Low-cost Initiative for First Time Buyers: equality impact assessment

Equality Impact Assessment - Results

E xecutive summary

The EQIA demonstrates that there are no potentially negative impacts to equality groups within the LIFT Scheme.

The findings of this EQIA highlighted potential benefits in terms of the overall policy aim.

Background

Scottish Ministers are committed to increasing housing supply across all tenures, helping to deliver good quality housing that meets tenants and homeowners needs, as well as helping to boost economic growth.

The overarching purpose of the current LIFT shared equity schemes (the New Supply Shared Equity Scheme and the Open Market Shared Equity Scheme) is to help first time buyers on low to moderate incomes who could not otherwise afford to buy to achieve their home ownership aspirations, where ownership is expected to be sustainable for them over the long term. LIFT aims to help people to buy in order to allow them to continue living in the local area. It also aims to help develop mixed communities by encouraging home ownership alongside social housing developments and to help free up social housing for others by encouraging social rented tenants to buy through LIFT where they both want and can afford to do so.

The Scope of the EQIA

This updated EQIA gathered a range of data and information to inform the analysis of the ongoing impact of the LIFT Scheme:

In particular:

• Review of evidence gathered from existing LIFT monitoring forms for those currently accessing the Scheme.
• Scottish Household Survey ( SHS) data on household information in Scotland.

Key Findings

No issues have been identified as a result of the EQIA process.

Recommendations and Conclusion

Our assessment is that the LIFT Scheme does not give rise to any equality issues.