Homeless Persons (Unsuitable Accommodation) (Scotland) Amendment (No.2) Order 2020: equality impact assessment

At 31 March 2020 there were 11,665 households in temporary accommodation.

Average number of days spent in temporary accommodation ranged from:

Highest - aged between 35 and 49 – 200 days

Lowest - aged 65 and over – 133 days

In 2019/20 the UAO limiting the amount of time households with pregnant women or children can be placed in unsuitable accommodation to 7 days was breached 495 times compared to 645 in 2018/19.

395 of the 495 breaches were for the age group 25-49.

Scottish Government HL1 statistics.

Data availability around age is strong.

Scottish Government does not collect data regarding disabilities from people placed in B&B for more than seven days.

No evidence gathered.

No comprehensive and accurate data is available.

Since we do not gather data we are not yet sure of the direct/indirect impact of this policy on this characteristic.

However, we aim to keep it under review and work with analysts to change the information captured by the housing/homelessness returns by local authorities to look to include data on the characteristics that are absent at the moment but when included will provide a clearer picture on how they are affected and represented in the homelessness sector and ensure we have considered disabled people's needs fully.

We will seek to engage with organisations representing disabled people to establish what their concerns are, and will then use that information to review and revise our policy as necessary, with this stakeholder intelligence sitting alongside information developed by analysts.

Of the 11,665 households in TA at 31 March 2020

The average number of days spent in temporary accommodation:

87 – single male;

108 – single male parent;

85 – single female;

131 – single female parent

In 2019/20 out of the 8825 placements where B&B was used:

55% = single males;

19% = single females;

2% = single male parent;

11% = single female parent;

The remaining 13% relates to couples and couples with children.

Scottish Government HL1 statistics.

Data availability around sex is strong.

In 2019/20 the Unsuitable Accommodation Order limiting the amount of time households with pregnant women or children can be placed in unsuitable accommodation to seven days was breached 495 times.

Of those experiencing breaches -

2% - single pregnant woman;

3% - couple with pregnant woman;

5% - single male parent;

49% - single female parent;

31% - couple with children;

10% - other with children.

Other is likely to include formal or informal kinship care arrangements, such as children living with older siblings or grandparents.

Scottish Government HL1 statistics.

Data availability is strong for this characteristic.

Scottish Government does not collect data regarding the gender reassignment status of people placed in B&B for more than seven days.

The Registrar General for Scotland maintains a Gender Recognition Register in which the birth of a transgender person whose acquired gender has been legally recognised is registered showing any new name(s) and the acquired gender. This enables the transgender person to apply to the Registrar General for Scotland for a new birth certificate showing the new name(s) and the acquired gender. In 2014, there were 16 entries in the Gender Recognition Register, the same number as in 2013. The Gender Recognition Register is not open to public scrutiny.

No evidence gathered.

No comprehensive and accurate data is available.

At the moment we do not gather data on this characteristic and so we are not yet sure of the direct/indirect impact of this policy on this characteristic.

We do aim to keep it under review and work with analysts to change the information captured by the housing/homelessness returns by local authorities to look to include data on the characteristics that are absent at the moment but when included will provide a better view on how they are affected and represented in the homelessness sector and ensure we have considered this characteristic fully.

We will seek to engage with organisations representing this characteristic to establish what their concerns are, and will then use that information to review and revise our policy as necessary, with this stakeholder intelligence sitting alongside information developed by analysts.

Scottish Government does not collect data regarding the sexual orientation of people placed in B&B for more than seven days.

No evidence gathered.

No comprehensive and accurate data is available.

At the moment we do not gather data on this characteristic and so we are unable to determine what the direct/indirect impact of this policy may be on this characteristic.

We do aim to keep it under review and work with analysts to change the information captured by the housing/homelessness returns by local authorities to look to include data on the characteristics that are absent at the moment but when included will provide a better view on how they are affected and represented in the homelessness sector and ensure we have considered this characteristic fully.

We will seek to engage with organisations representing this characteristic to establish what their concerns are, and will then use that information to review and revise our policy as necessary, with this stakeholder intelligence sitting alongside information developed by analysts.

In 2019/20 out of the 8825 placements where B&B was used there were:

80% = White;

3% = African;

1% = Caribbean or Black;

2% = Asian, Asian Scottish or Asian British;

1% = mixed or multiple ethnic groups;

8% = other ethnic group;

5% = not known or refused

In 2019/20 out of the 495 placements where B&B was used for more than seven days there were:

56% = White;

13% = African;

4% = Caribbean or Black;

7% = Asian, Asian Scottish or Asian British;

3% = mixed or multiple ethnic groups;

14% = other ethnic group;

3% = not known or refused;

Scottish Government HL1 statistics

By comparison 96% of the Scottish population are of white ethnicity.

Scottish Government does not collect data regarding the religion or beliefs held by people placed in B&B for more than seven days.

No evidence gathered.

No comprehensive and accurate data is available.

Currently we do not gather data on this characteristic and so we are unable to determine what the direct/indirect impact of this policy may be on this characteristic.

We do aim to keep it under review and work with analysts to change the information captured by the housing/homelessness returns by local authorities to look to include data on the characteristics that are absent at the moment but when included will provide a better view on how they are affected and represented in the homelessness sector and ensure we have considered this characteristic fully.

We will seek to engage with organisations representing this characteristic to establish what their concerns are, and will then use that information to review and revise our policy as necessary, with this stakeholder intelligence sitting alongside information developed by analysts.

Scottish Government does not collect data regarding the marriage or civil partnership status of people placed in B&B for more than seven days.

No evidence gathered.

No comprehensive and accurate data is available.

At the moment we do not gather data on this characteristic and so we are unable to determine what the direct/indirect impact of this policy may be on this characteristic.

We aim to keep it under review and work with analysts to change the information captured by the housing/homelessness returns by local authorities to look to include data on the characteristics that are absent at the moment but when included will provide a better view on how they are affected and represented in the homelessness sector and ensure we have considered this characteristic fully.

We will seek to engage with organisations representing this characteristic to establish what their concerns are, and will then use that information to review and revise our policy as necessary, with this stakeholder intelligence sitting alongside information developed by analysts.