Hygiene poverty: "It's a crisis"
Alan Dunne - a volunteer with The Hygiene Bank in Kingsbridge - says they are "overwhelmed with demand"
Last updated 5th Oct 2022
Over three million adults in the UK have been affected by hygiene poverty.
That is according to a new report commissioned by The Hygiene Bank, a charity that provides hygiene products to people across the country.
They say many have been going without essentials like toothpaste, shampoo, soap, period products and nappies over the past 12 months.
The add that the cost of living crisis could mean even more people cannot afford products to stay clean.
Alan Dunne - Chair of Devon and Cornwall Food Action - volunteers with The Hygiene Bank in Kingsbridge. He says they are "overwhelmed with demand":
"Hygiene is a big part of poverty. If you haven't got money, you haven't got the means to buy soap, toothpaste, toothbrushes and tampons; and because it's so personal, people don't really want to talk about it.
"The cost of living crisis is going through the roof. We as a charity at Devon and Cornwall Food action have seen a massive rise in uptake of the people we're supporting. They ask for toilet roll, deodorant, shampoos and more. For me, I think it's a crisis."
The Hygiene Bank's findings - which have been published to coincide with National Hygiene Week - show the true scale of the UK's hygiene poverty.
According to their research, 49% of households experiencing hygiene poverty have gone without razors or shaving products, 42% of people have gone without laundry detergent or household cleaning products and 39% have gone without deodorant.
24% say they will be cutting down on baths or showers and 7% say they have stopped buying hygiene products this year to afford other things as the cost-of-living crisis continues to squeeze households.
The lasting impact of such circumstances in the last 12 months have resulted in 61% of people saying hygiene poverty has negatively impacted their mental health and 48% of people who cannot afford period products feel too embarrassed to ask for help.
Alan adds: "I think we're at a crossroads of understanding and awareness and awareness needs to happen instead of it being buried. Food poverty itself is a subject is taboo but hygiene poverty is seen as an even bigger taboo.
"Women's and men's hygiene products are a requirement, not an extra or an add-on, it's what's needed. It's like the food that we give out, it's a must."
The Hygiene Bank is urging the government to make sure everyone in the UK has access to essential hygiene products.
The charity have 160 local projects and have provided over 1,000 tonnes of products across the nation.