Long-stay coastal caravan communities are common in Britain and anecdotal evidence suggests a high level of socio-economic deprivation, and substantial health needs. A pilot cross-sectional study of English caravan communities in Yorkshire found very high rates of poor health and limiting long-term illness compared with regional and national data and exceeding rates explained by demography and deprivation alone. These insights into previously overlooked health inequalities warrant concern and merit further research and intervention to address them. The study also demonstrates the feasibility of our methodology in these hard-to-reach coastal caravan communities.