Did Covid-19 fines disproportionately affect people with health vulnerabilities?

Research from ADR Scotland has examined whether individuals with health vulnerabilities were more likely to receive Fixed Penalty Notices (FPNs) for breaching Covid-19 restrictions.

During the Covid-19 pandemic, police in Scotland issued over 20,000 Covid-19 FPNs for breaches of restrictions. Officers reported particular challenges in dealing with non-compliance among individuals with mental health and substance use issues. Previous health research indicated that these groups were disproportionately affected by the pandemic, but there has been no prior study examining whether they were also more likely to be subject to police enforcement.

Using linked administrative data from police and health services in Scotland, the study sheds light on how enforcement measures affected those with mental health conditions and substance use issues.

Key findings

• Individuals who had accessed healthcare for psychiatric conditions or substance use were more likely to have received a Covid-19 FPN, particularly during the first lockdown.
• This association was strongest among those with multiple health conditions and those who accessed health services both before and during the pandemic.

Implications

The study indicates that emergency policing powers disproportionately impacted people with mental illness and addiction issues. These findings underscore the need to consider health vulnerabilities in future pandemic response planning.

For further details, read the full Data Insight.