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Publications

  1. Hyo Eun Shin - Strong Communities Team
    Publication date:
    March 2024

    CAS responded to the above consultation by the Ministry of Justice.

     

  2. CAS Strong Communities team
    Publication date:
    April 2023

    On 14 March 2023, Citizens Advice Scotland's Strong Communities Team gave evidence to the Scottish Parliament Equality Human Rights and Civil Justice Committee's session on Access to Justice. This supporting evidence was submitted in writing afterwards.

  3. Sarah-Jayne Dunn
    Publication date:
    November 2022

    Citizens Advice Scotland is launching the Mental Health and Money Good Practice Creditor Guidance.  We've prepared this Briefing Note to support the launch.

    We are actively encouraging creditors, both public and private to adopt our Principles. These set out the minimum standards someone experiencing mental health and debt can expect from their creditor when seeking support. Our guidance provides practical examples to firms and public bodies on how to achieve these minimum standards.

    Debt is often the cause and consequence of poor mental health and wellbeing. This intrinsic link between debt and mental health is well known with it estimated that 1 in 2 people in problem debt also have a mental health issue.

    Managing these issues can prove extremely difficult and people can often find themselves in vicious cycles where money problems impact upon their mental health and poor mental health worsens their financial situation.

    Our Citizens Advice Network routinely supports people in these situations and with the rising cost of living crisis now being felt by our debt clients and beyond, we have seen countless examples of people with mental health and money issues reaching out to creditors seeking support, only to find barriers in their way such as inaccessible processes, online only options and a lack of understanding around their mental health.

    These instances highlight the vast amount of missed opportunities to disrupt that vicious cycle. We believe that creditors, both private firms and public services can do more in breaking this link.

    To do this effectively, it is crucial that creditors have the tools to support people struggling with mental health issues. Our Good Practice Guidance seeks to do just that by providing tangible steps that creditors can take to make them more accessible for those dealing with mental health and money problems.

    By adopting our Principles, creditors can break this vicious cycle and care for their customers at a time when support for people’s mental health and money is needed now more than ever.

  4. Tracey Reilly
    Publication date:
    September 2020

    Citizens Advice Scotland (CAS) has responded to the Equalities and Human Rights Committee’s inquiry into the impacts of COVID-19.

  5. Scottish Government consultation
    Rob Gowans
    Publication date:
    September 2017

    Citizens Advice Scotland welcomes the opportunity to respond to the consultation, which builds on the previous consultation on the same subject carried out in 2009. Scotland’s CAB network has expertise in addressing socio-economic inequalities through the provision of independent advice, including income maximisation, benefits and money advice to groups who would be considered a priority in considering how the Socio-Economic Duty might be applied.

  6. Keith Dryburgh
    Publication date:
    April 2014

    Our series of briefings ‘Voices from the Frontline’ show the reality of the impact of current welfare changes on the people of Scotland. We highlight the experiences of the thousands of clients advised by CAB in Scotland and make recommendations for change.

  7. Keith Dryburgh
    Publication date:
    November 2013

    In April 2013, an estimated 82,000 households in Scotland were affected by the under occupancy penalty for social housing – often referred to as the ‘bedroom tax’. These households have experienced an average reduction in housing support of around £11 per week, a loss of £53 million annually across Scotland. In the six months after the change, over 1,600 affected people sought advice on the ‘bedroom tax’ at a CAB in Scotland, and we are starting to get a picture of the social impact of the policy.

  8. the impact of the IB/ESA migration on Scotland's people, communites, and services
    Keith Dryburgh
    Publication date:
    February 2012

    A report into the effect of the migration from Incapacity Benefit to Employment Support Allowance on Scotland's claimants

  9. Publication date:
    October 2009

    Briefing which provides a summary of issues encounterd by clients applying for and/or claiming ESA.

  10. Publication date:
    June 2009

    Drowning in Debt briefing sheet which focuses on clients with ill health or disabilities.

  11. Publication date:
    October 2008

    Briefing sheet which outlines the key findings of the Continental Drift report on A8 migrant workers and their advice needs. 

  12. Understanding advice and information needs for A8 migrant workers in Scotland
    Helen Crowley
    Publication date:
    October 2008

    Evidence report looking at the advice and information needs of clients from A8 countries. A8 countries are Czech Republic, Estonia, Hungary, Latvia, Lithuania, Poland, Slovakia and Slovenia.

    The research findings are intended to help Citizens Advice Scotland (CAS) better understand the interface between this new client group and the capacity and ability of bureaux to deal with their needs. The research will contribute to the evidence base on new migrants in Scotland and inform CAS’s policy recommendations.

  13. Clare Lardner, Clarity
    Publication date:
    June 2006

    A report looking at the experiences of CAB clients who are claiming disability living allowance or incapacity benefit.

  14. Publication date:
    May 2006

    Briefing paper on the experiences of CAB clients who are migrant workers in Scotland.