Gypsy and Traveller Legal Advice project
We aim to defend and promote the rights of Gypsies and Travellers to pursue a nomadic way of life.
We provide legal advice and representation to Gypsies and Travellers who do not live in brick and mortar housing and seek safe and suitable living conditions, including bargees and van-dwellers.
Issues facing Gypsies and Travellers
- There are around 300,000 Gypsies and Travellers in the United Kingdom, 100,000 of whom live in a caravan or other mobile structure, such as boat and van dwellers.
- There are 3,000+ highly marginalised Gypsy and Traveller families stuck in transit sites or stopping places, due to a chronic shortage of permanent sites. In addition, many are located in unhealthy, isolated and hazardous locations.
- It is also well documented that a disproportionate amount of planning applications by Gypsies and Travellers are rejected, whether that is to reside on their own land or for the development of other sites.
- Since the introduction of the Police, Crime, Sentencing and Courts Act (2022), there has also been an increase in enforcement action against nomadic ways of life without any balancing measures of support or provision.
- A survey by the Equality and Human Rights Commission in 2018 found that 44% of the British public openly expressed negative feelings towards Gypsies, Roma and Travellers – the highest of all protected categories.
How we can help
We will mainly do this by way of legal representation in:
- Planning applications and appeals
- Evictions from rented/owned land
- Evictions from unauthorised encampments
- Possession proceedings
- Defending Injunction proceedings
- Mobile Home Act proceedings
Funding your case
Wherever possible, we will apply for Legal Aid funding on behalf of clients. However, we will also consider representing clients who are not eligible for Legal Aid on an affordable scale if they are facing eviction from their home.
Contact solicitor Keith Coughtrie at keith.coughtrie@pilc.org.uk or on 07503084482 with any enquiries.
