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Publication date:November 2015
This report highlights the positive impact that the advice service is making on members of the Armed Forces community in Scotland while also identifying areas of difficulty, including income, employment and housing.
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Report Stage and Third ReadingPublication date:October 2015
CAS is extremely concerned that the proposals in the Bill would have a detrimental impact on CAB clients who have already been negatively affected by changes to the social security system in the last Parliament. These negative consequences include a rise in rent arrears; pressure on homeless services; and an increase in the number of people who are unable to make ends meet, who accrue priority debt or who require a referral to a food bank.
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Issues brought to the service in 2013/14Publication date:October 2015
The Energy Advice in Detail publication provides an annual analysis of the energy issues on which consumers in Scotland seek advice. The Citizens Advice Service in Scotland advised on a total of 21,101 energy issues in 2013/14, an increase of almost 50 per cent from the previous year. Of this figure, clients took 18,330 energy issues to their local CAB and contacted the Citizens Advice Consumer Service (CACS or “the helpline”) with a total of 2,771 energy issues.
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Issues brought to the service in 2014/15Publication date:October 2015
The Energy Advice in Detail publication provides an annual analysis of the energy issues on which consumers in Scotland seek advice. The Citizens Advice Service in Scotland advised on a total of 28,000 energy issues in 2014/15, an increase of a third from the previous year. Of this figure, clients took 22,051 energy issues to their local CAB, contacted the Citizens Advice Consumer Service (CACS or “the helpline”) with a total of 4,799 energy issues and the Extra Help Unit provided specialist help and advice to 1,150 vulnerable consumers.
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Overview of the issues raised in the Advice in Detail: Energy publications from 2013/14 and 2014/15Publication date:October 2015
The Citizens Advice Service in Scotland has grown to meet a rising consumer demand for energy advice. Since 2011, our energy advice provision has increased by 130%. In 2014/15 alone we provided advice and support on 28,000 energy issues experienced by consumers throughout Scotland.
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Energy advice statistics and key policy issues brought to the Citizens Advice Service in ScotlandPublication date:October 2015
A look at the growing number of energy issues brought to the service and some of the key energy policy issues reported by consumers.
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Response to Ofgem proposals - October 2015Publication date:October 2015
The Citizens Advice Service (Citizens Advice & Citizens Advice Scotland) joint response to Ofgem's consultation on smart prepayment for a smarter market.
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House of Commons Public Bill CommitteePublication date:October 2015
Citizens Advice Scotland recommends that the Bill is amended to remove Sections 7 to 15 (Welfare benefits) and Sections 16 to 18 (Loans for mortgage interest). We are extremely concerned that the proposals would have a detrimental impact on CAB clients who have already been negatively affected by changes to the social security system in the last Parliament. These negative consequences include a rise in rent arrears; pressure on homeless services; and an increase in the number of people who are unable to make ends meet, who accrue priority debt or who require a referral to a food bank.
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Publication date:October 2015
Citizens Advice Scotland has published a report providing insights into the impact that water and sewerage debt has on the lives of vulnerable consumers.
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CAB Clients Profile Report: Issue 1Publication date:October 2015
In November 2014 the first, annual drive to collect profile information on all clients approaching bureaux for advice was undertaken. This first publication in our ‘Who Are You?’ series provides a snapshot of individuals in Scotland supported by CAB during that period.
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Barriers Facing Scotland's Rural ConsumersPublication date:September 2015
This report looks at the advice given by the Citizens Advice Service in Scotland by geography and looks to highlight particular consumer markets where people in rural areas are more likely to face issues than those in urban Scotland.
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Progress on parcel deliveries in Scotland 2012-2015Publication date:September 2015
The latest in a series of reports into problems faced by consumers in Scotland when shopping online, this reports charts the progress of delivery charges from 2012-2015.
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CAS responsePublication date:September 2015
Citizen Advice Scotland's response to the Scottish Government’s consultation on the Private and Public Water Supplies (Miscellaneous Amendments)(Scotland) Regulations 2015.
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CAS ResponsePublication date:September 2015
Poor administration of benefits can leave some of the most vulnerable people in society without any money to live on for weeks at a time. CAS has extensive case evidence which suggests that a gap in benefits has a detrimental effect on both physical and mental health, and can lead to crisis situations such as homelessness and unmanageable debt. The Scottish CAB Service has seen a dramatic rise in the number of clients in crisis having to access charitable support such as food banks.
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CAS consultation responsePublication date:September 2015
CAS have responded to a Scottish Affairs Committee consultation on what their work should be during this parliament.
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CAS consultation responsePublication date:September 2015
CAS has responded to the Scottish Parliament Welfare Reform Committee consultation on the future delivery of social security in Scotland.
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Publication date:August 2015
CAS has recently submitted a response to the Scottish Government's latest consultation on arrangements for the permanent Scottish Welfare Fund (SWF). This response is based on evidence from bureaux on how the interim SWF has been working for clients so far.
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Publication date:August 2015
This research report, part of our ‘Paying the Poverty Premium’ series, was designed to investigate Scottish CAB clients’ experiences of the “poverty premium”.
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CAS submission to the Scottish Parliament Economy, Energy and Tourism CommitteePublication 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.
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Response from CASPublication date:August 2015
CAS responds to the Department of Buisness, Innovation and Skills consultation on the Government's steer to the Competition and Markets Authority.
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Stressed About Debt? High costs of energy, food and fuel mean that many people are finding it impossible to keep up, worrying about debt or falling behind on bills. The Citizens Advice network in Scotland is here for you, with free, confidential and impartial advice in a variety of ways.