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Publications

  1. Working for a Fairer Scotland
    Publication date:
    March 2016

    Overall, 2014/15 has been another impressive year for CAS. We have faced many challenges, but have responded by being more active, delivering more funding and infrastructure support to bureaux and raising our campaigning and media profile. Together with our member bureaux, we believe we make the vital difference as the last line of support for many thousands of people across Scotland in these immensely difficult times.

    In 2014/15 the Citizens advice Service helped over 323,000 clients living in Scotland.

    Clients gained over £124 million with support from the service.

    After taking on the Consumer Futures team in April 2014 CAS has now strengthened its voice in supporting and assisting consumers across Scotland.

  2. CAS response
    Rhiannon Sims
    Publication date:
    March 2016

    CAS has responded to the Social Security Advisory Committee's consultation on Decision Making and Mandatory Reconsideration. 

  3. Consumer issues with subscription traps
    Nick MacAndrews and Daniel VandenBurg (Citizens Advice) with Fraser Sutherland (Citizens Advice Scotland)
    Publication date:
    March 2016

    Online shopping in the UK is on the rise and with this comes a different set of consumer problems. One such problem is subscription traps. These are situations where a consumer is tricked into agreeing to a subscription through the advertising of a “free trial” or reduced price offer. If the consumer doesn’t cancel the trial within a set amount of time they automatically get transferred onto a costly subscription payment plan.

    Spotlight:
  4. Social Security Advisory Committee consultation
    Rob Gowans
    Publication date:
    February 2016

    Citizens Advice Scotland responded to a consultation on the UK Government's proposed changes to the length of time a person can be absent from Great Britain without losing entitlement to Housing Benefit and Pension Credit.

  5. Kate Morrison
    Publication date:
    February 2016

    Citizens Advice Scotland respond to DECCs review of the Hydro Benefit Replacement Scheme and Common Tariff Obligation 

  6. Commons consideration of Lords amendments
    Rob Gowans
    Publication date:
    February 2016

     Citizens Advice Scotland is extremely concerned regarding the proposals to reduce the value of the Work Related Activity (WRAG) component of Employment and Support Allowance (ESA). The principle underlying the WRAG is to take people who, while unable to work at present, could do so in the future, and provide them with financial support, advice and training to return to the workforce. The changes proposed in the Bill run counter to this principle and risk serious detriment to the often vulnerable claimants in this group.

  7. A review for Scottish Government
    John Birrell & Fraser Sutherland
    Publication date:
    February 2016

    This report gives wide reaching recommendations on how to tackle funeral poverty in Scotland.

  8. Gael Scott
    Publication date:
    February 2016

    CAS has recently responded to a consultation by the Department of Work and Pensions (DWP) on aids and appliances and the daily living component of Personal Independence Payment (PIP).

  9. MCCP 190, 191, 193
    Gail Walker
    Publication date:
    January 2016

    CAS response on notification of the latest change proposals to the Market and Operational Code:

    MCCP190 - Performance Standard Amendments

    MCCP191 – Vacancy Definition

    MCCP193 - Change to the Gap Site Letter Process

    Spotlight:
  10. Second Reading
    Gael Scott
    Publication date:
    January 2016

    The Benefit Sanctions Regime (Entitlement to Hardship Payments) Bill is a Private Members' Bill introduced by Tasmina Ahmed-Sheikh MP. It would ensure that hardship payments are available to claimants who have had their benefit sanctioned from day one of a sanction period, and that such payments would be made automatically.

  11. Response to UK Parliament Work and Pensions Committee Inquiry
    Rob Gowans
    Publication date:
    January 2016

    In-work progression support provided should be appropriate to an individual claimant’s circumstances. Support should aim to help claimants find a job that is better suited to their skills, experience, ambitions and individual requirements. It should not merely consist of setting targets to apply for a particular number of jobs each week, without regard to suitability or quality. If mandatory requirements are set, caution should be taken that they are reasonable and appropriate.

  12. Ensuring the water and sewerage non-household retail market works well for customers
    R. McGeachy
    Publication date:
    December 2015

    CAS supports the Commission’s view that the time is right to undertake a review of the regulatory framework of the non-domestic water and sewerage market in Scotland.

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  13. CAS Consultation Response
    Gail Walker
    Publication date:
    December 2015

    CAS is concerned that the increase in the number of complaints about public sector services received by SPSO, coupled with limited resources available to SPSO to respond to these complaints could detrimentally impact consumers receiving adequate and timely access to redress.

    CAS would support a move by the Scottish Government to review the issues SPSO has raised within its Draft Strategic Workplan to identify ways of protecting the quality of administrative justice available to the general public and allowing SPSO to continue to drive complaints handling best practice and ownership of improving services within public bodies.

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  14. Research into the extent of community involvement in flood prevention schemes
    Gail Walker
    Publication date:
    December 2015

    Invitation to Tender

     Citizens Advice Scotland invites you to tender for research into Flooding and Capital Investment: the extent of community involvement in flood prevention schemes.

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  15. Gael Scott
    Publication date:
    December 2015

    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.

  16. Rob Gowans
    Publication date:
    December 2015

    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.

  17. Fraser Sutherland
    Publication date:
    December 2015

    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.

  18. Rob Gowans
    Publication date:
    December 2015

    Powers over certain elements of Universal Credit will be devolved to Scotland. This report sets the findings of a survey of CAB clients on how they currently budget and would prefer to receive payments, and makes recommendations for how the new devolved powers could be used.

  19. Fraser Stewart
    Publication date:
    December 2015

    The Scotland Bill intends to give the Scottish Parliament legislative competence over provision of financial assistance for the type of payments currently provided by the Regulated Social Fund. This will include provision to make provision for the Cold Weather Payment (CWP) and Winter Fuel Payment (WFP), including conditions of entitlement or to replace these benefits entirely. This report sets out CAB evidence and recommendations for how the new powers should be used.

  20. CAS Research Team
    Publication date:
    December 2015

    Advice in Scotland 2014/15 is Citizens Advice Scotland’s state of the nation report on the problems that people are experiencing across the country. 

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