At the end of 2025, the Worker Support Centre (WSC) team met John Swinney MSP, Scotland’s First Minister (see photo) to discuss our work and showed him video footage and evidence of housing conditions for workers. We talked about the high costs, and the need to make sure all housing is of decent, safe and warm quality in Scotland.

Also in December 2025, the BBC featured squalid seasonal worker housing on a farm, and spoke to a worker about his experiences, and this news report was raised in the Scottish Parliament with the First Minister asked to respond.

At the start of 2026, Worker Support Centre staff, together with Richard Leonard Member of the Scottish Parliament (MSP) for Central Scotland met Scottish Government Cabinet Secretary for Housing Màiri McAllan MSP. We shared the experiences, and views of current farm workers and the Cabinet Secretary re-committed to national standards.

Also in early 2026, Paul McLennan, MSP for East Lothian, raised the issue in the Scottish Parliament. The Cabinet Secretary said: “no one residing in Scotland, however temporarily should have to live in substandard accommodation.” Here is a video of that exchange.

So far in February, Worker Support Centre staff have had two meetings with local authorities to ask how they are meeting the legal requirement, in the Housing (Scotland) Act 1987 to introduce standards and inspect seasonal worker housing.

Also in February, the UK Low Pay Commission, which recommends the maximum amount that can charged for tied-housing, published its Annual Report 2025, which includes lots of evidence from seasonal farm workers of housing experiences and calls on the UK Government to ensure there are strong housing standards that are enforced.

We’re working together for a Scotland where everyone lives in safety and dignity. Join us!