More than one in ten women in the UK struggled to afford period products in the last year, a new survey has revealed, with some forced to take dangerous health risks such as wearing tampons for longer than recommended.
Period poverty was found to still be a pervasive problem in Britain, with some women and people who menstruate having to make do with newspaper instead. Those who resorted to leaving their tampons in for too long face increased risk of serious bacterial infections such as life-threatening Toxic Shock Syndrome (TSS).
Food and energy topped the list of essentials those polled said they were forced to prioritise instead. With the price of basic goods remaining well above pre-pandemic levels, and amid fears of a fresh cost of living crisis sparked by the conflict in the Middle East, ActionAid UK warns the issue of period poverty “risks becoming even further entrenched”.
The new survey by the charity – a poll of 2,132 UK adults conducted by YouGov in January – revealed that 11 per cent of women and people who menstruate struggled to afford period products either for themselves or a dependent in the last year. Alarmingly, almost a quarter (22 per cent) of those said they stayed at home as a result, showing that period poverty is excluding some from public life altogether.
Of those who struggled to afford period products in the UK, almost two-thirds (64 per cent) said they had to prioritise buying food instead, while two in five (40 per cent) had to prioritise spending on gas or electricity. Meanwhile, more than a third (36 per cent) said they wore single-use pads or tampons for longer, while over a quarter (27 per cent) said they used tissues or cotton wool and 6 per cent used paper or newspaper instead.
Ruby Raut, founder and CEO of period pants company WUKA, which is partnering with ActionAid, said: “In one of the richest countries in the world, people are still going without basic period products. That is not just shocking, it’s a failure. Period poverty is holding people back from school, from sport, from living their everyday lives. It puts health at risk and limits potential, all because of something as basic as a period. Access to period care is not a luxury – it’s a fundamental right. And until everyone can manage their period with dignity, we have more work to do.”
Period poverty is an issue that extends around the world, as Ms Raut’s personal experience highlights.
She told The Independent: “Imagine being 12, getting your first period… and instead of being comforted, you’re told you have to leave your home because you’re “unclean”. That was my reality growing up in Nepal. I had something to use, but I didn’t have dignity. At school, there were no proper toilets or facilities. I used makeshift cloth, constantly scared it would fall out, and sometimes it did. I’d feel so embarrassed, I would just go home.
“That experience made me realise period poverty isn’t just about access to products. It’s about shame, lack of education, and not having a safe space to manage your period. And no girl should ever feel that way just for being on her period.”
Period poverty means being unable to afford products – in Malawi, for example, a single pack of pads can cost more than a whole day’s pay – but also lacking access to clean water, bathrooms and private spaces, with data showing more than 400 million children globally lack decent toilets at school.
The Independent has approached the UK government for comment.
