Cost of Living

New Grant Launched to Help Low-income Families with School Costs

A new grant has been launched by the Scottish government with the aim of providing some financial assistance to low-income families with school-age children.

Energy Firms Told to Do More for Their Vulnerable Customers

Energy suppliers have been told by the authors of an independent report that they should be doing more to support their most vulnerable customers.

Scots Urged to Claim Whatever Benefits They’re Entitled To

Citizens Advice Scotland is urging people across the country to make sure they claim whatever state benefits they might be entitled to without delay and without any sense of embarrassment at having to...

Debts ‘Not Considered Serious’ Until They Top £6,000

The average UK consumer would not consider their debts to be a “serious concern” until they were worth in excess of £6,000.

Free Consumer Advice Service Launched to Help Scots Look After Their Money

A new advisory service has been launched with the aim of providing useful help and practical support to consumers across Scotland.

Complaints About Payday Lenders Up 130%

Complaints made about payday loan companies increased by as much as 130 per cent over the course of the last year as compared with the previous 12 months.

“Staggering” Levels of Child Poverty Recorded in Parts of Scotland

Levels of child poverty are on the rise in parts of Scotland and have been described as “staggering” by the director of the Child Poverty Action Group (CPAG).

Scottish Unemployment at Lowest Levels on Record

Rates of unemployment are at historically low levels in Scotland and they are lower here than in the UK as a whole.

Charity Wants Every Adult in Scotland to Get £2,400 a Year

Giving every adult in Scotland a sum of £2,400 per year as a form of ‘basic income’ could have the effect of largely eradicating destitution across the country.

Edinburgh Needs Strict Rent Controls, says Poverty Taskforce Chairman

Edinburgh should introduce strict rent controls as part of an effort to tackle poverty and serious financial difficulty across the city.

Food Banks Handing Out Record Numbers of Emergency Parcels

Food banks operated by the Trussell Trust handed out more than 1.5 million emergency food parcels in the 12 months up to the end of March.

New Laws Could Give Women and Girls in Scotland Free Access to Sanitary Products

A bill has been put forward at the Scottish parliament that would help ensure that women and girls across the country can access free sanitary products when they need them.