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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 2015Scotland’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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CAS written evidence to the Scottish Parliament Devolution (Further Powers) CommitteePublication date:August 2015Whilst 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.
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Publication date:August 2015In 2013, Citizens Advice Scotland conducted a survey with Scottish Citizens Advice Bureau clients who sought advice on a benefits issue, to explore their access, ability and desire to use the internet. This report, Internet Access in Glasgow's Deprived Areas is an analysis of the responses from the original 2013 survey from CAB clients in Glasgow.
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Publication date:August 2015
The Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) is conducting an inquiry into the energy industry. The CMA published its provisional findings and a set of provisional remedies in July 2015.
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The Citizens Advice Service responds to the European Commission consultation on cross-border parcel deliveryPublication date:July 2015
The Citizens Advice Service welcomes the opportunity to respond to the European Commission consultation on cross-border parcel delivery. A competitive cross-border delivery market has the potential to benefit consumers through greater choice. In our response we highlight that this market is still young, and as such any regulatory intervention runs the risk of disrupting the natural development of the market, which may develop the solutions to issues faced by consumers. We contend that introducing price caps at this stage would be premature and difficult to implement.
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CAS Consultation ResponsePublication date:July 2015CAS responds to the Scottish Governments consultation on reservoir regulations.
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Publication date:July 2015This Consumer Futures Unit guide aims to help you save money on your heating and electricity bills and keep your home warm. It is aimed at people who live in or own traditional stone tenement flats in Scotland.
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Publication date:July 2015
Citizens Advice Scotland (CAS) is seeking tenders from potential research suppliers to undertake research into the poverty premium and the consumer behaviour of low-income households in Scotland.
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A summary of Scottish CAB service evidence 2014/15Publication date:July 2015Ofgem asked Citizens Advice Scotland to provide them with an analysis of problems off-grid consumers experience in heating their homes. This paper provides a brief summary of some of the key issues brought to Scottish Citizens Advice bureaux by consumers of non-gas heating fuels.
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CAS BriefingPublication date:July 2015This briefing focuses on the devolution of reserved Tribunals. Citizens Advice Scotland considers that clause 33 does not reflect the recommendation made by the Smith Commission that all powers over the management and operation of all reserved tribunals (which includes administrative, legislative and judicial functions) will be devolved to the Scottish Parliament.
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Publication date:June 2015
This Briefing was sent to Scottish MPs ahead of the debate on Clause 33 of the Scotland Bill which deals with the devolution of tribunals including the Employment Tribunal and Welfare tribunals.
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Publication date:June 2015
This briefing was sent to Scottish MPs ahead of a discussion around the welfare provisions in the Scotland Bill.
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Burial and cremation charges in Scotland 2015Publication date:June 2015Costs for burials and cremations have increased in Scotland in 2015 while more people seek advice from their local CAB than ever before about paying for funerals.
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CAS response to Commission on Local Tax ReformPublication date:June 2015
What's the future of local taxation in Scotland? In this consultation response, CAS uses evidence from Scotland’s citizens advice bureaux to show the aspects of local taxation that need to be improved in any new proposed system.
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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.