Gypsy and Traveller communities and homelessness

Local authority duties to accommodate homeless people under Part 2 of the Housing (Scotland) Act 1987 include those without anywhere to pitch their caravan lawfully. [1] Once a member of Gypsy and Traveller communities has been accepted as statutorily homeless and entitled to housing, they must be housed according to the local authority's published rules of allocation. If, however, the local authority offers a pitch on an official Gypsy and Traveller communities' site to somebody who owns a moveable caravan, then it could consider this person as not being homeless under the legislation.

Some members of Gypsy and Traveller communities are forced to apply as homeless because of racial harassment or violence, including from other permanent housing. The Code of Guidance on Homelessness states that racial harassment should be taken into account when considering whether it would be reasonable for a person to continue living in their accommodation. [2]