Publications

The Armed Services Advice Project (ASAP) was established in 2010 to be a focal point for the Armed Forces Community (AFC) in Scotland for access to advice, information and support, while working closely with key partner organisations to ensure that clients receive the most appropriate support.

This report provides an update to the findings of the Civvy Street: The New Frontline report which was published in 2012. The report examined the advice needs of members of the Armed Forces Community, looking at whether and how they differed from those of the average citizens advice bureau client. The report found that while the advice needs of veterans did not differ considerably from those of the average client, it was the complexity and severity of these problems that marked them as different.

Two years on, this report examines whether the recent trends in advice need, such as payday loans and food parcels, have affected veterans and whether their support needs have changed.

CAS has submitted a response to the EU’s consultation on policy options to optimise water reuse in the EU. CAS’s response highlights the need to combine regulatory and non-regulatory measures in order to increase levels of water reuse across the EU, including action to raise awareness about the benefits of water reuse.

CAS responded to the Scottish Government’s consultation on the Reservoirs (Scotland) Act 2011: Registration, Charging, Risk designation and associated aspects.  CAS generally welcomed the proposals in the consultation which will help to provide communities with greater protection against the risk of flooding from reservoirs. CAS highlighted that would help to protect communities, and minimise the risks of businesses and consumers facing significant remedial and clean-up costs as a result of any damage caused by flooding from reservoirs.

Written Evidence submitted from the Citizens Advice Service (Citizens Advice and Citizens Advice Scotland) to the Business, Innovation & Skills Select Committee into Competition in the UK postal sector and the universal service obligation.

Citizens Advice Bureaux across Scotland have been inundated in the last year with complaints regarding over-zealous parking charges - they are not fines - being handed out by the private parking industry in Scotland.

This has resulted in demand at the Citizens Advice service in Scotland reaching an unprecedented level – a 50% increase in cases regarding parking this year compared to last. This is an issue that affects everyone, but we are especially worried by cases brought to us by vulnerable Scots including those who are disabled and elderly caught out by poor signage and unfair appeals processes.

CAS has responded to the EU’s consultation on EU drinking water policy. The consultation was launched in response to the European Citizens’ Initiative “Right2Water”. This is the first ever, successful participatory democracy instrument at EU level, and focuses on improving the supply of safe, good quality drinking water across the EU.

CAS welcomes the opportunity to respond to the Scottish Water (Objectives: 2015-21) Directions 2014 and Principles of Charging. As the representative body for water consumers in Scotland, CAS is strongly of the view that ‘affordability’ should remain a principle of charging to provide a commitment to work towards water and sewerage charges that are affordable for all consumers.

CAS responded to the Low Pay Commission's consultation on what future rates of the National Minimum Wage (NMW) should be set at. Based on bureau evidence showing that workers earning the National Minimum Wage are increasingly struggling to afford essentials, CAS recommends the purpose of the NMW should increasingly focus on tackling low pay and in-work poverty, together with a proactive approach to targeting employers who do not pay their staff the National Minimum Wage.

CAS responds to the CMA's consultation on whether the personal current account market should be investigated.