Policy & Publications

The Criminalisation of Trespass – Community Law Partnership Legal Briefing

On 17th March 2021, Community Law Partnership released a legal briefing on Government proposals to criminalise trespass in the Police, Crime, Sentencing and Courts Bill.  The briefing provides context to unauthorised encampments in England and the likely impact of the legislation for nomadic Gypsies and Travellers.

Friends Families and Travellers submission to the Runnymede Trust Civil Society Monitoring Report 2021: Convention on the Elimination of Racial Discrimination (CERD)

The following submission draws on the previous 2016 CERD Committee recommendations on Gypsy, Roma and Traveller communities in relation to; education, accommodation, race hate and steps taken to address discrimination in these areas.

Last on the list: An overview of unmet need for pitches on Traveller sites in England

Research on numbers of permanent and transit pitches available, and waiting list length on sites.

Homeless in Europe: Winter 2020

The FEANTSA Winter Magazine 2020 focuses on ‘Roma Experiences of Homelessness in Europe’. The edition includes a contribution from the team at Roma Support Group ‘An uncertain future for Roma rough sleepers in a post-Brexit UK’

House of Commons Library Research Briefing: Police powers unauthorised encampments

This short House of Commons Library briefing paper, written by Jennifer Brown, discusses police powers in relation to unauthorised encampments. It also discusses current Government proposals to reform the policing of unauthorised encampments.

Friends, Families and Travellers submission to the Commission on Race and Ethnic Disparities Call for Evidence on Ethnic Disparities and Inequality in the UK

This response to the Commission on Race and Ethnic Disparities’ call for evidence sets out ethnic disparities and inequality in the UK for Gypsy and Traveller people.

Friends, Families and Travellers and the National Federation of Gypsy Liaison Groups’ submission to the Public Services Committee Inquiry ‘Public Services: lessons from coronavirus’

Friends, Families and Travellers and the National Federation of Gypsy Liaison Groups’ submission to the Public Services Committee Inquiry ‘Public Services: lessons from coronavirus’, calling for scrutiny and to hold the Government to account for their treatment of Gypsy, Roma and Traveller communities during the Covid-19 pandemic.

Friends, Families and Travellers Annual Report 2020

Webinar: Legal briefing on unauthorised encampments, evictions and service provision in England

This FFT and Community Law Partnership ‘legal briefing’ webinar discussed unauthorised encampments, evictions and service provision in England with a focus on implications during the Covid-19 pandemic.

‘How coronavirus has affected equality and human rights’, October 2020: Is Britain fairer? Report series

This Equality and Human Rights Commission report summarises evidence that helps us understand the effects of the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic on different communities in society.

‘Millions without mail’: A Citizens Advice report

This report identifies the multiple impacts of being unable to receive mail for 7 million people in the UK, with marginalised groups including nomadic communities, people experiencing homelessness and survivors of domestic abuse most affected.

Report: Police renew calls for more Gypsy and Traveller sites in opposition to the criminalisation of unauthorised encampments

In this piece of research, FFT have set to find out the responses of police bodies to the Government’s 2019 consultation, the full results of which are due to be published by the Government in Autumn 2020.

Roma and Travellers in six countries

This report from the European Union Agency for Fundamental Rights presents survey findings on the experiences of Roma and Travellers from Belgium, France, Ireland, the Netherlands, Sweden and the United Kingdom.

Friends, Families and Travellers submission to the Joint Committee on Human Rights – The Government’s response to COVID-19: human rights implications

This submission highlights how the Government response to Covid-19 has failed to ensure the protection of the rights of Gypsies, Roma and Travellers under Article 2 Right to education, Article 8 Respect for private and family life in conjunction with Article 14 Protection from discrimination of the Human Rights Act (HRA) 1998.

Best Practice for assessing the accommodation needs of Gypsies and Travellers

This document provides a good practice guide, seeking to improve the undertaking and application of assessments for Gypsy and Traveller accommodation needs.