Open Market Shared Equity Scheme (OMSE): equality impact assessment
This equality impact assessment (EQIA) covers the policy change that was implemented for the 2025/26 financial year which changed the specific groups who are able to access OMSE.
The Scope of the EQIA
OMSE has been operating since 2009. This EQIA is a result of a policy change Ministers requested which is to remove first-time buyers access to the scheme and only allow those in a priority access group to apply. The nine protected characteristics considered as part of this EQIA were; age, disability, sex, pregnancy and maternity, sexual orientation, gender reassignment, and religion or belief.
Existing statistical data was identified as being available from the Scottish Household Survey, the Scottish Government’s equality evidence finder, the independent evaluation of Scottish Government shared equity schemes published in June 2020[1], the latest Characteristic of Households reports (2020/21) for the existing shared equity schemes[2], and a recent FOI published January 2025 on the number of successful OMSE applications from priority access groups[3]. We also consulted with our colleagues in the Communities and Analysis Division to help identify any data gaps.
Contact
Email: housingmarkets@gov.scot