Scotland has redefined fuel poverty and set targets towards its eradication by 2040. The Warm Home Discount scheme exists, by definition, to support fuel poor households and fuel poverty risk groups. This report examines the effectiveness of Warm Home Discount in the context of the new fuel poverty definition in Scotland.

    'Mind the Fuel Poverty Gap' sets the policy context around the key issues, provides insight into research conducted by Changeworks for CAS, and makes a series of recommendations. 

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  10. Publication date:
    July 2020

    The survey was commissioned by CAS and carried out and designed by Mark Diffley Consultancy and Research Ltd.

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  11. Emily Rice
    Publication date:
    July 2020

    Scotland has set some of the most determined climate goals in the world, and home energy efficiency has a large role to play in Scotland’s transition to a low or no carbon society.

    The Scottish Government has set ambitious goals for Scotland’s housing stock, which will be measured by a home’s energy efficiency rating as described in an energy performance certificate (EPC). However, consumer knowledge of EPCs is low, and even though they contain recommendations on how to make a home more energy efficient, they seem to be a poor motivational tool.

    CAS commissioned Changeworks to gather feedback about how EPCs are viewed, understood, and interacted with by consumers, and how they could be improved to be better understood and more motivational.

    Through a combination of ISM workshops and online testing, research found that:

    • Many people view energy efficiency as a luxury for those who can afford it

    • Barriers to home energy efficiency improvements are essentially cost and hassle

    • EPCs are not considered useful, and most homeowners just put them in a drawer

    • People who consider themselves highly environmentally conscious are no more likely to know their home energy efficiency rating or be familiar with an EPC than someone who is disengaged with environmental issues (value-intention gap)

    • People are mainly motivated by cost, but social desirability plays a large role as well. People may be more motivated by the cost of not acting than potential fuel bill savings, especially if this is linked to Scotland’s carbon targets or the climate emergency

    • A 1-2-3 style EPC, designed like a home report, may be easier for consumers to understand and engage with

    • Consumers value simplicity and colour, but for many the preferred style and layout was subjective. Energy efficiency advice accompanying an EPC is crucial to ensure consumers understand the document and are able to make the choices most suitable to their property

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  12. Michael O'Brien and Aoife Deery
    Publication date:
    July 2020

    CAS welcomes the opportunity to respond to the Just Transition Commission call for evidence. Meeting Scotland’s climate change targets will require significant buy-in from citizens to move away from high-carbon forms of heating and water/sewerage service provision. CAS is calling for the least resilient households to be protected in this transition, such as those in vulnerable circumstances, or those excluded by the cost of low-carbon technologies.

  13. Treasury Select Committee inquiry
    Rob Gowans
    Publication date:
    June 2020

    Citizens Advice Scotland (CAS) welcomed the creation of the Coronavirus Job Retention Scheme (CJRS) and Self-employment Income Support Scheme (SEISS): timely responses which protected incomes and prevented many jobs being lost. There are some gaps in the schemes, together with some misuse or non-use of the CJRS by employers, which have caused detriment to workers.

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  14. Publication date:
    June 2020

    Citizens Advice Scotland gathers information from Citizens Advice Bureaux and our online advice website.

  15. Claire Williams
    Publication date:
    June 2020

    Citizens Advice Scotland delivers free, independent, confidential advice and support for patients of the NHS in Scotland through the Patient Advice and Support Service (PASS). 

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  16. Publication date:
    June 2020

    This submission addresses issues of low pay and employment practices.

  17. Scottish Commission on Social Security consultation
    Rob Gowans and Alastair Wilcox
    Publication date:
    June 2020

    Citizens Advice Scotland welcomes the moves to extend Winter Heating Assistance in the challenging context of COVID19 which has resulted in delays to wider measures on disability assistance.  We recommend the draft regulations are amended to better meet the policy intention and add clarity in a number of areas.

  18. Greg Thomas
    Publication date:
    June 2020

    This insight report presents the results of research undertaken by Social Market Research during January-March 2020 on the accessibility of the Post Office network and internet and telecoms market for older and disabled people in Scotland, with analysis and recommendations based on the research findings.

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  19. Publication date:
    June 2020

    Technical details:
    • The survey was designed by Mark Diffley Consultancy and Research Ltd
    • Results are based on a survey of 1,050 respondents conducted using the ScotPulse online panel.
    • Wave 1 fieldwork was conducted between 24th and 27th March 2020 and received 1040 responses,
    • Wave 2 fieldwork was conducted between 9th and 12th April 2020 and received 1048 responses,
    • Wave 3 fieldwork was conducted between 7th and 18th May 2020 and received 997 responses,
    • Results are weighted to the Scottish population by gender and age.

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  20. Aoife Deery
    Publication date:
    June 2020

    Citizens Advice Scotland welcomes the opportunity to respond to this consultation. Above all, we want to ensure that a market framework improves outcomes for heat network consumers. We have been calling for heat network consumers to have access to the same rights and services afforded to customers of the regulated energy market for several years.

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