Citizens Advice Scotland

Companies will have to pass new tougher tests before entering the energy market under new proposals announced by Ofgem. The energy watchdog said to apply for a licence to supply energy from June, applicants will need to demonstrate they can adequately fund their operations for their first year, outl

A new report has called for consumer services to make it easier for vulnerable customers to register for and access support across different sectors. The Making it Easy: Simpler Registration for Consumers in Vulnerable Situations report has been published by Citizens Advice Scotland.

Citizens Advice Scotland has launched a new DWP-funded service to support people during their initial application for Universal Credit. The "Help to Claim" service, launched today, offers support tailored to the individual claimant either face-to-face, over the phone or online through webchat. It wi

The head of Citizens Advice Scotland (CAS) has warned bureau managers of job losses in the wake of a £600,000 legal aid board funding cut. CAS chief executive Derek Mitchell said the proposed cut would lead to the loss of at least 25 staff in 15 bureaux across the country and thought the actua

People due to move from tax credits to Universal Credit face significant issues and a dramatic culture change, according to Holyrood’s social security committee. The warning comes in the committee’s latest report into in-work poverty which has raised deep concerns with the flagship welfa

Millions of households across Britain are set to see an increase in the cost of energy after Ofgem increased price caps for default tariffs and pre-payment meter customers. The industry regulator revealed today that the price cap for customers on default (including standard variable) tariffs, introd

A Bill to reduce fuel poverty in Scotland has been given the support of a Holyrood committee but it warned that additional measures are required to put an end to thousands of people lacking the means to keep their homes warm. The local government and communities committee published a report on the F

Switching energy supplier could save each Scottish household more than £150 a year, with East Renfrewshire the local authority area where people are most likely to switch, new research has found. Figures released by Citizens Advice Scotland to mark the beginning of Big Energy Saving Week 2019

A document which outlines the eight principles that will guide Scotland’s new social security system is to be considered for approval by the Scottish Parliament. Created by people with experience of the existing social security system, the newly-published ‘Our Charter’ outlines in

A quarter of households are still struggling with fuel poverty as new Scottish Government statistics revealed no real progress over the last 12 months. The new figures revealed a small fall in fuel poverty rates between 2016 and 2017, with a drop from 26.5% (649,000 households) to 24.9% (613,000 hou

Elizabeth Leighton, director, Existing Homes Alliance Scotland © Andrew Cowan/Scottish Parliament The Scottish Parliament’s local government and communities committee began hearing evidence yesterday as part of its examination of proposed legislation which sets a new target relating to the eradic

A charity is calling for action after many households in Scotland were left with huge debts after signing up to a government-backed energy scheme only to be scammed by a rogue company. Citizens Advice Scotland (CAS) is today calling for the UK Government to help customers who have been let down by H

Scottish communities minister Aileen Campbell MSP launching the service in Dumfries CAB At least 15,000 households each year are expected to benefit from the new Financial Health Check service which has been launched by Citizens Advice Scotland.

Demand for advice regarding rent arrears in Scotland has increased by 47% over the last five years, new evidence has revealed. A report published today by Citizens Advice Scotland (CAS), which considers the causes and consequences of this rise, finds that changes to the social security system have b

A new report has highlighted the use of expensive electric heating among low income households and the difficulty many have accessing support to switch to cheaper fuel sources. Research by Citizens Advice Scotland (CAS) found that as many as 11% of Scottish households are using electric heating, whi