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

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The policy development was primarily to eliminate the current distinction where a seven day restriction on the time spent in unsuitable accommodation only applied to pregnant women and families with children who are homeless. Opening the restriction from this cohort to all homeless households means that the age profile will change from the current UAO focus on younger people who are specifically targeted as a priority group under the 2014 Order.

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This policy development aimed to offer equal opportunity to all people presenting as homeless and opens the seven day restriction up to all. The legislation includes a new accommodation model - for community hosting. This model is used more frequently at the moment for young, single people, however, the Scottish Government wishes to see this model being used, where it is appropriate to do so, for a wider age demographic.

In addition shared tenancy and rapid access accommodation models have been added to the legislation to cater for the fact that it is no longer only families that are the focus of the order and these accommodation types are focussed on single people needs.

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The policy is not intended or expected to directly or indirectly impact on the interactions among and between different age groups.

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This policy development aims to eliminate discrimination as it will open the seven day restriction of time spent in unsuitable accommodation to all persons experiencing homelessness.

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This policy development aims to offer equal opportunity to all people presenting as homeless and opens the seven day restriction up to all. An exemption does exist for supported accommodation, some of the users of which are those with physical disabilities and learning difficulties, however the policy aims to ensure that there is equality of access to suitable temporary and supported accommodation for all.

The legislative amendment adds in wording to ensure that the physical accessibility and suitability needs of vulnerable people are met.

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The policy is not intended or expected to directly or indirectly impact on the interactions among and between people with and without disabilities.

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This policy development aims to eliminate discrimination as it will open the seven day restriction of time spent in unsuitable accommodation to all persons experiencing homelessness.

Men and women do experience homelessness in different ways, including the reasons for becoming homeless in the first place.

For female main applicants, the most common reason for making a homelessness application is a violent or abusive dispute within the household, this accounts for 23% of all applications from female main applicants and compares to 5% of applications from male main applicants. This amendment to the Order retains an exemption for refuges, allowing women the ability to flee from domestic violence as a top priority.

The data shows us that single males are more likely to be placed in B&Bs or hostels than any other group and men are most likely to be sleeping rough.

The legislation includes the addition of rapid access accommodation where the priority is to get those who are rough sleeping or those at risk of rough sleeping a place to go and help and support.

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This policy development aims to offer equal opportunity to all people presenting as homeless and opens the seven day restriction up to all.

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The policy is not intended or expected to directly or indirectly impact on the interactions among and between different genders.

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This policy development aims to offer equal opportunity to all people presenting as homeless and opens the seven day restriction up to all. This removes the former positive discrimination that only applied to women who are pregnant and families with children under the current UAO.

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This policy development aims to offer equal opportunity to all people presenting as homeless and opens the seven day restriction up to all, which currently already applies to women who are pregnant and families with children.

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The policy is not intended or expected to directly or indirectly impact on the interactions among and between people with different pregnancy or maternity statuses.

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This policy development aims to eliminate discrimination as it will open the seven day restriction of time spent in unsuitable accommodation to all persons experiencing homelessness.

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This policy development aims to offer equal opportunity to all people presenting as homeless and opens the seven day restriction up to all.

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The policy is not intended or expected to directly or indirectly impact on the interactions among and between cisgender and transgender people.

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This policy development aims to eliminate discrimination as it will open the seven day restriction of time spent in unsuitable accommodation to all persons experiencing homelessness.

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This policy development aims to offer equal opportunity to all people presenting as homeless and opens the seven day restriction up to all.

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The policy is not intended or expected to directly or indirectly impact on the interactions among and between people with different sexual orientations.

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This policy development aims to eliminate discrimination as it will open the seven day restriction of time spent in unsuitable accommodation to all persons experiencing homelessness, regardless of race.

During 2019/20, 86% of main applicants were of White ethnicity (74% were of White Scottish ethnicity). By comparison 96% of the Scottish population are of white ethnicity (84% White Scottish)

Under the current UAO, the data shows that the highest percentage of people staying in unsuitable accommodation identifies as white ethnicity, making up 56% of all those placed in unsuitable accommodation for more than seven days.

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This policy development aims to offer equal opportunity to all people presenting as homeless and opens the seven day restriction up to all.

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The policy is not intended or expected to directly or indirectly impact on the interactions among and between different ethnicities.

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This policy development aims to eliminate discrimination as it will open the seven day restriction of time spent in unsuitable accommodation to all persons experiencing homelessness.

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This policy development aims to offer equal opportunity to all people presenting as homeless and opens the seven day restriction up to all.

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The policy is not intended or expected to directly or indirectly impact on the interactions among and between people with different religions and beliefs.

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This policy development aims to eliminate discrimination as it offer equal opportunity to all people presenting as homeless and opens the seven day restriction of time spent in unsuitable accommodation to all.