-
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.
Spotlight: -
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.
Spotlight: -
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.
Spotlight: -
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.
Spotlight: -
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.
Spotlight: -
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.
Spotlight: -
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.
Spotlight: -
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.
Spotlight: -
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
Spotlight: -
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.
Spotlight: -
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.
Spotlight: -
"Measures to ensure the Scottish water and sewerage non-household retail market work well"Publication date:June 2016The 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.Spotlight: -
CAS written evidencePublication date:June 2016
If conditionality is to be used within the benefit system, CAS believes it must be part of a holistic system that supports, rather than compels, jobseekers into sustainable employment. Sanctions should be always proportionate to the “offence” and should be operated as a last resort to ensure that claimants are seeking employment in exchange for their benefit.
Spotlight: -
A review of local bus provision by Scottish Citizens Advice BureauxPublication date:June 2016In 2015 Citizens Advice Scotland (CAS) published a report, Remotely Excluded, which used our advice statistics to identify the major issues facing consumers in rural Scotland. One of the most important themes identified by Citizens Advice Bureaux (CAB) and our clients was the difficulty people had accessing essential services, such as healthcare and work opportunities, using the bus network. To look more closely at what was happening with public transport across Scotland we carried out regional research lead by 16 of our local CAB members.
Spotlight: -
Early Evidence of the Impact of Universal Credit in Scotland's CAB NetworkPublication date:June 2016This report presents many of the Universal Credit cases that Scotland’s CAB network has advised on during the first year of the rollout. At this stage, it is a only a small fraction of the people who will eventually receive Universal Credit – single jobseekers with ‘simple’ claims. However, the evidence allows us to start to identify some of the challenges that may stand in the way of the success of Universal Credit and to make recommendations for how these obstacles can be overcome. These challenges fall into three groups – design challenges, transitional and administrative challenges and future challenges.
Spotlight: -
Briefing for Scottish Parliament debate - 9 June 2016Publication date:June 2016This briefing focuses on the opportunities that the devolution of social security powers to Scotland with a particular focus on disability benefits – it is the chance to design a system that has the principles of dignity and respect at its heart. The following pages outline the challenges and issues that the Parliament needs to address to make this system a reality.
Spotlight: -
Briefing for MSPs - Scottish Parliament debate 2 June 2016Publication date:June 2016This briefing focuses on the opportunities that the devolution of social security powers offers to Scotland – it is the chance to design a system that has the principles of dignity and respect at its heart. The following pages outline the challenges and issues that the parliament needs to address to make this system a reality.
Spotlight:
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.