Local Housing Strategy: guidance 2026

Specialist housing including for Gypsy/Travellers, Travelling Showpeople

The Scottish Government wants older people and disabled people in Scotland to have choice, dignity and freedom to access suitable homes, built or adapted to enable them to participate as full and equal citizens. Living in the right home with the right support is vital in ensuring this is possible.

Specialist provision comes in many forms including purpose built accessible homes, wheelchair accessible homes, supported housing, or site provision for example sites/ pitches for Gypsy/Travellers amongst others and may be appropriate where mainstream housing will not meet a person’s needs. In other cases mainstream properties may also be adapted to meet specific needs.

Local authorities will be aware that a HNDA includes a specific chapter on specialist provision and that National Planning Framework 4 policy supports the delivery of high quality, sustainable homes that meet the needs of people throughout their lives. In particular, it supports proposals for new homes that improve affordability and choice by being adaptable to changing and diverse needs, and which address identified gaps in provision. This can include:

• accessible, adaptable and wheelchair accessible homes
• homes that meet the needs of older people
• a range of size of homes
• other specialist groups

Local authorities should identify the need for specialist provision housing including Gypsy/Traveller accommodation through the HNDA process, including wider engagement with appropriate stakeholders, engagement with Integration Authorities and other local intelligence.

While the reasons for requiring specialist provision to help people live independently will vary, a LHS should focus on the resulting need, whether this is bricks and mortar housing solution, and/or equipment or adaptations and/or a housing related service or range of services. The local authority should consider how to best reuse adapted housing in order to meet unmet demand. It is also important for local authorities to consider how to record investment in adaptations to housing in their area to ensure there is a clear record of changes made.

A local authority should take into consideration any additional space that an individual may require within a home to support them to live independently. For example, a space to store specialist equipment or an additional bedroom to have room to enable a carer to stay with them when required.

Specialist provision should enable a person to live as independently as possible in their own home. However, in certain circumstances, such as concern over safety, the ability to manage alone or the level of care that is required may mean that supported accommodation may be a more appropriate form of accommodation.

Local authorities will want to consider and plan effectively for the changing circumstances and points of transition in people’s lives. This can include:

• children moving into adulthood
• those leaving care
• those living with parents that are ready to live independently
• those whose parents are no longer able to provide care for them at home
• those in hospitals or residential schools with no need to continue to stay in these institutions.

Information from local authority education and social work departments should be considered in understanding the needs of people in the area and any specific housing requirements.

A LHS should demonstrate that consideration has been given to the specialist housing requirements for those of all ages, in all types of household, across all tenures, including those on the Dynamic Support Register and:

• disabled people
• older people
• neurodivergent people
• people with autism
• people with learning disabilities
• people with deafness, sight loss and dual sensory loss
• people who are vulnerable, frail, living with dementia, needing support to remain at home/living in the community
• people with mental health problems
• people with complex needs
• people leaving supported accommodation – persons with convictions, care leavers, people with high support needs currently either in long term care in hospital or out of area placement, those discharged from hospital or a similar institution
• people who require supported accommodation – for example at risk families, people who are homeless or at risk of homelessness, and those who cannot live independently
• people who have been in temporary accommodation for over two years
• young people transitioning to independent living for the first time
• ethnic minorities, including migrants, unaccompanied asylum-seeking children, and refugees
• Gypsy/Travellers
• Travelling Showpeople
• lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender people (local authorities are encouraged to consider the findings of the report ‘Inclusive Housing and Social Care for Older LGBT+ People’ which considers the needs of older LGBT+ people in Scotland)

Local authorities are required to include an all-tenure wheelchair accessible housing target in a LHS. In setting this target local authorities should consider guidance to support the delivery of more wheelchair accessible housing NPF4 includes proposals for new homes that including self-provided homes; accessible, adaptable and wheelchair accessible homes amongst others.

Summary of areas expected to be included in LHS

a. a clear and concise summary of current levels of specialist housing (both accommodation and care and repair), current levels of need, gaps in provision and future need for provision together with a summary of how the local authority plans to address need over the period of a LHS with reference to specific priority groups.

b. a summary of the local authority’s wheelchair accessible housing target across all tenures including progress that has been achieved in delivering targets that are in place.

c. a short summary of specific mechanisms the local authority has in place to allow it to plan effectively for, and react to, changes of circumstance and points of transition, such as: children moving into adulthood; those leaving care; those living with parents that are ready to live independently; those whose parents are no longer able to provide care for them at home; and those in hospitals or residential schools with no need to continue to stay in these institutions.

d. a short summary on the local authority’s policy for allocation of social rented stock that has been adapted, with a weblink to the relevant Allocation Policy document.

e. a short summary of what specific strategies the local authority has in place to provide sufficient and appropriate housing information and advice that supports people to access suitable accommodation.

f. evidence of collaboration between local authority housing officials and Community Justice Partnership around people leaving prison or a similar institution get the right housing support that they need.

Gypsy/Travellers

The Scottish Government has a long-standing commitment to improving outcomes for all Gypsy/Travellers in Scotland, who have some of the poorest outcomes of any group in terms of health (including life expectancy), education and employment. As noted in Tackling child poverty - progress report 2023 to 2024: annex B - focus report on other marginalised groups at risk of poverty, Gypsy/Travellers have faced high levels of discrimination, judgement and prejudice in Scotland for hundreds of years, and continue to do so. This limits their ability to access opportunities supporting social mobility, not least in relation to education, healthcare and employment.

To build on progress made in the Gypsy/Traveller Action Plan, Improving the Lives of Scotland's Gypsy/Travellers, published in 2019, the Scottish Government published Improving the Lives of Scotland’s Gypsy/Travellers 2, in September 2024. This includes a number of accommodation actions and evidence gathered from Gypsy/Travellers in preparation for the plan about what is important to them in accommodation provision.

Engagement with Gypsy/Traveller communities

Effective targeting of investment relies on a good understanding of Gypsy/Travellers needs, which can vary depending on the situation and culture of residents.

The Interim Site Design Guide for Gypsy/Traveller Sites contains guidance in relation to engagement with Gypsy/Traveller communities. The Scottish Government has published supplementary material to the Interim Site Design Guide that includes case studies on community engagement in relation to improvement works on sites. The Scottish Housing Regulator recently published a thematic review of landlords’ approaches to involving Gypsy/Travellers which highlighted a range of weaknesses.

In preparing a LHS, local authorities should have a full understanding of the requirements of Gypsy/Travellers who live permanently in their area and the travelling and temporary encampment patterns in their area.

Current provision and future need

Local authorities should be aware of an Evidence Review published in 2020 relating to the accommodation needs of Gypsy/Travellers, highlighting a range of considerations.

Local authorities will also be aware that the Scottish Government updated its HNDA Guidance in 2020, strengthening the evidence-base, by requiring local authorities and planning authorities to consult with individuals or representatives of those with a protected characteristic during the production of the HNDA.

Local authorities should be aware that the Scottish Government plans to commission work on an Accommodation Needs Toolkit. This will have a practical focus, aimed at improving the way that HNDA, LHS and Development Plans reflect the needs of Gypsy/Travellers and helping planning authorities to meet their duties under the Planning (Scotland) Act 2019 in relation to local development planning and Evidence Reports.

Standards

Many Gypsy/Traveller sites provide permanent homes for residents over a long period. To accompany the Gypsy/Traveller Accommodation Fund and to drive a significant improvement in the quality of sites, the Interim Site Design Guide for Gypsy/Traveller sites was developed in conjunction with local authorities and with input from members of Gypsy/Traveller communities.

While new sites or redevelopments of existing sites should be in line with the Interim Site Design Guide, the Minimum Standards for Gypsy/Traveller sites which cover areas such as safety, maintenance, repairs and facilities still set the standard below which sites should not fall. Where a local authority with Gypsy/Traveller sites no longer complies with minimum site standards, it is required to set out in its Annual Assurance Statement to the Scottish Housing Regulator the nature of the issue, and how and when it will make the necessary improvements to ensure compliance as quickly as possible. Therefore, in developing a LHS, local authorities should consider information included in Annual Assurance Statements.

Alongside work to mainstream funding into the Affordable Housing Supply Programme, outlined below, the Scottish Government and Convention of Scottish Local Authorities (COSLA) have agreed to work in partnership to review site standards and align with relevant aspects of housing standards.

Funding

Under the Gypsy/Traveller Accommodation Fund, announced in Housing 2040, nearly £15 million has been committed or spent between 2021 to 2022 and 2024 to 2025 to allow Councils to progress their projects for more and better accommodation. Local authorities identified a need to build experience and skills in Gypsy/Traveller site development. The funding has therefore been focused on a number of demonstration projects in six local authority areas to establish examples of model sites; Aberdeen City, Clackmannanshire, Fife, Highland, Perth and Kinross and South Lanarkshire.

The Scottish Government has taken action to mainstream funding for Gypsy/Traveller accommodation through the Affordable Housing Supply Programme, with future projects, for funding from 2026 to 2027, expected to come forward in local authority Strategic Housing Investment Plans.

Supplementary guidance has been provided for Gypsy/Traveller projects as the transition is made to fund these from Resource Planning Assumptions (RPAs) under the Affordable Housing Supply Programme.

Local authorities should be aware that an evaluation of the Gypsy/Traveller Accommodation Fund and Interim Site Design Guide is due to complete in 2026. This will gather the key points of learning from the demonstration projects to inform future policy, a final Site Design Guide and individual local authority projects.

In a LHS, local authorities should show how new sites/pitches may be funded using options available to the local authority and registered social landlords, such as site rental income, capital grant allocation or a future application for funding from the Scottish Government.

Summary of areas expected to be included in LHS

a. evidence of recent engagement with Gypsy/Traveller communities to better understand their needs.

b. a summary of an assessment of current and future need, an analysis of the gap between need and provision and how unmet need will be met. This should include consideration of both public provision and private sites/yards, permanent residential, seasonal or transit accommodation and any cross boundary or regional implications with other local authorities.

c. an assessment of how existing sites will continue to meet all relevant standards and the needs of the Gypsy/Traveller communities in the longer term.

d. whether any redevelopment or replacement of existing sites will be required in the future and if so, within what timescales.

Travelling Showpeople

Historically, Travelling Showpeople moved around between March and October, living in caravans and attending fairs, while in the winter months securing more permanent bases to live and store equipment. Now, many Travelling Showpeople live on permanent sites, which allows their needs, such as access to health facilities and the education of their children, to be better met.

Travelling Showpeople see themselves as a distinct group from Gypsy/Travellers. Travelling Showpeople require land alongside the residential pitches and caravans to store and work on rides and machinery and to allow HGVs or other large vehicles to access, park and turn. The combination of residential and commercial activity can make it difficult for families to identify suitable sites. Travelling Showpeople will also have an interest in temporary sites to operate funfairs.

Local authorities should ensure that the need for sites is understood and addressed. Sites must be suitable for accommodation as well as providing space for storage and maintenance of equipment. This can mean that sites are located in more industrial settings, but this should not impact on the quality of accommodation or availability of the services they require.

Summary of areas expected to be included in LHS

a. evidence of recent engagement with the Travelling Showpeople community to better understand their needs.

b. consideration of the need for new sites for Travelling Showpeople and if there is any need identified for a residential site for all year living, how this is being addressed and within what timescales.