Fixing Systems, not Symptoms

by Emma Jackson, head of the CAS Social Justice team.

This article was first published in the Herald on 9 May 2026.

"I don’t know where to start..." a phrase our advisers hear all too often as people open up during a first appointment.

Yes, it’s the crisis that’s pushed people almost to breaking point that’s at the forefront of people's minds, but it’s the expertise and empathy of in-person, local advice that can delve beneath the surface, find out what’s really going. Across the Citizens Advice network in Scotland, we know issues rarely happen in isolation.

Ailsa arrived at her local CAB because of energy debt. Terrified of the rising arrears she was accruing, she turned her meter off entirely meaning no lights or heating. Through care and compassion and multiple appointments, Ailsa opened up to her adviser sharing details of health conditions, other debts and difficulties accessing social security. The energy debt a symptom of interconnected issues all compounding to cause her harm.

While Ailsa’s circumstances uniquely impacted her, her experiences are not unique. Across Scotland, tens of thousands of people need to access person centred support from our network. Decades of experience mean our advisers know the domino effect of how one issue creates another. And another. 
Insufficient income means people cannot pay rising energy bills, which doesn’t only add to people’s debt. It increases the likelihood of damp and mould through not turning the heating on. Impacting on health and wellbeing. Potential absences from work. Job loss. Rent arrears. Threatened homelessness. 

For Ailsa, accessing support from her local CAB meant that she could tap into wrap around support. Support to engage with her energy supplier, debt advice, help applying for social security, including a successful adult disability payment award and warm referrals to community support. The totality of her circumstances considered, and solutions in place that worked in harmony to deliver positive outcomes. Alisa told her adviser that after feeling so stressed for so long, it was the first time she didn't have to worry about money in over year.

Delivering solutions that provide positive outcomes for people experiencing the most harm is the opportunity before this new Scottish Parliament and government. As the new cohort of MSPs, cabinet secretaries and first minister are sworn in and parliamentarians set about the work of this next term, finding ways to create the conditions for all of us to thrive should be the priority. 

Policy coherence and portfolio alignment are non-negotiables if this next government is to improve people's lives across Scotland. Just like the work of our network, that means understanding the totality of people's experiences and the interconnected nature of problems. Services and support need to be designed and delivered in a way that mirrors real life and tackle issues at their root cause. We need a real focus on prevention and systems change, backed up with adequate investment that actually makes a difference. The cost of inaction here is far too great.

Yes, the scale of challenge facing the new government is undeniably vast – but so too is size of the opportunity. The chance to do things differently, deliver justice and compassion, so that Ailsa and all of us can live decent and dignified lives.