Warm Scots Welcome programme: equality impact assessment

Recommendations and Conclusion

In developing all of the policies outlined in this Equality Impact Assessment (EQIA), careful consideration was given to the likely impacts on displaced people living in welcome accommodation. Where impacts were identified, these often applied to all displaced people from Ukraine, as their shared experiences of fleeing war and arriving in a new country created challenges that differed from those faced by the general Scottish population. However, certain impacts were more likely for individuals with specific protected characteristics, particularly sex, age, and disability, which were identified as characteristics that could increase the likelihood or severity of both positive and negative impacts.

User research with displaced people living in welcome accommodation proved invaluable in shaping the Offers of Accommodation Policy to ensure that offers were tailored to meet household needs and communicated in a way that enabled Ukrainians to fully understand their options. As a result of this policy, hundreds of Ukrainians have successfully transitioned from temporary welcome accommodation into long-term settled housing. Feedback from local authority partners, who continue to provide integration support, indicates that many Ukrainians are thriving in their new homes and communities.

Although the number of new arrivals to Scotland under the Super Sponsor Scheme has remained consistently low since January 2024, the Scottish Government continues to work with partners to welcome new arrivals and support them to move on from welcome accommodation as quickly as possible.

The Scottish Government remains committed to working with a wide range of stakeholders to monitor the impact of the policies outlined in this EQIA. Where necessary, revisions will be considered to improve policy effectiveness and minimise any negative impacts identified.