Citizens Advice Scotland

Funding of £54.5 million to help tackle fuel poverty and reduce greenhouse gas emissions has been announced by First Minister Nicola Sturgeon. Speaking at the All Energy conference in Glasgow, the First Minister launched the Route Map to an Energy Efficient Scotland, which outlines action to ensure

Around 400,000 people in Great Britain have been left without gas or electricity because they didn’t have enough money to top up their prepayment meter (PPM), according to new research from Citizens Advice. The charity found that the vast majority of these households (120,000) have people living t

Citizens Advice Scotland has said British Gas customers will "find it hard to understand" a 5.5% price hike taking effect from 29 May. British Gas claims it is increasing prices because of increased wholesale costs, but the UK government has said the rise is "unjustified".

Fuel companies will no longer be able to charge bills for gas and electricity that was used more than twelve months earlier under new rules outlined by energy regulator Ofgem. Backbills can result from problems with a supplier’s billing system, or from suppliers estimating bills until they have an

Almost a fifth of people who seek advice from Scottish CABs say they never use the internet, with more than half unable to apply for jobs or benefits online without help, according to new research published by Citizens Advice Scotland. The data is a concern because many social security and justice s

Failing to switch energy supplier may have cost 860,000 Scottish households more than £1,500 each over the past six years – the equivalent of more than half a year of the UK’s average weekly shopping trips, according to new statistics. Figures from Ofgem, published for Big Energy Saving Week, h

The Scottish Government hosted an energy summit yesterday to challenge the ‘big six’ energy suppliers to do more to help people who are struggling to pay their energy bills. The summit, which was attended by energy suppliers alongside Ofgem and consumer groups, discussed measures to help custome

The Scottish Government has published the country’s first Energy Strategy which it said will strengthen the development of local energy, empower and protect consumers, and support climate change efforts while tackling fuel poverty. The strategy includes a range of actions, including a £20 million

Legislation to set up a Scottish social security agency passed its first hurdle at the Scottish Parliament yesterday as MSPs unanimously agreed the general principles of the Social Security (Scotland) Bill. During the debate, cross party consensus was given for an additional principle in the Bill re

The Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) is launching a “comprehensive study” into domestic heat networks to ensure households are getting a good deal. Heat networks - systems that heat multiple homes from one central source – currently supply about half a million UK homes through about 17,

The UK government has announced significant changes to Universal Credit including scrapping the seven day waiting period before a person can apply. In the Autumn Budget announcement yesterday Chancellor Philip Hammond responded to the increasing pressure from MPs, charities and the housing sector by

Energy regulator Ofgem is to cap the amount suppliers can charge customers for installing a pre-payment meters in customers’ homes and ban the costs altogether for the most vulnerable. Prepayment meters are typically installed under warrant when a customer cannot or will not pay their energy bill.

Sarah Boyack The Scottish Federation of Housing Associations (SFHA) has welcomed moves to enshrine the Scottish Government’s proposed new fuel poverty target in legislation but said that more investment is required to make the ambition a reality.

Craig Anderson with the Plain English guide Stirling District Citizens Advice Bureau has today published its new Plain English Guide to Help Sort out Benefits to help people overcome the system’s complexities.

Scots who make their homes more energy efficient should get a Council Tax rebate, according to a new report. Research from the Consumer Futures Unit of Citizens Advice Scotland showed a £500 rebate the year following the installation of energy efficiency measures was significantly more popular than