Citizens Advice Scotland

The UK government’s much-heralded change to the social security system contains a number of inherent flaws which are causing serious problems for people in need, according to a detailed new report from Citizens Advice Scotland (CAS). The new Universal Credit (UC) policy is a massive reform to soci

Councillor Tim Brett Empty properties owned by the Ministry of Defence (MoD) in Fife should be released to help tackle the region’s housing crisis, according to a local councillor.

Energy provider Extra Energy has delivered the worst performance of complaints ever recorded by Citizens Advice. The charity’s latest league table of energy company complaints, which measures how effectively customer complaints are dealt with by energy companies, show that Extra Energy has deliver

Citizens Advice Scotland (CAS) has announced the appointment of Deloitte to lead an independent assessment review of its governance. The umbrella organisation for the Citizens Advice service in Scotland revealed plans for the assessment in March following the departure of chief executive Margaret Ly

A groundbreaking study into destitution in the UK has revealed that 1.25 million people, including over 300,000 children, are so poor they cannot afford to eat properly, keep clean or stay warm and dry. Research from the independent Joseph Rowntree Foundation (JRF) estimated that 184,500 households

CAS housing spokesman Patrick Hogan Over 6,000 people - an increase of 23 per cent over the past two years - contacted Citizens Advice Scotland in 2015 to report problems with their landlords and with poor housing in the private rented sector.

Citizens Advice Scotland (CAS) has appointed “independent experts” to review its own governance with the aim of making the charity a model within the sector for progressive governance. The move follows a difficult few months which have seen the departure of chief executive Margaret Lynch and the

Mary Taylor The Scottish Federation of Housing Associations (SFHA) has welcomed the reiteration by the UK government that it will delay the LHA cap for tenants in supported accommodation by a year.

Citizens Advice Scotland (CAS) is urging people in Scotland’s military community to make use of its specialist Armed Service Advice Project (ASAP) in 2016. Launched in 2010, ASAP identifies the most common areas of difficulty facing returning veterans which include low income, employment and housi

The Commission on Local Tax Reform has published a new report recommending the abolition and replacement of the current council tax system. The cross-party commission, established jointly by the Scottish Government and the Convention of Scottish Local Authorities (COSLA), brought together representa

Susan McPhee Citizens Advice Scotland (CAS) has urged Holyrood to use new powers to create a fairer welfare system after a poll revealed over a third of benefit claimants are ‘unable to get by’ on the income they receive.

The number of fuel poverty cases recorded by Citizens Advice Scotland (CAS) has increased by 130 per cent since 2011, according to new figures. Two reports published by the charity show not just the sharp increase in case numbers but also the reasons behind this – which include austerity policies,

A joint campaign from Energy Saving Trust, Department of Energy and Climate Change and Citizens Advice Scotland is calling on Scottish residents to swot up on switching energy supplier and, where possible, help an older relative or neighbour find a better deal. As people prepare for winter, Big Ener

Annie Mauger Attempts by the Scottish Government to provide “more security, stability and predictability” to tenants renting in the private rented sector (PRS) have been broadly welcomed, though concerns have been raised proposals may harm investment in the sector.

Margaret Lynch The chief executive at Citizens Advice Scotland (CAS) has been suspended from her job, according to reports.