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Gypsies, Roma and Travellers

The term Gypsy, Roma and Traveller has been used to describe a range of ethnic groups or people with nomadic ways of life who are not from a specific ethnicity.

In the UK, it is common in data collections to differentiate between:

• Gypsies (including English Gypsies, Scottish Gypsies or Travellers, Welsh Gypsies and other Romany people)
• Irish Travellers (who have specific Irish roots)
• Roma, understood to be more recent migrants from Central and Eastern Europe

The term Traveller can also encompass groups that travel. This includes, but is not limited to: New Travellers, Boaters, Bargees and Showpeople. (See the House of Commons Committee report on

Being classed accordingly as an ‘ethnic group’, provides people belonging to and identifying as Gypsy, Roma and Traveller to be afforded the same rights within The Equality Act 2010, to be free from discrimination, based on race. It is prohibited by law, to be discriminated against based on your race.

The Equality Act 2010 gives that the term race can include colour, nationality, citizenship, as well as other factors. You can learn more about race discrimination from the Equality and Human Rights Commission:

Public bodies have a legal duty to promote equality and racial harmony between these groups and others in everything they do, including decision making. At ´óÐãÊÓƵ County Council we comply with our duties under the Public Sector Equality Duty, and in addition to the minimal requirements, we aim to be an inclusive, welcoming and fair county council. Public bodies must also look to Human Rights legislation. A balance based on peoples encampment/ accommodation needs/ rights, and the impact (if any) on local ‘permanent’ residents, businesses, or environment, must be understood, and assessed individually when unauthorised encampments occur on council land.

Information about unauthorised encampments

The Policy Towards Travellers is a joint policy, agreed by ´óÐãÊÓƵ County Council, the six District Councils and West Mercia Police Authority to determine how encampments set up within ´óÐãÊÓƵ are responded to.

Download: Joint Unauthorised Encampment Protocol (PDF)