Publications

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.

This 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.

Ofgem 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.

This briefing was sent to Scottish MPs ahead of a discussion around the welfare provisions in the Scotland Bill.  

Costs 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.

The civil court process can be daunting: the language, complex forms and buildings themselves are alien to most people. Lay representatives can make the process of pursuing or defending civil rights accessible through providing advice, support and practical help. 

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.  

The independent research company Rocket Science UK Ltd and the environmental charity Changeworks were commissioned by Citizens Advice Scotland (CAS) to carry out focus group research with owner-occupiers and private renting tenants in Scotland to explore:

• their attitudes and awareness of energy efficiency measures;
• the potential barriers they might face to taking action on energy efficiency measures; and
• how they would likely respond to any future regulation of energy efficiency in the private sector. 

This research findings report provides the results from four focus groups held in October 2014: two were held in the City of Edinburgh and two were held in Jedburgh in the Scottish Borders. In each location one focus group was with owner occupiers and one focus group was with tenants who rent their property.

The Citizens Advice Service (Citizens Advice – England & Wales and Citizens Advice Scotland) commissioned the Centre for Sustainable Energy to conduct research on the energy tariff options for consumers in vulnerable situations. The project aimed to provide researchers, policy makers and energy market stakeholders with a better understanding of the range of options available to ensure that vulnerable consumers, disengaged from the energy market, are not penalised by higher tariffs.