People in Gloucestershire struggling to afford basic toiletries
Research shows 8% of the UK population are living in hygiene poverty.
According to recent data by the Hygiene Bank charity 4.2 million people are now experiencing hygiene poverty. Meaning they are unable to afford many basic hygiene an personal products.
Research shows the groups most affected are people with a serious disability or long-term health conditions, those from lower-income households, and people who are from ethnic minority backgrounds.
Of those experiencing hygiene poverty, 68% admit it has affected their mental health, with 50% feeling depressed or embarrassed because they are being dragged into hygiene poverty.
In the South West, 57% of people living in hygiene poverty had more than one day when they didn’t eat at all, or had only one meal, because you couldn’t afford to buy enough food
Over 70% have to choose between paying for food and bills and buying toiletries and or/cleaning products. And 67% were not able to afford to heat their home on more than four days across the month.
Nathan Roe, from Stroud Hygiene Bank, said: "If people feel they can't be clean, they're less inclined to go out, less inclined to mix with friends and they become more isolated. We've seen people who are working hard to find jobs but feel they can't go to job interviews because they haven't been able to wash.
"It's nothing to feel ashamed or embarrassed about. It can happen to anybody."