Key Points

This report explores demographics for the Gypsy/Traveller population and draws comparisons to the rest of Scotland (excluding Gypsy/Travellers) using data from Scotland’s Census 2022. This includes intersectional data where sample sizes allow. In total, 3,343 people in Scotland identified as Gypsy/Traveller in the 2022 Census (0.06% of the population).

The following key points show the main differences between the Gypsy/Traveller population when compared to the rest of Scotland. Where the Gypsy/Traveller percentages are based on small numbers as shown in the main body of the report, results should be interpreted with caution because a small change in responses might result in a large apparent effect on the calculated proportions.

Demographics

• In 2022, the Gypsy/Traveller population was generally younger than the rest of Scotland.
• A higher percentage of Gypsy/Travellers identified as ‘Other Christian’ (13.7%) and ‘Pagan’ (3.8%) than the rest of Scotland (5.1% and 0.3% respectively).
• A slightly higher proportion of Gypsy/Travellers reported that they identified as gay, lesbian, bisexual or other sexual orientation (LGB+) than the rest of Scotland (9.0% compared to 4.0%). There was a similar finding for trans status or history (2.2% of Gypsy/Travellers compared to 0.4% of the rest of Scotland).

Household and Housing Characteristics

• A higher proportion of Gypsy/Travellers reported living in flats, maisonettes or apartments than the rest of Scotland (38.4% compared to 27.6%). Gypsy/Travellers were also more likely to report living in a Caravan or other mobile or temporary structure (7.0%) than the rest of Scotland (0.1%). 
• About half of Gypsy/Travellers lived in accommodation that was socially rented (49.8%) and a fifth lived in privately rented accommodation (20.5%). This is higher than the rest of Scotland (20.3% and 12.4% respectively).

National Identity and Country of Birth

• A slightly higher proportion of Gypsy/Travellers reported their country of birth to be ‘Rest of UK’ (14.5%) and, separately, ‘Rest of Europe’ (9.1%) when compared to the rest of Scotland (10.4% and 4.7%).
• A higher proportion of Gypsy/Travellers reported being at a different UK address one year prior to filling the Census questionnaire (12.8% compared to 8.6%).

Education and Student Status

• Among Gypsy/Travellers who reported English as their main language, 80.7% said they could speak, read, and write in English. This compares to 95.5% in the rest of Scotland. Conversely, 19.4% of Gypsy/Travellers with English as their main language reported a different combination of English speaking, reading and writing skills, compared to 4.5% of the rest of Scotland.
• A much higher proportion of the Gypsy/Traveller population aged 16 and over reported having no qualifications (43.8%) than the rest of Scotland aged 16 and over (16.6%).

Economic Activity

• A smaller proportion of Gypsy/Travellers aged 16 and over reported being economically active as full-time or part-time employees compared to the rest of Scotland (30.1% and 50.6% respectively).
• The proportion of Gypsy/Travellers that were unemployed but looking for work at the time of the census was slightly higher than the rest of Scotland (5.0% compared to 2.6%).
• Of Gypsy/Travellers who reported being economically inactive, the most common reasons were long-term sickness or disability (18.6%) and looking after home or family (11.0%). This was higher compared to the rest of Scotland (5.2% and 3.4% respectively).
• There was a slightly higher proportion of Gypsy/Travellers than the rest of Scotland aged 3 and over who provided any amount of unpaid care (15.8% compared to 11.9%).

Health

• Nearly a quarter (23.4%) of Gypsy/Travellers reported being limited a lot while 16.2% reported being limited a little. For the rest of Scotland these proportions were smaller (10.8% and 13.3%). Both female and male Gypsy/Travellers were more likely to report a limiting health condition or disability than the same sexes in the rest of Scotland.
• Among Gypsy/Travellers, 17.9% reported that they had a condition that limits one or more basic physical activities such as walking, climbing stairs, lifting or carrying while only 9.7% of the rest of Scotland reported this.
• A much higher percentage of Gypsy/Travellers reported bad or very bad health compared to the rest of Scotland (18.9% and 6.9% respectively).
• Gypsy/Travellers 35 and over were more likely to report having bad or very bad health than those aged 35+ in the rest of Scotland (31.2% compared to 10.4%). For those aged 0 to 34, Gypsy/Travellers were also less likely to report very good or good health in comparison to people in the same age category for the rest of Scotland (80.3% compared to 92.7%).
• A higher proportion of Gypsy/Travellers reported having a mental health condition than the rest of Scotland (26.2% and 11.3%).
• A higher proportion of Gypsy/Traveller males (24.3%) and females (28.2%) reported having a mental health condition compared to the same sexes for the rest of Scotland (9.2% and 13.3% respectively).
• A higher proportion of Gypsy/Travellers aged 0 to 34 reported a mental health condition when compared to the rest of Scotland in the same age group (20.4% and 10.7%). This difference was even larger when comparing Gypsy/Travellers aged over 35 to the rest of Scotland who were aged 35 and over (32.1% and 11.7% respectively).