Shelter Scotland and Wheatley undertake independent anti-racist review of services
Posted 01 Jun 2026
A new project is reviewing how Shelter Scotland and Wheatley services are delivered in Glasgow for Black People and People of Colour through an anti-racist lens, so that they can better meet the needs of communities.
The independent research, conducted by The Collective, features real experiences of Black People and People of Colour in the city and also explores how the housing sector can embed anti-racist practices into policy and services.
Scottish Government data shows that Black People and People of Colour are 3.1 times as likely to experience homelessness compared to White Scottish households. They are also far more likely to be illegally denied their housing rights and placed in temporary accommodation that is unsafe or unsuitable.
As part of this new research project by Shelter Scotland and Wheatley, a practical toolkit will be developed to support housing organisations in reviewing their services through an anti-racist lens and taking meaningful action.
Housing professionals are invited to hear more about the research findings and toolkit at the next Scottish Anti-Racism and Housing Network meeting on 18 June 2026 in Glasgow.
Shelter Scotland Director, Alison Watson said:
"We welcome this independent scrutiny - systemic racism is embedded in Scotland's housing system and meaningful change starts with honest reflection. We will be open about where systems, processes and cultures are creating barriers for Black People and People of Colour.
"People who experience racism in housing services are the experts in what needs to change. We’re here to listen, learn and act - to make sure that everyone can access our services safely, confidently and without discrimination."
Wheatley Group Director of Communities, Laura Pluck said:
“This review has given us important insight into customers’ experiences and where we can make improvements. We are absolutely committed to taking meaningful action to make sure our services are inclusive and fair for all.”
Notes to editors:
Shelter Scotland exists to defend the right to a safe home and fight the devastating impact the housing emergency has on people and society. We believe that home is everything.
Wheatley is Scotland’s leading housing and property-management group and was named in 2024 as the UK’s biggest builder of social housing over the previous decade (Inside Housing, April 2024). The Wheatley family provides homes and services to over 210,000 people in 19 local authority areas across Scotland and comprises: Wheatley Homes Glasgow – Scotland’s largest social landlord, with almost 43,250 homes in Glasgow; Wheatley Homes South – with around 10,370 homes across Dumfries and Galloway; Wheatley Homes East – with almost 7800 homes in Edinburgh, the Lothians and Fife; Loretto Housing – with almost 2800 homes in the central belt; Lowther – which owns almost 1300 homes for rent, manages more than 1600 homes for Wheatley Group RSLs and provides property-management services to more than 28,000 households; Wheatley Solutions – where around 730 people work together to provide Group support services; Wheatley Foundation – which invested almost £9m last year in creating opportunities for people to improve their lives; and City Building (Glasgow) – jointly owned with Glasgow City Council and providing repairs and maintenance services.
The review was conducted and written by Talat Yaqoob, Iffat Shahnaz, and Zemeta Chefeke from The Collective. The Collective was founded in 2020 and is a group of social researchers, facilitators, and participation specialists who ground their work in systems change, anti-racist, feminist, and intersectional practices.
Scottish Anti-Racism and Housing Network meeting information and tickets: https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/scottish-anti-racism-in-housing-network-tickets-1988555498025
Source of data showing that Black People and People of Colour are 3.1 times as likely to experience homelessness compared to White Scottish households:
This figure is based on relative likelihood, taking the proportion of Black and People of Colour in the general population from the last census, compared with proportion of Black and People of Colour assessed as homeless or threatened with homelessness in the Scottish Government's latest homelessness statistics. Sources: Scotland’s Census 2022 - Ethnic group, national identity, language and religion: https://www.scotlandscensus.gov.uk/2022-reports/scotland-s-census-2022-ethnic-group-national-identity-language-and-religion/
Scottish Government – Homelessness in Scotland: update to 30 September 2025: Homelessness in Scotland: update to 30 September 2025 - gov.scot