Get advice
Coronavirus - getting advice in Scotland
You can check what to do if coronavirus affects your work, benefits or travel.
If you’ve checked our online advice and need to speak to an adviser, you can:
- call Scotland’s Citizens Advice Helpline on 0800 028 1456 - Monday to Friday 9am to 5pm. Calls are free.
- get advice from your local Citizens Advice Bureau - search for contact details for your local bureau.
Your local bureau might be giving advice by phone, email or in-person appointments.
Before your appointment, check what measures are in place to keep you safe, like wearing a face covering.
Find advice online
Use the search box at the top of the page or select a topic from the menu to find advice online.
Get advice from your local Citizens Advice Bureau
Enter your postcode to find your nearest bureau on the Citizens Advice Scotland website. Check the details of your bureau to find out if they give advice in person, by phone, email or webchat.
See what to bring to your Citizens Advice Bureau to check what information you should have available.
Tell the bureau about any language or access requirements you have and they will do their best to accommodate them.
Getting advice in BSL
Citizens Advice Bureaux use ContactSCOTLAND-BSL. This is a free interpretation service.
You can call an interpreter at ContactSCOTLAND directly, who will then speak to the bureau adviser, and act as an intermediary for you.
More information about how the Video Relay Interpreting Service works can be found on the Contact SCOTLAND-BSL website.
Get advice on specialist topics
Citizens Advice Scotland supports advice on some specialist topics. Find out how to get advice on:
Members of the armed services, veterans and their families
Get advice from the Armed Services Advice Project (ASAP) if you are:
- serving or a veteran - in the Armed Forces, Regular or Reserve
- a member of the Merchant Navy who served in a commercial vessel in support of legally defined UK military operations
- a family member
You can get advice about issues like housing, benefits and debt.
To get in touch you can:
- call the Armed Services Advice Project on 0808 800 1007
- ask us to call you - use the Get Advice from ASAP form to send us your contact details, and a trained adviser will phone you
- visit your local CAB
Find out more about advice for members of the armed services on the ASAP website.
Defined contribution pensions
Pension Wise is a free and impartial government service about the different ways you can take money from your pension. The service is only for people 50 years old or over with a defined contribution pension.
You can book an appointment to speak to someone over the phone or in person.
For more information visit the Pension Wise website or phone 0800 138 3944 (or +44 20 3733 3495 if you’re outside the UK) to book an appointment.
You can also read our online advice on pensions, including the state pension.
EU citizens who need support to apply for Settled Status
EU Citizens Support is our new service for EU citizens who need extra support to apply for Settled Status.
You might need more help if you:
- have difficulty accessing an android mobile phone
- have limited access to the internet
- find it difficult to get the evidence you need to apply
- are at greater risk due to personal circumstances
- have specific immigration or residency issues
Find out how to get help from the EU Citizens Support Service.
Help to claim Universal Credit
We can help if you're claiming Universal Credit for the first time.
Kinship care
If you're looking after a child because their parents can't you might be a kinship carer. Many aunts, uncles, grandparents and family friends are providing kinship care across Scotland. You might be entitled to extra support. Find out more about kinship care.
Advisers at every Scottish bureau can provide detailed advice on kinship care.
If you can’t get to your local bureau, call the confidential Kinship Care Advice Service for Scotland:
National Kinship Care Advice service for Scotland
Helpline: 0808 800 0006 (Monday to Friday 9am-5pm)
Email: scotland@adoptionuk.org.uk
Website: kinship.scot
Calls are free from landlines and most mobiles. Outside of operating times, please leave your contact details and a short message and you will be contacted within 24 hours, Monday to Friday.
Money advice
If you’re struggling to make your money last or are worried about how you’ll pay your bills, you can get advice from the Money Talk Team to help ensure you are receiving all the money you're entitled to.
The advisers will check whether you’re getting as much income as you possibly could and find ways that you could pay out less each month.
If you have any money worries, or want to find out if you are missing out on money you're entitled to, the adviser will talk you through your options and help you find the best way forward.
To get free advice from the Money Talk Team call 0800 085 7145 or contact your local bureau.
You can find more information on the Money Talk Team website.
NHS complaints in Scotland
You can contact the Patient Advice and Support Service (PASS) for advice and support on 0800 917 2127.
Lines are open Monday-Friday, 9am-5pm.
Online scams
If you think you may be at risk, or have already lost money due to an online scam - get specialist advice using our web chat.
Use the Scams Action webchat on the Citizens Advice Scotland website.
Other organisations that give advice
These are some of the other organisation that give advice on:
- consumer issues - Which? and Advice Direct Scotland
- debt and money - National Debtline, StepChange, Money Helper
- employment - ACAS, unions and trade associations
- health - NHS inform
- housing - Shelter Scotland
- rights in Scotland - mygov.scot
- rights in the UK - GOV.UK
- families and children - Children 1st and Parentline Scotland, One Parent Family Scotland
- relationships - Relationships Scotland, Scottish Mediation