London Boroughs’ Gypsy and Traveller Accommodation Needs Assessment FINAL REPORT March 2008 Fordham Research Group Ltd, 57-59 Goldney Road, London, W9 2AR T. 020 7289 3988 F. 020 7289 3309 E. [email protected] www.fordhamresearch.com Table of Contents Acknowledgements A large number of people have contributed to this report and the research behind it and we are grateful to them all. Special thanks go to our community interviewers (Adele Gregory, Breda Mahoney, Bridget Maloney, Bridget McCarthy, Brigid Corcoran, Ceri Hutchinson, Eddie McDonough, Jeremy White, Joanna Joyce, Jonathan Miller, Jules Rendall, Lena McCarthy, Linda Morgan, Sally Barter). Interviews were also conducted by Georgiana Dragu, Graham Sivyer, Valdemar Kalinin, Tiberiu Vaduva, Canterbury Gypsy Support Group, Children’s Society and Wise Data. In addition we are grateful to the support and advice of Lesley Mallet and the Project Management Group, members of the Project Steering Group, John Bloxsom, and the Irish Traveller Movement in Britain, who acted as independent advisors. Jamie Keddie Project Manager Page i London GTANA: Final Report Page ii Table of Contents Table of Contents Acknowledgements........................................................................................................................i Table of Contents.........................................................................................................................iii Executive Summary......................................................................................................................1 Introduction............................................................................................................................................1 Literature review....................................................................................................................................2 Population trends and estimates...........................................................................................................2 Population estimates.............................................................................................................................4 Stakeholder consultation.......................................................................................................................4 Survey methodology..............................................................................................................................4 Key findings from the survey.................................................................................................................5 Accommodation need............................................................................................................................7 Conclusions...........................................................................................................................................9 1. Introduction.............................................................................................................................11 The topic of this study..........................................................................................................................11 Commissioning the study....................................................................................................................11 Policy background...............................................................................................................................12 Gypsies and Travellers in London.......................................................................................................14 Who does the London Assessment cover?.........................................................................................15 English Gypsies...................................................................................................................................16 Irish Travellers.....................................................................................................................................16 New Travellers.....................................................................................................................................16 Travelling Showpeople........................................................................................................................17 Eastern European Roma.....................................................................................................................17 Aims and objectives of the research...................................................................................................17 Project management...........................................................................................................................18 Report format.......................................................................................................................................18 Summary.............................................................................................................................................18 SECTION A: CONTEXT OF THE STUDY.....................................................................................21 2. Trends in population levels....................................................................................................23 Introduction..........................................................................................................................................23 Total number of caravans....................................................................................................................24 Caravans on authorised sites..............................................................................................................25 Caravans on unauthorised sites..........................................................................................................26 Summary.............................................................................................................................................27 3. Population estimates..............................................................................................................29 Introduction..........................................................................................................................................29 Population estimates for survey sampling...........................................................................................30 Page iii London GTANA: Final Report South West.........................................................................................................................................30 South East..........................................................................................................................................31 East.....................................................................................................................................................31 North...................................................................................................................................................32 West....................................................................................................................................................32 Population estimates for assessing need...........................................................................................32 Summary............................................................................................................................................35 SECTION B: PRIMARY DATA.....................................................................................................37 4. Stakeholder consultation.......................................................................................................39 Introduction.........................................................................................................................................39 Residential sites..................................................................................................................................39 Transit sites........................................................................................................................................40 Gypsies and Travellers in housing.....................................................................................................40 Improved community relations............................................................................................................41 Summary............................................................................................................................................41 5. Survey methodology..............................................................................................................43 Introduction.........................................................................................................................................43 The questionnaire...............................................................................................................................43 Determination of the sample...............................................................................................................44 Interviewers........................................................................................................................................45 Fieldwork strategy...............................................................................................................................45 Summary............................................................................................................................................46 6. Gypsies and Travellers living on authorised sites...............................................................49 Introduction.........................................................................................................................................49 The sample.........................................................................................................................................49 Current accommodation.....................................................................................................................50 Site facilities and condition.................................................................................................................50 Living on sites.....................................................................................................................................53 Previous accommodation...................................................................................................................55 Accommodation expectations.............................................................................................................56 Travelling............................................................................................................................................57 Summary............................................................................................................................................58 7. Gypsies and Travellers living on unauthorised sites...........................................................59 Introduction.........................................................................................................................................59 Current accommodation.....................................................................................................................59 Accommodation expectations.............................................................................................................62 Travelling............................................................................................................................................63 New Travellers....................................................................................................................................63 Summary............................................................................................................................................64 8. Gypsies and Travellers living in housing..............................................................................65 Introduction.........................................................................................................................................65 The sample.........................................................................................................................................65 Page iv Table of Contents Current accommodation......................................................................................................................66 Condition of the home.........................................................................................................................69 Accommodation expectations..............................................................................................................70 Travelling.............................................................................................................................................72 Summary.............................................................................................................................................73 9. Access to services..................................................................................................................75 Introduction..........................................................................................................................................75 Discrimination......................................................................................................................................75 Health and support needs...................................................................................................................78 Education, employment and skills.......................................................................................................80 Summary.............................................................................................................................................81 10. Travelling Showpeople.........................................................................................................83 Introduction..........................................................................................................................................83 The sample..........................................................................................................................................83 Accommodation...................................................................................................................................83 Travelling patterns...............................................................................................................................86 Accommodation provision...................................................................................................................86 Local services and advice...................................................................................................................88 Health and Education..........................................................................................................................89 Summary.............................................................................................................................................89 SECTION C: NEED ASSESSMENTS...........................................................................................91 11. Assessing the needs of Gypsies and Travellers living in housing....................................93 Introduction..........................................................................................................................................93 Psychological aversion........................................................................................................................93 Criteria for assessing need..................................................................................................................95 Summary.............................................................................................................................................96 12. Gypsy and Traveller accommodation need.........................................................................97 Introduction..........................................................................................................................................97 Requirement for residential pitches, 2007-2012: summary.................................................................97 Requirement for residential pitches, 2007-2012: steps of the calculation...........................................99 Requirements for transit pitches: 2007-2012....................................................................................103 Requirement for housing, 2007-2012: summary...............................................................................104 Requirement for housing, 2007-2012: steps of the calculation.........................................................106 Requirements for transit pitches: 2012-2017....................................................................................110 Requirement for residential pitches and housing, 2012-2017: Summary.........................................110 Size and tenure.................................................................................................................................113 Sub-regional summary......................................................................................................................114 Borough summary.............................................................................................................................115 Borough breakdowns.........................................................................................................................117 Summary of all need requirements: 2007-2017................................................................................150 13. Travelling Showpeople accommodation need..................................................................151 Introduction........................................................................................................................................151 Page v London GTANA: Final Report Need calculation: 2007-2012............................................................................................................151 Supply...............................................................................................................................................153 Overall requirement..........................................................................................................................153 Need calculation: 2012-2017............................................................................................................154 Plot numbers required: 2007-2017...................................................................................................156 Summary..........................................................................................................................................158 14. Conclusions on the evidence............................................................................................159 Introduction.......................................................................................................................................159 Accommodation measurement issues..............................................................................................159 Data gathering issues.......................................................................................................................160 Substantive results...........................................................................................................................161 Conclusions on accommodation need..............................................................................................162 Where should the need be met?......................................................................................................163 Next steps.........................................................................................................................................164 Summary..........................................................................................................................................165 Glossary....................................................................................................................................167 Page vi Executive Summary Executive Summary Introduction S1. This report details the findings from the first Gypsy and Traveller Accommodation Needs Assessment (GTANA) for London. The report was commissioned by the Greater London Authority, on behalf of 33 London boroughs, in response to the Housing Act 2004 which requires local authorities to consider Gypsies and Travellers accommodation needs in their local housing assessments. S2. Such an initiative was required due to Gypsies and Travellers being among the most disadvantaged sectors of society in terms of their accommodation. The lack of a provision of sites since legislation in 1960 and socio-economic changes have had an adverse effect of their traditional way of life. Council owned sites in several boroughs have closed in recent years and no new socially rented sites have been built since 1996. S3. This study covers all boroughs in London.1 It considers a range of Gypsy and Traveller groups found in London, including English Gypsies, Irish Travellers, New Travellers, Travelling Showpeople and Eastern European Roma. It draws upon a range of data sources, including: • Secondary information, including a literature review and secondary data • Stakeholder consultation, with London organisations involved with Gypsies and Travellers affairs • Survey of over 800 Gypsies and Travellers living on sites and in housing S4. The aim of this study is to assess accommodation needs for these groups in London by borough, sub-region and region. The purpose is to establish how many units of accommodation (either bricks and mortar dwellings, or pitches for caravans) are needed, the extent to which these should be provided socially or privately, and what the backlog of unmet need may be. It should be stressed that this study aims to provide the evidence base for the policy-making process. It details the type of accommodation required to meet any shortfall of need among London’s Gypsies and Travellers, but precisely where and how the accommodation should be provided is beyond the scope of this report and will be subject to further policy analysis. 1 London Borough of Bexley was excluded from the commissioning of this research and no survey work took place there. However its secondary data has been modelled using data from elsewhere in London, shown separately in Appendix 10. Page 1 London GTANA: Final Report Literature review S5. Existing research into Gypsies and Travellers suggests that legislation implemented since the 1960s has negatively impacted on Gypsy and Traveller communities, with the Housing Act 2004 and subsequent Government guidance designed to address this imbalance. The Race Relations Amendment Act 2000 has afforded Gypsies and Irish Travellers legal protection against discrimination, including from housing authorities. S6. However, it is apparent from the research that the most pressing issue remains that of inadequate permanent and transit site provision. Existing research in London has found that as the number of local authority pitches has fallen there has been an increase in the number of unauthorised sites in outer London boroughs and neighbouring areas. No new sites have been built in London since 1996. S7. For Gypsies and Travellers living in housing, the literature shows that while some made the transition from sites to improve access to health and education facilities, others had been forced there by poor health or lack of available pitches on authorised sites. High levels of isolation among housed Gypsies and Travellers have been found, and families were frequently moved between properties and often away from family members. There is a preference for living on sites, but in London these are often of poor quality, and have inconsistent management policies, as well as there being a shortage of available pitches. Population trends and estimates S8. While there are deficiencies to the Caravan Count, it remains the only source of secondary data on caravan levels and is useful for determining trends in the number for Gypsies and Travellers living on sites. Figure S1 below shows that caravans in London are more likely to be on socially rented sites than England as a whole, and less likely to be on private sites or unauthorised encampments. Page 2