Policy & Publications
This section will help you to search for policy, publications and information on issues affecting Gypsies and Travellers. Use the filter on the left hand side to refine your search.
The Sun Apologises
In 2009, the Sun newspaper published an inaccurate article suggesting that a group of Gypsies had damaged a police helicopter which, it claimed, had been carrying out surveillance of an encampment. Emma Nuttall of FFT checked the facts with the police and discovered that, not only was there no evidence linking the damage to the helicopter with Gypsies but the police had not been carrying out surveillance of the site as the paper had claimed.
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Channel 4’s “Bigger Fatter Gypsier”
An overview of Channel 4’s “Big Fat Gypsy” series, its negative characterisation of the Gypsy and Traveller communities and landmarks in the battle to have fairer and more accurate media representations of Gypsies and Travellers
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Guidance on Managing Unauthorised Encampments
This document was created by the Office of the Deputy Prime Minister (DCLG) and the Home Office and is intended for elected officials and others in the community who have an interest in how unauthorised camping by Gypsies and Travellers is managed in their area.
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Historical Laws affecting Gypsies and Travellers
An overview of historical laws affecting Gypsies and Travellers.
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The Human Rights Act 1998 and its impact on Gypsies and Travellers
Marc Willers of Garden Court Chambers and Alex Pickles of Travellers Aid Trust outline how the Human Rights Act 1998 impacts upon Travellers.
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Common Ground: Equality, good race relations and sites for Gypsies and Irish Travellers, 2006
The Commission for Racial Equality launched an inquiry in October 2004 to examine local authorities’ arrangements for planning, providing and maintaining sites. This report summarises the findings and recommendations which arose as a result.
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Assessing local authorities’ progress in meeting the accommodation needs of Gypsy and Traveller communities in England and Wales: 2010 Update
There is a recognised national shortfall in Gypsy and Traveller site provision. This report is the 2010 update of an earlier report which assessed the requirements for pitch provision in England and set out the need for a new strategic approach to site provision to meet the national shortfall.
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Assessing local housing authorities’ progress in meeting the accommodation needs of Gypsy and Traveller communities in England by Philip Brown and Pat Niner.
There is a recognised national shortfall in Gypsy and Traveller site provision. This report assesses the requirements for pitch provision in England and sets out the need for a new strategic approach to site provision to meet the national shortfall.
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Gypsies and Travellers: simple solutions for living together
A report from the Equality and Human Rights Commission outlining the need for more authorised site provision for Gypsies and Travellers.
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Travelling to Better Health
A health improvement guide written by Gypsies and Travellers for Gypsies and Travellers.
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Inequalities Experienced by Gypsy and Traveller Communities
A report which aims to draw together the evidence from a wide range of Gypsies’ and Travellers’ experiences in order to set out clearly the full extent of the inequalities and discrimination faced by these communities.
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Fair Access for all? Gypsies and Travellers in Sussex, GP Surgeries and Barriers to Primary Healthcare
A report discussing barriers preventing Gypsies and Travellers from accessing primary healthcare, with a research focus on GP surgeries in Sussex.
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