CAS produced this data briefing alongside a policy briefing calling for the £20 a week increase to Universal Credit to be made permanent.
The data briefing contains comprehensive statistics that aim to give an understanding of the economic impact of COVID-19 through data on the people seeking advice from Citizens Advice Bureaux (CAB) on Universal Credit and other Citizens Advice network statistics.
Key Findings
› Since March, Scotland’s Citizens Advice Network has provided over 85,000 pieces of advice on Universal Credit.
› A quarter (27%) of clients seeking Universal Credit advice for the first time lived in the most affluent parts of Scotland (SIMD quintiles 4 and 5).
› Over 1 in 4 (28%) of new CAB clients seeking advice on Universal Credit are homeowners; Universal Credit doesn’t provide mortgage support for 39 weeks.
› 1 in 10 (11%) new CAB clients are self-employed, in comparison to 5% of repeat Universal Credit clients.
› A third (34%) of CAB clients seeking advice on Universal Credit are in part-time or full- time employment.
› Redundancy advice has more than tripled as a proportion of all CAB employment advice given.
› Over 1 in 3 people in Scotland are concerned about their future income.