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Publications

  1. Publication date:
    April 2021
  2. Water Policy Team
    Publication date:
    April 2021

    Regulation of Scotland’s non-household water market is seeking to move service providers towards operating ‘ethically’. This will better ensure that the market consistently delivers benefits in a way that protects users’ trust and confidence, and safeguards the market’s reputation.

    Some licensed providers choose to operate using the services offered by third party intermediaries (TPIs), which are unregulated. 

    CAS is of the view that the application of ethical behaviour should apply across the supply chain to ensure positive outcomes for all non-household customers, no matter who they do business with.

    Spotlight:
  3. Water Policy Team
    Publication date:
    March 2021

    During 2020-21, CAS commissioned Keep Scotland Beautiful to undertake research to better understand why some properties in a localised area in Edinburgh were not properly connected to the mains sewerage, and could potentially be impacting bathing water quality.

    This report highlighted that most home owners whose sewerage is misconnected to the surface water runoff system are unaware of the issue, therefore unless a misconnection is identified, nothing will be done to rectify the issue. Yet, for those interviewed, there was clearly a concern that a misconnection could have a detrimental impact upon the environment.

    Identifying and rectifying misconnections in Scotland poses a significant challenge for relevant authorities.

    Spotlight:
  4. Manifesto by SCoRSS
    Publication date:
    March 2021

    The Scottish Campaign for Rights to Social Security (SCoRSS) believe it is time for a social security system that prevents poverty, treats people with dignity and respect and supports everyone to flourish.

    However, access to and experience of social security are greatly affected by deeply ingrained inequalities that ensure that groups including women, disabled people, Black and minority ethnic people and others are even more affected by poverty, insecurity and exclusion.

    The members of the Scottish Campaign on Rights to Social Security (SCoRSS) believe five fundamental principles underpin the real change required to achieve this vision.

    We must work together to:

    • „  Increase social security payment rates to a level where no one is left in poverty and all have sufficient income to lead a dignified life;

    • „  Make respect for human rights and dignity the cornerstone of UK and Scottish social security;

    • „  Radically simplify social security to ensure it is easy to access and that barriers to entitlement are removed;

    • „  Invest in the support needed to enable everyone to participate fully in society; and

    • „  Make social security work for Scotland.

  5. Emily Rice and Alastair Wilcox
    Publication date:
    March 2021

    Citizens Advice Scotland welcomes this consultation, which reflects the pace and scope of Scotland’s climate ambitions. We are pleased that the Scottish Government has proposed a principle-based, people-centred approach. 

    It is essential that the outcomes of this standard reflect the complex heating, cooling, and ventilation needs of Scotland’s housing stock, and widens accessibility to truly affordable, highly efficient housing for low income and fuel poor households. Developers should be encouraged to follow the best practices of community engagement and ethical business practice so that the full potential of the buildings covered by this standard is realised. To aid developers in making future proof decisions, clear, thorough, and accessible guidance should be issued alongside this standard.

    Spotlight:
  6. David Scott
    Publication date:
    February 2021

    From March 2020 to January 2021, Citizens Advice Bureaux have provided over 131,000 pieces of advice on Universal Credit (UC).

    › The £20 a week uplift brought the value of UC back in line with increases to the cost of living over the past 8 years, following years of below inflation increases and freezes.
    › If the £20 weekly increase is removed, UC will be worth 11.5% less in real terms than it was when introduced in 2013.
    › The uplift increases the number of CAB clients with complex debt needs who are able to meet essential living costs by 28%.
    › Without the uplift, nearly 6 in 10 (58%) of CAB complex debt clients will be unable to meet essential living costs.
    › If the uplift is removed, 60,000 people in Scotland including 20,000 children will be pushed into poverty.

    CAS is calling for: The £20 a week UC uplift to be made permanent in the March 3rd Budget.

  7. Publication date:
    February 2021
    Spotlight:
  8. Publication date:
    February 2021
  9. Publication date:
    February 2021
  10. Publication date:
    February 2021
    Spotlight:
  11. David Scott
    Publication date:
    February 2021

    The Social Security Benefits Up-rating Order 2021, passed yesterday on Tuesday 9th February, increases social security payments by the rate of CPI inflation (0.5%) from 1st April 2021. However, if the £20 a week uplift to UC is not made permanent in the Budget, this uprating is negated. From April, if the £20 weekly uplift is removed the value of UC’s Standard Allowance will drop by as much as a quarter (25%), when people need this money most. Removing the £20 a week uplift will leave the Standard Allowance for UC worth less in real terms in 2021-22 than when it was first introduced 8 years ago in 2013.

    CAS is calling for: The £20 a week uplift to be made permanent

  12. David Scott
    Publication date:
    February 2021

    The Social Security Benefits Up-rating Order 2021 increases social security payments by the rate of CPI inflation (0.5%) from 1st April 2021. CAS welcome any increase to social security payments including Universal Credit (UC). However, current legislation prevents the future of the temporary £20 a week uplift to Universal Credit (UC) from being included in this annual review of benefit rates – at a time when uncertainty around the future of the £20 uplift is growing. Due to the benefits freeze from 2016 to 2019, UC rates remained at 2015/16 levels, meaning that in real terms the value of social security payments have fallen.


    If the £20 a week uplift to UC is not made permanent, any inflation-related uprating is negated. People on UC are at risk of a serious shock to their income, including the millions claiming for the first time as a result of the pandemic. To avoid a rise in poverty, greater strains on public services and harming economic recovery, the £20 a week uplift must be maintained.

  13. Andrew Fraser
    Publication date:
    February 2021
    Spotlight:
  14. David Scott
    Publication date:
    January 2021

    MP Briefing in support of 18 January Opposition motion to keep the £20 a week UC uplift.

    An unprecedented number of people have claimed UC for the first time since March, with the total number of UC recipients in Scotland doubling since January 2020 to 475,000 people. At the start of the pandemic, CAS welcomed the UK Government increasing UC payments by £20 a week – an annual increase of £1,040. CAS now recommends that the £20 increase to Universal Credit is made permanent in the Spring Budget.

  15. David Scott
    Publication date:
    January 2021

    In this submission CAS sets out two much needed policy actions that must be included in the Budget. The first is to ensure that Universal Credit (UC) is maintained at an adequate level to effectively fulfil its function as a vital safety net and public service. Making the £20 a week increase permanent is the first step to ensuring that UC can meet the needs of the increasing number of people relying on UC. The second is to allow UC to become a better tool for recovery and support more people into work when the economy can open back up, as well as those already in work and claiming UC.

  16. Publication date:
    January 2021
  17. David Scott
    Publication date:
    January 2021

    CAS recommends the £20 a week increase to UC is made permanent.

    If the uplift is removed, it will have the following impacts:

    • People across Scotland on Universal Credit will face a significant income shock and be pushed into poverty.
    • Financial hardship will be exacerbated, with wider health and economic impacts.
    • Those already struggling will be hardest hit. An additional 1 in 6 Citizens Advice Bureaux (CAB) clients in complex debt will be pushed into an income crisis.
  18. Tony Hutson
    Publication date:
    December 2020

    This report presents a summary and analysis of all advice sought and delivered by the Scottish Citizens Advice network between April 2019 and March 2020. 

  19. Publication date:
    December 2020

    CAS Financial Statements for year ended 31st March 2019.

  20. Citizens Advice Scotland
    Publication date:
    December 2020

    This is the Annual Report for Citizens Advice Scotland for the 2019-20 financial year.

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