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Publication date:November 2015
Citizens Advice Scotland (CAS) is seeking tenders from potential research suppliers to undertake a review of energy efficiency and fuel poverty programmes in Scotland.
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Issues brought to the service in 2014/15Publication date:October 2015The Energy Advice in Detail publication provides an annual analysis of the energy issues on which consumers in Scotland seek advice. The Citizens Advice Service in Scotland advised on a total of 28,000 energy issues in 2014/15, an increase of a third from the previous year. Of this figure, clients took 22,051 energy issues to their local CAB, contacted the Citizens Advice Consumer Service (CACS or “the helpline”) with a total of 4,799 energy issues and the Extra Help Unit provided specialist help and advice to 1,150 vulnerable consumers.
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Overview of the issues raised in the Advice in Detail: Energy publications from 2013/14 and 2014/15Publication date:October 2015The Citizens Advice Service in Scotland has grown to meet a rising consumer demand for energy advice. Since 2011, our energy advice provision has increased by 130%. In 2014/15 alone we provided advice and support on 28,000 energy issues experienced by consumers throughout Scotland.
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Issues brought to the service in 2013/14Publication date:October 2015The Energy Advice in Detail publication provides an annual analysis of the energy issues on which consumers in Scotland seek advice. The Citizens Advice Service in Scotland advised on a total of 21,101 energy issues in 2013/14, an increase of almost 50 per cent from the previous year. Of this figure, clients took 18,330 energy issues to their local CAB and contacted the Citizens Advice Consumer Service (CACS or “the helpline”) with a total of 2,771 energy issues.
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Energy advice statistics and key policy issues brought to the Citizens Advice Service in ScotlandPublication date:October 2015A look at the growing number of energy issues brought to the service and some of the key energy policy issues reported by consumers.
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Response to Ofgem proposals - October 2015Publication date:October 2015
The Citizens Advice Service (Citizens Advice & Citizens Advice Scotland) joint response to Ofgem's consultation on smart prepayment for a smarter market.
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Publication date:August 2015
This research report, part of our ‘Paying the Poverty Premium’ series, was designed to investigate Scottish CAB clients’ experiences of the “poverty premium”.
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Publication date:August 2015
The Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) is conducting an inquiry into the energy industry. The CMA published its provisional findings and a set of provisional remedies in July 2015.
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Publication date:July 2015This Consumer Futures Unit guide aims to help you save money on your heating and electricity bills and keep your home warm. It is aimed at people who live in or own traditional stone tenement flats in Scotland.
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Publication date:July 2015
Citizens Advice Scotland (CAS) is seeking tenders from potential research suppliers to undertake research into the poverty premium and the consumer behaviour of low-income households in Scotland.
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A summary of Scottish CAB service evidence 2014/15Publication date:July 2015Ofgem asked Citizens Advice Scotland to provide them with an analysis of problems off-grid consumers experience in heating their homes. This paper provides a brief summary of some of the key issues brought to Scottish Citizens Advice bureaux by consumers of non-gas heating fuels.
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Improving the physical condition of Scotland’s water environmentPublication date:June 2015
Citizens Advice Scotland welcomes measures to ensure the sustainable use of Scotland’s water resources. We believe that effective partnership working between land owners and public bodies will offer better protection for communities at risk of flooding, and would encourage the provision of accessible and clear information on measures that protect and / or benefit households and businesses.
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Publication date:June 2015
CAS respond to the Scottish Governments consultation on the Good Practice Principles for Shared Ownership of Onshore Renewable Energy Developments
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Publication date:June 2015
The independent research company Rocket Science UK Ltd and the environmental charity Changeworks were commissioned by Citizens Advice Scotland (CAS) to carry out focus group research with owner-occupiers and private renting tenants in Scotland to explore:
- their attitudes and awareness of energy efficiency measures;
- the potential barriers they might face to taking action on energy efficiency measures; and
- how they would likely respond to any future regulation of energy efficiency in the private sector.
This research findings report provides the results from four focus groups held in October 2014: two were held in the City of Edinburgh and two were held in Jedburgh in the Scottish Borders. In each location one focus group was with owner occupiers and one focus group was with tenants who rent their property.
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Minimum Standards of Energy Efficiency in Private Sector Housing: The View from Consumers and BureauxPublication date:June 2015Citizens Advice Scotland (CAS) is a member of the Scottish Government's Regulation of Energy Efficiency in the Private Sector (REEPS) working group. This is a stakeholder advisory group drafting regulations for consultation that will help the Scottish Government improve the energy efficiency of Scotland’s existing private sector housing stock. To support this work CAS commissioned independent research that could help the working group better understand homeowners’ and private rented tenants’ attitudes and awareness of energy efficiency measures, including the potential barriers to taking action and consumers’ likely response to any future regulation. The full research report is available separately.
This accompanying evidence review complements the commissioned research by summarising the key findings from four focus groups, and brings these findings together with additional evidence collected by the Scottish Citizens Advice service. These further insights have helped identify the everyday realities for many Scottish households unable to adequately heat their homes or who live in poor quality housing, which can often lead to preventable health problems.
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Publication date:May 2015
The Citizens Advice Service (Citizens Advice – England & Wales and Citizens Advice Scotland) commissioned the Centre for Sustainable Energy to conduct research on the energy tariff options for consumers in vulnerable situations. The project aimed to provide researchers, policy makers and energy market stakeholders with a better understanding of the range of options available to ensure that vulnerable consumers, disengaged from the energy market, are not penalised by higher tariffs.
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Developing a framework for greater locally led delivery of energy efficiency and fuel poverty servicesPublication date:May 2015
The Citizens Advice Service (Citizens Advice - England & Wales and Citizens Advice Scotland) commissioned the Association for the Conservation of Energy, CAG Consultants, Centre for Sustainable Energy and Dr Joanne Wade to investigate the case for the local delivery of home energy efficiency and fuel poverty services across Great Britain.
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Publication date:May 2015
Citizens Advice and Citizens Advice Scotland respond to the Ofgem discussion paper 'Non-traditional business models: supporting transformative change in the energy market'
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Citizens Advice Service response to the consultation on the updated issues statementPublication date:March 2015
This publication provides the joint response of Citizens Advice and Citizens Advice Scotland (the 'Citizens Advice Service') to the Competition & Markets Authority's (CMA) energy market investigation consultation on their updated issues statement published on 18 February 2015.
The submission provides detailed comments on each of the theories of harm, as well as an overview of the Citizens Advice Service's views on the CMA's interim findings and the areas where we believe analysis should be further developed.
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The Confidence Code is a voluntary code of practice for domestic energy price comparison sitesPublication date:February 2015The Citizens Advice Service welcomes the opportunity to respond to the consultation on Ofgem’s proposed drafting for the Confidence Code to reflect January 2015 policy changes.
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.