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David Hilferty

David Hilferty

Herald Scotland

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Why the latest cut in the energy price cap won’t solve the problem

Why the latest cut in the energy price cap won’t solve the problem

At the end of February Ofgem announced the latest cap on energy prices. From April to June, the average household will see a 7% cut in their energy...

07.03.2026 10

Herald Scotland

David Hilferty

Multi-year investment is a game-changer – and its timing couldn’t be more welcome

Last week, the Citizens Advice network received the welcome news from the Scottish Government that one of our key programmes of work is...

21.02.2026 100

Herald Scotland

David Hilferty

Ofgem’s ‘energy price cap’ is not worthy of the name

The latest Ofgem energy price cap came into force at the start of this month. That’s not good news though: as we struggle through this bleakest of...

11.01.2026 10

Herald Scotland

David Hilferty

Please, Chancellor: Let’s have a Budget for fairness and compassion

It’s difficult not to have some degree of empathy for the Chancellor ahead of Wednesday’s Budget. After all, when everything is broken, when...

23.11.2025 6

Herald Scotland

David Hilferty

Ofgem’s energy debt plan falls short for vulnerable households

As winter bites and energy debt soars past £4.4bn, Citizens Advice Scotland's David Hilferty warns that Ofgem’s long-awaited relief plan is too...

09.11.2025 7

Herald Scotland

David Hilferty

Child poverty can’t be solved in a year — but we can start now

Citizens Advice Scotland stands ready to support the First Minister’s mission to end child poverty — but lasting change demands secure funding,...

05.10.2025 7

Herald Scotland

David Hilferty

This is not a new crisis. We've had it for years, and it's time to fix it

A couple of weeks ago I caught a bit of Newsnight. For context, I’ve got a three-year-old and a 13-month-old, so if I’m lucky (and on a good...

14.09.2025 4

Herald Scotland

David Hilferty

Welfare should be a tool of social cohesion, not isolation

“I wish I’d come to you sooner. It’s such a relief just to talk about all this.”   When you work in the Citizens Advice network these are...

17.08.2025 5

Herald Scotland

David Hilferty

I’m getting tired of playing the cost of living game

Last week the media was a-buzz about a seven per cent reduction in the Ofgem energy price cap. And we all dutifully played the quarterly game of...

01.06.2025 8

Herald Scotland

David Hilferty

Beware of the blame game on ‘choices’

“April Cruel Day”. “Awful April.”... just some of the names given to the 1st of April this year as rent, council tax, energy, broadband, and...

13.04.2025 10

Herald Scotland

David Hilferty

Why we urgently need an energy debt relief scheme

On Thursday we called on the energy regulator, Ofgem, to bring in a new debt relief scheme for people in energy debt. This follows years of soaring...

09.02.2025 9

Herald Scotland

David Hilferty