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Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy CommitteePublication date:December 2016
The emergence of so-called new forms of employment relationships between
workers and employers has put a strain on existing employment protections. In
particular, the misuse of zero hours contracts has been a major concern for CAS over the past three years.Spotlight: -
New businesses and the non-domestic water marketPublication date:December 2016The CFU's Water Team has worked in partnership with the Water Industry Commission for Scotland, Business Gateway, Scottish Water and the Federation of Small Businesses to develop an information leaflet for new businesses about the non-domestic water market in Scotland.
The leaflet will help to improve outcomes for business consumers in non-domestic water market in Scotland. It is hoped that the leaflet, by targeting new businesses, will alert them to the wide range of options available, and to ensure customers get the best deals. the leaflet will be available from the Business Gateway advice network, as well as through other networks in the non-domestic water market.
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Consultation response from Citizens Advice ScotlandPublication date:November 2016
CAS is generally concerned about the restriction on families to only
being able to claim Child Tax Credits or Universal Credit for two children, and
would recommend the Government reconsider the policy in its entirety rather
than making exemptions to it.Spotlight: -
Citizens Advice Scotland briefing for MSPsPublication date:November 2016Designing a new social security system for Scotland is a major opportunity and challenge. CAS has attempted to bring the best of our unique evidence base to inform the development of the new system based on the experiences of those who work with the current system on a daily basis. In developing a substantial response to the Scottish Government’s recent public consultation on the devolved social security system, CAS carried out specific engagement activity with 144 CAB clients and 102 CAB advisers with direct experience of the current system, in addition to CAB case information which provide real time insights into the daily operation of the system.
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National Assistance Funerals and the Consequences of Funeral PovertyPublication date:November 2016This report follows on from a previous study by the Stirling and Perth & Kinross Citizens Advice
Bureaux entitled Unearthing the ‘true cost’ of Funerals.Spotlight: -
CAS responsePublication date:October 2016Designing a new social security system for Scotland is a major opportunity and challenge. In this substantial consultation response, Citizens Advice Scotland has attempted to bring the best of our unique evidence base to inform the development of the new system based on the experiences of those who work with the current system on a daily basis.
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Citizens Advice Scotland has published the first ever impact report detailing the positive contribution the service makes to Scottish society.Publication date:October 2016In our first report of this kind, we demonstrate the impact of the Scottish Citizens Advice service on the 310,000-plus clients who received help in 2015/16, as well as touching on the wider benefits of our work to the rest of society.
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Scottish Government consultationPublication date:September 2016
Citizens Advice Scotland agrees that the Scottish Government should
include in statute an ambition to eradicate child poverty. It is equally important
however that this ambition is backed up by clear strategies with specific,
measurable and deliverable actions that are directly linked to reducing the
levels of child poverty in Scotland.Spotlight: -
Second Independent ReviewPublication date:September 2016CAS has responded to the call for evidence to inform the second independent review of Personal Independence Payment.
Despite improvements having been made to waiting times and other aspects of benefit delivery, fundamental problems remain with respect to the design of Personal Independence Payment (PIP), specifically around assessments, medical evidence, length of awards, accuracy of decision making and mandatory reconsideration.
These are all issues that CAS raised in our response to the first independent review, and it is now crucial that solutions to these issues are found before more people experience similar problems as they undergo the transition from DLA to PIP.
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Burial and cremation charges in Scotland 2016Publication date:September 2016The basic cost of burial fees in Scotland (i.e. not including undertakers fees) is on average £1,363 in 2016. That’s a 7% increase since 2015.
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Improving information and signposting for users and managers of private water suppliesPublication date:September 2016
The Consumer Futures Unit of Citizens Advice Scotland is very pleased to invite you to tender for research into Improving information and signposting for users and managers of private water supplies. Our Specification of Requirement sets out the research scope and timescales for delivery. Please also download a Pricing Schedule.
The closing date for clarification questions is Friday 16 September 2016 and we would ask that tenders are submitted by Friday 30 September 2016.
Many thanks and we look forward to hearing from you.
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Issues affecting flooded consumers and ability to access affordable insurancePublication date:September 2016CAS undertook a detailed survey research of 178 households in Scotland, over two thirds of which live in a flood risk area based on SEPA analysis.
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The poverty premium in energy, telecommunications and finance in ScotlandPublication date:August 2016As Scotland’s consumer champion, Citizens Advice Scotland (CAS) is driven to identify and mitigate consumer vulnerability through evidence-based advocacy and education. While anyone can be a vulnerable consumer, those on a low income can find themselves particularly susceptible to financial detriment.
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Publication date:August 2016
The final report by Deloitte about the governance review conducted in 2016.
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Publication date:August 2016
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CAB Clients in CrisisPublication date:July 2016On-going analysis of CAB case evidence over the last four years has shown that more and more bureaux clients are experiencing periods of no income, and are unable to afford essentials including food, gas and electricity to heat their homes, as well as priority payments such as rent. More worryingly still are the number of clients who present at bureaux having not eaten in a number of days.
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A consumers guide to avoiding the latest financial scamsPublication date:July 2016This consumer guide provides information on the latest financial scams the Citizens Advice service in Scotland has seen and how to spot the signs of a scam
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Citizens Advice and Citizens Advice Scotland annual report for 2015-16Publication date:June 2016This report looks back to describe the work Citizens Advice and Citizens Advice Scotland (CAS) carried out to represent consumers in 2015-16. This was a year of laying foundations, as our organisations developed our roles representing consumers in the energy and postal markets in England, Wales and Scotland, and in the energy, postal and water markets in Scotland.
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Delivering energy efficiency to rural, off-gas ScotlandPublication date:June 2016Mains gas is the cheapest way to heat a home but 23% of Scottish households rely on more expensive fuel types, such as bottled gas or electricity, to heat their property. Many off-gas households are located in rural areas and are vulnerable to fuel poverty owing to a number of additional factors, such as a greater prevalence of colder properties which are harder to treat with energy efficiency measures.
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A review of energy efficiency and fuel poverty schemes in ScotlandPublication date:June 2016The Scottish Government have announced that they will introduce Scotland’s Energy Efficiency Programme (SEEP) in the coming years. This scheme will make use of the new powers over energy efficiency funds. Given the current political interest and potential levels of investment, CAS believes that it is important to ensure that the impacts resulting from undertaking large-scale energy efficiency installations are fully understood.
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Stressed About Debt? High costs of energy, food and fuel mean that many people are finding it impossible to keep up, worrying about debt or falling behind on bills. The Citizens Advice network in Scotland is here for you, with free, confidential and impartial advice in a variety of ways.