Gypsies and Travellers: Community, Equality and Discrimination

01 Jun 2015

Gypsies and Travellers are legally recognized ethnic minority groups with a centuries old cultural tradition of nomadism. The majority of the UK’s 150,000 to 300,000 Gypsies and Travellers are part of their local communities and live in either ‘bricks and mortar’ housing or on authorised Traveller sites, a majority of which are privately provided. Gypsies and Travellers continue to face high levels of discrimination and racism, contributing to and exacerbating the inequalities they experience in education, health, accommodation and employment. Policies that successfully address these issues will be underpinned by the principle of bringing communities together, rather than driving them apart.