CITIZENS Advice Scotland (CAS) has condemned Home Office proposals to increase charges for advice services as research shows a 249% rise in demand for face-to-face help.
The CAS analysis found that demand for face-to-face services across the Citizens Advice network has increased by 249% since the Covid-19 pandemic.
During the pandemic, CABs had to give advice remotely and as a result helped only 4% of clients face-to-face.
In the year following 12% of people CABs helped were given advice face-to-face. By 2023-24 that number had grown to 41%.
A recent poll for the charity from research company YouGov also found that 68% of Scotland’s adults thought face-to-face advice on complex issues was important, an 11% increase from 2022.
CAS has published the data as it warns about the impact of proposed charges for advisers giving immigration advice across Scotland.
The Home Office is currently consulting on introducing charges for bodies providing immigration advice.
The proposals would see CABs charged registration and re-registration fees, which could cost the network in Scotland hundreds of thousands of pounds a year. CAS estimates set up costs could be more than £300,000, with ongoing costs around £223,000 per year.
In a consultation response, CAS has warned the impact of these changes would place a financial burden on CABs already struggling with demand and have a potential “chilling effect” on the recruitment and retention of advisers.
CAS chief executive Derek Mitchell said: “This research underlines how important it is that we retain access to one to one, in-person advice for people, especially those with complex cases or from vulnerable backgrounds. Since the pandemic we have seen demand for that advice grow.
“However, advice provision in Scotland will be put at risk by proposals to charge CABs to provide immigration advice. They come at the worst possible time.
“What these proposals fail to recognise is the wraparound nature of our advice service.
“People don’t come to a CAB with just one problem, and four in 10 cases advisers deal with are complex, requiring multiple different types of advice, restricting access to any type of advice makes it harder to help people.
“Last year 12,743 pieces of immigration-related advice were given to 4406 people by CABs in Scotland. These clients didn’t just get immigration advice – they got help on housing, employment and energy as well. By restricting our ability to help these clients with immigration issues, it restricts our ability to help with everything.
“CABs are already facing huge levels of demand, often from people in a state of crisis and with complex cases.
“We need more funding to deliver advice, not to be charged for helping people.
“It will also have a chilling effect on adviser recruitment and retention, and potentially decrease availability of all advice across Scotland.”
