Scottish Government announces changes to the Gypsy/Traveller Accommodation fund						

					

											
6 December 2024

									

			

					

	




    



    
        


            

                


                    

                        
The Scottish Government has issued the following statement about the future of the GTAF:

“……the Scottish Government will take the necessary steps so that funding for Gypsy/Traveller accommodation can be accessed alongside housing under the Affordable Housing Supply Programme (or a successor housing programme) in the next Parliament i.e. from 2026-27 onwards. In the meantime, the Fund will remain on pause and we can confirm that will not be selecting further demonstration projects in 2025-26.”


This is likely to mean that councils will now have to have an evidence based case for provision (or the lack of it) to meet the needs of Gypsy/Travellers or face the risk of an equalities based challenge to their SHIP.


Therefore the accommodation needs of Gypsy/Travellers will have to be fully assessed and understood, and the full range of options available will need to be reviewed.