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This report outlines recommendations for improvements that could be made to the current system of Funeral Payments, which will be devolved to the Scottish Parliament.

The process of devolving social security powers to Scotland includes control over employment programmes and Discretionary Housing Payments. This report sets out a summary of CAB evidence in these areas, and makes recommendations for how the Scottish Government should use the powers when they are devolved.

To inform the development of a distinct Scottish approach to disability and carers’ benefits, Citizens Advice Scotland gathered views from bureau advisers and clients across Scotland on how they would want the new powers to be used when they are devolved to the Scottish Parliament. This report outlines CAS's research findings and a number of recommendations for how the Scottish Government should use its new powers.

CAS agrees in principle that the Scottish Government should prescribe decapitalisation rates for the valuation of properties where the contractor’s basis is used. However, we also consider that the proposals within the Consultation could provide a level  of protection for property owners against  any escalating or fluctuating charging which could result from the introduction of an alternative method of valuation.

From April 2016, the Scottish Public Services Ombudsman will take over responsibility for further review of decisions by local authorities in relation to the Scottish Welfare Fund (SWF). The SPSO has recently been consulting on a Draft Statement of Practice setting out the approach it intends to take in relation to reviews.

The Citizens Advice Service (Citizens Advice & Citizens Advice Scotland) joint response to Ofgem's consultation on smart prepayment for a smarter market. 

Citizens Advice Scotland (CAS) is seeking tenders from potential research suppliers to undertake a review of energy efficiency and fuel poverty programmes in Scotland.

In 2014 Consumer Futures commissioned Verco and Cambridge Econometrics to assess the social, environmental and macroeconomic impact of investing carbon tax revenues in energy efficiency programmes for fuel poor households in Scotland. It follows on from a similar UK-wide study commissioned by Consumer Futures in 2012 that demonstrated that investing money raised through carbon taxes into household energy efficiency creates more jobs and growth than other kinds of major government investment or tax cuts, in addition to delivering environmental and social benefits. The 2014 report that can be downloaded below focuses specifically on assessing and quantifying these benefits within the Scottish context.

Citizens Advice Scotland is extremely concerned that a number of the proposals contained in the Welfare Reform and Work Bill would have a detrimental impact on CAB clients in Scotland who have already been negatively affected by changes to the social security system in the last Parliament. These negative consequences include a rise in rent arrears; pressure on homeless services; and an increase in the number of people who are unable to make ends meet, who accrue priority debt or who require a referral to a food bank.