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Publications

  1. Citizens Advice Scotland
    Publication date:
    December 2014

    In 2013/14 CAS again rose to the unique challenges we face every year; namely those of facilitating the delivery of the best free advice service in Scotland, while at the same time using the evidence gained by Scottish CAB network to exercise a positive influence on public policy in Scotland.

    This we have done against the background of a continuing economic crisis and national changes in welfare and consumer policy that meant our service faces greater demand than ever before. Our annual report presents a brief picture of the work we have done in 2013/14.

  2. Commission on Housing & Wellbeing
    Rob Gowans, Kate Morrison, Fraser Stewart and Fraser Sutherland
    Publication date:
    November 2014

    CAS contributed evidence to the independent Commission on Housing & Wellbeing's wide-ranging consultation on how housing can promote a society in which everyone can flourish.

  3. The example of the Citizens Advice Service in Scotland
    The Fraser of Allander Institute
    Publication date:
    November 2014

    A new report from the respected Fraser of Allander Institute highlights that Citizens Advice Bureaux across Scotland contributed a total benefit to the common good in Scotland of £168.7 million in the financial year 2013/14

  4. Keith Dryburgh and Katey Tabner
    Publication date:
    November 2014

    The Armed Services Advice Project (ASAP) was established in 2010 to be a focal point for the Armed Forces Community (AFC) in Scotland for access to advice, information and support, while working closely with key partner organisations to ensure that clients receive the most appropriate support.

    This report provides an update to the findings of the Civvy Street: The New Frontline report which was published in 2012. The report examined the advice needs of members of the Armed Forces Community, looking at whether and how they differed from those of the average citizens advice bureau client. The report found that while the advice needs of veterans did not differ considerably from those of the average client, it was the complexity and severity of these problems that marked them as different.

    Two years on, this report examines whether the recent trends in advice need, such as payday loans and food parcels, have affected veterans and whether their support needs have changed.

  5. Kate Morrison
    Publication date:
    November 2014

    CAS has submitted a response to the Scottish Government's draft Community Energy Policy Statement for public consultation.

    CAS welcomes the potential benefits of community energy and recommend that the Scottish Government applies key consumer principles, which are outlined in our response, to ensure that the benefits of community energy projects are consistent and accessible.

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  6. Robert McGeachy
    Publication date:
    November 2014

    CAS has submitted a response to the EU’s consultation on policy options to optimise water reuse in the EU. CAS’s response highlights the need to combine regulatory and non-regulatory measures in order to increase levels of water reuse across the EU, including action to raise awareness about the benefits of water reuse.

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  7. Consultation on Tackling Avoidance from Department for Business, Innovation and Skills
    Rob Gowans
    Publication date:
    November 2014

    Based on evidence from bureaux, CAS has consistently raised concerns over misuse of zero hours contracts by employers. The UK Government proposes to ban exclusivity clause in zero hours contracts as part of the Small Business, Enterprise and Employment Bill, and consulted on how avoidance of the ban could be tackled.

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  8. Citizens Advice Scotland
    Publication date:
    October 2014

    Fairness, Equality, Responsiveness: Citizens Advice Scotland’s Submission to The Smith Commission was submitted in October 2014.

  9. Sarah Beattie-Smith
    Publication date:
    October 2014

    CAS responded to the Scottish Government’s consultation on the Reservoirs (Scotland) Act 2011: Registration, Charging, Risk designation and associated aspects.  CAS generally welcomed the proposals in the consultation which will help to provide communities with greater protection against the risk of flooding from reservoirs. CAS highlighted that would help to protect communities, and minimise the risks of businesses and consumers facing significant remedial and clean-up costs as a result of any damage caused by flooding from reservoirs.

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  10. Written Evidence submission
    Michelle Goddard
    Publication date:
    October 2014

    Written Evidence submitted from the Citizens Advice Service (Citizens Advice and Citizens Advice Scotland) to the Business, Innovation & Skills Select Committee into Competition in the UK postal sector and the universal service obligation.

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  11. Consultation by the Social Security Advisory Committee
    Rob Gowans
    Publication date:
    October 2014

    CAS commented on a proposal to introduce seven benefit 'waiting days' for new Universal Credit claimants. This follows a recent increase in the number of waiting days from three to seven for JSA and ESA. We drew the SSAC's attention to a number of potential issues, including possible equalities impacts, the impact on housing and rent arrears, on other benefits and on in-work claimants on zero hours contracts.

  12. Unfair Charges for Parking on Private Land: A Report by Citizens Advice Scotland
    Fraser Sutherland
    Publication date:
    October 2014

    Citizens Advice Bureaux across Scotland have been inundated in the last year with complaints regarding over-zealous parking charges - they are not fines - being handed out by the private parking industry in Scotland.

    This has resulted in demand at the Citizens Advice service in Scotland reaching an unprecedented level – a 50% increase in cases regarding parking this year compared to last. This is an issue that affects everyone, but we are especially worried by cases brought to us by vulnerable Scots including those who are disabled and elderly caught out by poor signage and unfair appeals processes.

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  13. House of Commons Public Bill Committee
    Rob Gowans
    Publication date:
    October 2014

    The Small Business, Enterprise and Employment Bill proposes changes on three specific issues of concern to CAS – the misuse of zero hours contracts, the non-payment of Employment Tribunal awards, and workers being paid less than the National Minimum Wage.

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  14. Sarah Beattie-Smith
    Publication date:
    October 2014

     

    CAS has responded to the EU’s consultation on EU drinking water policy. The consultation was launched in response to the European Citizens’ Initiative “Right2Water”. This is the first ever, successful participatory democracy instrument at EU level, and focuses on improving the supply of safe, good quality drinking water across the EU.

     

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  15. A review of consumer issues brought to the service in 2013/14
    Fraser Sutherland
    Publication date:
    October 2014

    This report provides a snapshot of the issues that are affecting consumers in Scotland, examining both national and local trends. This is based on data provided by citizens advice bureaux in Scotland and data from the Citizens Advice consumer service.

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  16. Sarah Beattie-Smith
    Publication date:
    October 2014

    CAS welcomes the opportunity to respond to the Scottish Water (Objectives: 2015-21) Directions 2014 and Principles of Charging. As the representative body for water consumers in Scotland, CAS is strongly of the view that ‘affordability’ should remain a principle of charging to provide a commitment to work towards water and sewerage charges that are affordable for all consumers.

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  17. Delays and assessments
    Beth Reid
    Publication date:
    October 2014

    Personal Independence Payment (PIP) is a crucial benefit for many sick and disabled people. It is designed to help with the extra costs of being sick or having a disability, such as additional heating, additional travel costs, special diets, or specialist equipment. Its predecessor, Disability Living Allowance (DLA), has often been a mainstay for some of the most vulnerable clients attending citizens advice bureaux (CAB), particularly when there have been administrative problems with income-replacement benefits.

    Scottish bureaux have been supporting clients to claim PIP since the benefit was first introduced in Scotland in June 2013. Since January 2014, the process of PIP reassessment was rolled out to a large swathe of Scotland, amounting to around half of the DLA caseload in Scotland. CAS carried out a survey of bureau advisers in August 20141 to find out the experiences of those making applications for Personal Independent Payment.  This report looks at the feedback from bureaux, clients and advisers.

  18. Rob Gowans
    Publication date:
    September 2014

    CAS responded to the Low Pay Commission's consultation on what future rates of the National Minimum Wage (NMW) should be set at. Based on bureau evidence showing that workers earning the National Minimum Wage are increasingly struggling to afford essentials, CAS recommends the purpose of the NMW should increasingly focus on tackling low pay and in-work poverty, together with a proactive approach to targeting employers who do not pay their staff the National Minimum Wage.

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  19. Chris Alexander & Susan McPhee
    Publication date:
    September 2014

    This submission was prepared by the Consumer Futures team within Citizens Advice and Citizens Advice Scotland (The Citizens Advice Service). It has statutory responsibilities to represent the interests of energy consumers in Great Britain and we welcome the opportunity to respond to this consultation. 

    In our view, the Draft Determination represents a mixed outcome for consumers. While there are positive elements we continue to be concerned that the DNOs will be over-remunerated under RIIO-ED1. We ask therefore that Ofgem clarifies the assumptions that underpin the headline figures in the Draft Determination and that reporting arrangements meeting this description are implemented in time for the commencement of RIIO-ED1 in April 2015. 

    We also take this opportunity to comment on some specific aspects of the Draft Determination that we have not addressed in detail in earlier submissions, including forecast savings from smart metering and grids, and losses.

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  20. Citizens Advice Scotland response
    Fraser Sutherland
    Publication date:
    September 2014

    CAS responds to the CMA's consultation on whether the personal current account market should be investigated.

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