The continuing financial benefits of advice provision to the common good

By examining five advice areas - benefits, debt, employment, housing and relationships – which accounted for 79.6% of all new issues, the report concludes how CAB advice in 2013/14 benefits Scottish society as a whole.

By stopping adverse consequences (additional problems) occurring, the near £170 million in savings and contribution to society that the CAB network make are huge. The Scottish CAB service in 2013/14 had funding of £23.8 million. Therefore the return on investment for every £1 spent on the CAB service is over £7 in benefit to Scotland.

Summary of calculations

The 2014 report, which updates a previous report from 2012, estimates that Citizens Advice Bureaux across Scotland contribute a total benefit to the common good in Scotland of £168.7 million through the following: 

• Health costs across all five advice areas equal to £32.6 million. The advice provided by the CAB reduces these costs by £22.5 million. 

• Employment issues involving CAB clients increases unemployment benefit costs by £19.9 million. The advice provided by the CAB reduces these costs by £13.4 million. 

• The loss of economic output due to employment issues is equal to £28.8 million. The advice provided by CAB reduces these costs by £19.5 million. 

• CAB interventions increased client incomes by £67.9 million in 2013/14. This additional spending created 1,343 jobs and £29.6 million worth of wage income in Scotland. 

• Total wages supported by CAS and CAB employment alongside effect of effect of wage and supplier spending amounts to £15.9 million.