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Publications

  1. Ruth Mendel
    Publication date:
    December 2017

    Citizens Advice Scotland have published our annual report on burial and cremation charges across Scotland.

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  2. Information leaflet
    Gail Walker
    Publication date:
    October 2017

    The Consumer Futures Unit at Citizens Advice Scotland has developed a leaflet for those in receipt of benefits that clarifies what they are due to pay for water and sewerage charges, and includes any exemptions, discounts and reductions they may be due.

  3. Study on the affordability of water and sewerage charges based on low income households
    Rebecca Millar
    Publication date:
    June 2017

    The Consumer Futures Unit of Citizens Advice Scotland is inviting tenders for research into a Study on the affordability of water and sewerage charges based on low income households

     

     

  4. Scottish Parliament Local Government and Communities Communities Committee
    Rob Gowans
    Publication date:
    June 2017

    Though not the only driver of homelessness, the past five years have seen a large increase in the number of rent arrears issues dealt with by Scotland’s CAB network. CAS is commencing research to examine the causes and consequences of rent arrears for CAB clients, including those who become homeless as a result. This submission examines CAB data related to homelessness and rent arrears, as well as some of the causes of rent arrears that can lead to evictions and homelessness.

  5. A look at how people in Scotland feel about finances, credit and debt
    Linda Hutton
    Publication date:
    May 2017

    We asked people from across Scotland about their relationship with money, debt, credit, and planning for the future.

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  6. A report to the Consumer Futures Unit of Citizens Advice Scotland
    Fraser of Allander Institute
    Publication date:
    April 2017

    This report examines recent changes in the cost of household water and sewerage charges in Scotland. It examines the position across all consumers, but focuses in particular on those on low incomes and examines in detail the issue of affordability for those in receipt of state benefits.

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  7. Scottish Parliament Social Security Committee call for evidence
    Rob Gowans
    Publication date:
    March 2017

    Citizens Advice Scotland welcomes the opportunity to submit evidence to inform the Committee’s consideration of the Bill. Scotland’s CAB Service sees the effects of child poverty on a daily basis, and the majority of advice provided by citizens advice bureaux in Scotland relates to issues related to maximising low incomes, particularly access to social security benefits and dealing with problem debt.

  8. Citizens Advice Scotland has published the first ever impact report detailing the positive contribution the service makes to Scottish society.
    CAS communications
    Publication date:
    October 2016

    In 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.

  9. Burial and cremation charges in Scotland 2016
    Fraser Sutherland
    Publication date:
    September 2016

    The 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.

  10. Issues affecting flooded consumers and ability to access affordable insurance
    Fraser Sutherland
    Publication date:
    September 2016

    CAS 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.

  11. The poverty premium in energy, telecommunications and finance in Scotland
    Patrick Hogan
    Publication date:
    August 2016

    As 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.

  12. CAB Clients in Crisis
    Rhiannon Sims
    Publication date:
    July 2016

    On-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. 

  13. "Measures to ensure the Scottish water and sewerage non-household retail market work well"
    Publication date:
    June 2016

    The Consumer Futures Unit's response to the Commission's consultation seeking views on measures to ensure the Scottish water and sewerage non-household retail market
    works well.

  14. Consumer issues with subscription traps
    Nick MacAndrews and Daniel VandenBurg (Citizens Advice) with Fraser Sutherland (Citizens Advice Scotland)
    Publication date:
    March 2016

    Online shopping in the UK is on the rise and with this comes a different set of consumer problems. One such problem is subscription traps. These are situations where a consumer is tricked into agreeing to a subscription through the advertising of a “free trial” or reduced price offer. If the consumer doesn’t cancel the trial within a set amount of time they automatically get transferred onto a costly subscription payment plan.

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  15. A review for Scottish Government
    John Birrell & Fraser Sutherland
    Publication date:
    February 2016

    This report gives wide reaching recommendations on how to tackle funeral poverty in Scotland.

  16. Gail Walker
    Publication date:
    October 2015

    Citizens Advice Scotland has published a report providing insights into the impact that water and sewerage debt has on the lives of vulnerable consumers.

  17. CAS response to Commission on Local Tax Reform
    Keith Dryburgh
    Publication date:
    June 2015

    What's the future of local taxation in Scotland? In this consultation response, CAS uses evidence from Scotland’s citizens advice bureaux to show the aspects of local taxation that need to be improved in any new proposed system.

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  18. Challenging the costs of Funerals in Scotland
    Fraser Sutherland
    Publication date:
    April 2015

    Advice regarding funerals has risen in recent years, as our recent Real Deal publication on the subject highlighted, and the CAB service now helps with just over one issue a day in Scotland regarding funerals.

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  19. Publication date:
    April 2015

    Citizens Advice Scotland's Work Plan for Water 2015-16

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  20. Implementing the Smith Agreement: Civil protections and advice
    Publication date:
    March 2015

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