Publications

This research report, part of our ‘Paying the Poverty Premium’ series, was designed to investigate Scottish CAB clients’ experiences of the “poverty premium”.

In 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.

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.

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.

CAS respond to the Scottish Governments second consultation on a new tenancy for the private rented sector.

Citizens Advice Scotland (CAS) is the statutory consumer representative in Scotland. Our service delivers advice and advocacy for consumers on issues from energy to banking and from housing rights to payday loans as well as providing holistic advice and support for hundreds of thousands of people on issues from benefits to immigration.

The Citizens Advice service is one which is well recognised by the Scottish public.  A survey of CAB clients and members of the public found that 98% felt they could trust the confidential service we provide, with 97% praising the service for helping people get fair treatment. A recent report produced by the Fraser of Allander institute found that the Scottish CAB service contributed a total benefit to the common good in Scotland of nearly £170 million.

The Command Paper states that “consumer advocacy and advice” will be devolved to the Scottish Parliament as part of the further devolution of powers and details the specific statutory powers, duties and functions that will transfer to Scotland.

Citizens Advice Scotland looks forward to working with both parliaments and governments to determine how best to deliver new powers. We are of the view that CAS is and should remain at the heart of the consumer landscape and that we have a key role to play in delivering an excellent advice and advocacy service for consumers.

CAS reports to the Department of Business Innovation and Skills on work undertaken and funded by the UK Government or through a levy on industry. Reports on our work in relation to the regulated markets of energy and post are laid before the UK Parliament. In addition, we report to the Scottish Government on our work on behalf of water consumers in Scotland. This reporting is laid before the Scottish Parliament. We would expect to report to any future funder and/or accountable body in a similar way.

Advice regarding funerals has risen in recent years, as our recent Real Deal publication on the subject highlighted, and the CAB service now helps with just over one issue a day in Scotland regarding funerals.