Social policy

The Social Security Charter has the potential to improve the experience of using the social security system for people who need support from it. CAS broadly welcomes the content of the draft Charter. It is essential that these commitments are embedded into the system in practice, and go beyond ‘words on a page’.

Citizens Advice Scotland (CAS) supports the introduction of the Young Carer Grant, which is the first entirely new benefit to be created under powers devolved in the Scotland Act 2016. Young carers in full-time education currently are ineligible for support from Carer’s Allowance, but as is recognised from evidence in the consultation document, they face a range of issues as a result of their caring role at a critical time of transition in their lives.

Whilst the Scottish social security system should make provision for the investigation of fraud, it is important that a clear distinction is drawn between intentional fraud and unintentional error, such as not reporting a change of circumstances unknowingly.

Advice in relation to rent arrears has grown by over 40% since 2012, whilst debt-related issues have declined. This report examines the reasons why this steady increase in rent arrears has occurred, as well as who is most likely to be affected. It also looks at how CAB clients cope with being behind on the rent, and how they have managed to escape rent arrears – if they have indeed managed to do so.  

CAS sent a briefing to MSPs ahead of the 'Building a Social Security System Together: Co-designing the Social Security Charter' debate, highlighting suggestions for the Charter from CAB clients and advisers and encouraging an approach of co-production with people who have direct experience of using the current social security system.

Citizens Advice Scotland (CAS) have already stated that we believe that further roll out and managed migration of UC should be paused until the many issues affecting our clients have been resolved. We note that the intention is to start migration on a small scale from January 2019 before ramping up volumes once process has been tested. While CAS welcomes the changes that have been made to UC during roll out it is clear that there are still issues to be resolved. To proceed with managed migration before resolving all the issues will negatively impact a significant number of people.

In 2017/18, Scotland’s CAB network provided advice on 19,047 issues related to Universal Credit (UC), which by the end of the period had only been rolled out to around half of Scotland’s local authority areas. Additionally, CAB advised clients on 10,562 Working Tax Credit and 11,499 Child Tax Credit issues, which are the main in-work benefits that will be replaced by UC.

The Energy Advice in Detail report provides an annual assessment of the energy issues clients of the Citizens Advice network in Scotland sought assistance with, and places those within a wider policy context.

Citizens Advice Scotland (CAS) welcomes the opportunity to comment on the proposals for Best Start Foods and Vitamins to replace the current Healthy Start system when powers are devolved. Citizens advice bureaux in Scotland provide advice on eligibility and claiming Healthy Start Vouchers to help clients maximise their income, alongside providing advice on claiming benefits that ‘passport’ people into eligibility for the vouchers, such as Universal Credit and Income Support.

CAS published the Learning from Testing Times evidence report which looked in detail at the experience of the first year of Universal Credit roll out through citizens advice bureaux feedback. There have been a few welcome changes since then, e.g. removal of the seven day waiting period, which have ameliorated some aspects of the negative impacts. However cases currently being handled by bureaux show a range of issues causing difficulties for clients.