Citizen's Advice Scotland - the impact of unrestricted funding
In 2025, we announced a £12 million ‘Response Fund’ to support organisations which serve the hardest hit communities across the country.
The accelerated funding programme was put in place in response to increased pressure on charities and community groups, many of whom were seeing a surge in demand for services while they themselves ewere facing reduced capacity and soaring overheads, such as utilities, staffing and National Insurance costs.
Included in the funding package was a two year, £6 million investment in all 59 of Scotland’s Citizen’s Advice Bureaux.
Research shows that Citizens Advice Bureaux are the number one source people turn to for financial advice, yet CABs themselves are individual charities and many struggle with the disproportionate increase of need to resource. Citizens Advice Scotland, their umbrella body, confirms increased demand, yet acknowledges that all local CABs have funding reductions with some struggling to keep their doors open.
Throughout the cost of living crisis, CABs have been overwhelmed with people desperate for help or support to navigate energy bills, benefits, debt, housing concerns and other urgent issues.
Citizen’s Advice Scotland has just published an interim report, showing the impact the first year of funding has made on their services and their people, and the further – and critical – benefits of unrestricted funding.
“Funding from Foundation Scotland came at a critical time for the Citizens Advice network in Scotland and the communities we support. The cost-of-living crisis continues to outstrip incomes; international uncertainty has skyrocketed energy prices and employers face increasing costs to maintain their workforce. Scottish Citizens Advice Bureaux (CABs) see the impact of this everyday as demand for our services increases, and more people arrive at our doors in crisis, unsure where else to turn. Nationally, Citizens Advice Scotland uses the experiences and insights of the people coming to CABs to advocate for the solutions needed to truly address poverty and inequality in Scotland.
"Big change is needed – and big change takes time. So, as we call for urgently needed public services reform, we also must do everything we can to keep local advice services available in our communities. Foundation Scotland’s Response Fund has meant we can continue to drive progress while meeting the needs of our communities. Across the nearly 60 independent charities that make up our network, Foundation Scotland’s funding has enabled vital support for people in Scotland, impacting both society’s most vulnerable, and those delivering these essential services.
“The unrestricted funding has been absolutely essential. It has allowed us to use the funding to deploy services where we know they are most needed and to have the flexibility to alter those services, as required, to meet the changing needs of the community, or to respond to an acute need.” |
Read the report here
Read the highlights report 'The Impact of Unrestricted Funding' here