Public

Our 8th edition in the 'Who Are You?' series describes those coming to citizens advice bureaux in Scotland for advice during November 2019. 

The universal broadband service is intended to give everyone the right to request a decent and affordable broadband connection, subject to certain eligibility criteria. CAS was pleased to see Ofcom investigate this issue and welcomes commitments from the Universal Service Provider, to change its approach for quotes, to refund affected customers and re-issue quotes it has previously provided. We note from the Connected Nations report that around 3-4% of Scottish properties are currently unable to receive a decent broadband connection and may therefore be eligible for a USO connection and this move will make it easier for those households to gain access to decent and affordable broadband. It will also make it easier for communities in affected areas to work together to share costs of connections where costs would make connections unaffordable for individuals. The submission below confirms our support for these measures. 

The day-to-day activities of citizens are becoming increasingly dependent on their ability to use telecommunications services, such as mobile phones, broadband or landlines. The COVID-19 pandemic has highlighted the essential nature of online connectivity and access to internet data, with many people relying on internet access for working from home, staying informed or interacting with welfare services.

Executive Summary

CAS generally supports the measures proposed by Ofcom. In summary:

• The voluntary measures to support consumers introduced by providers during the outset of the COVID-19 pandemic were welcomed by CAS, as an effective response that has assisted in reducing consumer detriment over the past year.
• With consumers facing potential economic uncertainty as furlough and support schemes taper and Universal Credit uplifts look likely to be reversed, we believe it is timely to reconsider whether the protections for people in debt or struggling to pay remain appropriate, or whether there is a case for strengthening them.
• CAS supports measures which allow consumers in debt or at risk of disconnection to be treated fairly and have every opportunity to resolve these issues before disconnection takes place or service restrictions are imposed.
• CAS welcomes proposals to improve how providers identify and communicate with vulnerable consumers.
• CAS agrees that there should be more consistency in the ways providers communicate regarding debt and the ways they seek to obtain payment from customers in debt.
• CAS would wish to see the Consumer Principles embedded within the development of future measures, guidance, and regulations.
• CAS remains concerned regarding affordability issues and would welcome an early engagement approach by providers which aims to prevent a build up of debt
• We believe that further work is required to encourage providers to not only provide but to actively encourage take up of social tariffs for consumers who may be at risk of falling into debt.

Citizens Advice Scotland has responded to the call for evidence from the Scottish Parliament's Criminal Justice committee on the reform of Legal Aid. 

Scotland’s Citizens Advice Network is an essential community service that empowers people through our local bureaux and national services by providing free, confidential, and independent advice. We use people’s real-life experiences to influence policy and drive positive change. We are on the side of people in Scotland who need help, and we change lives for the better.

Citizens Advice Scotland are pleased to respond to the department of Business, Energy, and Industrial Strategy's consultation on Reforming Competition and Consumer Policy. CAS plays a significant role in the provision of consumer advice and advocacy in Scotland, and we recognise the significance of the proposed reforms for consumers. We welcome the UK Government’s focus on Consumer and Competition policy and the role it can play in promoting long-term economic development and consumer protection during the post pandemic recovery. 

Executive Summary

CAS welcomes the opportunity to respond to this consultation. We also welcome many of the proposed reforms, however it is essential that reform results in meaningful improvements in the consumer journey and achieves positive outcomes for consumers. We believe the consumer needs to be placed at the heart of consumer policy and would recommend that the consumer principles and the principle of “fairness by design” be used as an overarching guide to assess and inform consumer policy.

In relation to the detail of the proposed reforms CAS’s views are as follows:

• We support the granting of additional powers to the CMA but have mixed views on whether the CMA’s priorities should be informed by governmental direction.

• We wish to see a greater ability for regulators to respond to the differential impacts of competition across the devolved nations.

• We are of the view that these reforms provide an opportunity to further strengthen and enhance the function of the Consumer Protection Partnership to improve collaboration and responsiveness on consumer protection issues.

• We believe that further action is required to equip consumers with the skills and knowledge to participate in online markets safely; in this regard we support proposals to reform the use of subscription services.

• We wish to see reforms which make it easier for consumers to understand their rights and to take swifter, more effective action to enforce these rights.

• We believe there is a need for better education on consumer rights as well as a need for clearer information to be provided about Alternative Dispute Resolution (ADR) so that consumers understand what it is.

• We are of the view that the ADR landscape is overly cluttered and would support streamlining to provide for one consumer ADR provider in each sector. As a minimum, there should be a single branded entry point for people wishing to access ADR on consumer matters.

• We recommend that ADR providers should report to regulators on trends. This would close the feedback loop and help drive up standards across regulated industries by enabling regulators to take action to prevent consumer detriment.

• We would wish to see Competent Authorities play a role in setting and monitoring common standards across the sector, including in relation to how providers support vulnerable consumers.

In May 2019, The Scottish Government committed to establishing an independent Energy Consumers Commission (ECC) to enhance the voice of consumers who reside in Scotland within the energy market. The Commission was formed in July 2020 consisting of representatives with a wealth of experience in national consumer advocacy and advice bodies, academia and local groups serving energy consumers in their communities.

Eradicating fuel poverty has been a policy priority for the Scottish Government since 2016, and has been a statutory obligation since the passage of the Fuel Poverty (Targets, Definition and Strategy) (Scotland) Act in 2019. While fuel poverty has been formally defined since 2019, and a fuel poverty strategy is expected in 2021, fuel debt has not been given the same attention by researchers and policy makers.

Fuel debt is likely to become more prevalent and more unmanageable this winter as energy prices rise, and financial support such as the £20/week Universal Credit uplift and furlough end. This briefing, based on research commissioned from Changeworks, examines how fuel debt differs from fuel poverty, what key issues exist in Scotland, and the Commission’s recommendations on how to address rising levels of fuel debt.

This report provides a strategic overview of CAS’s body of evidence, bringing together policy insights, alongside evidence from the most recently commissioned research. It presents an analysis of the challenges, barriers and opportunities faced by private water supply users and communities and offers a consolidated set of recommendations, that acknowledges the commonality of findings across CAS’s evidence base.