England is facing a public health crisis as a severe shortage of public toilets forces people to “suffer” across the country, health leaders have warned.
New analysis by the Royal Society for Public Health (RSPH) reveals a “significant shortfall” in facilities, with numbers plummeting by 14 per cent since 2016.
The RSPH’s calculations show there are now 15,481 people for every public toilet in England.
The figure is based on data gathered from over 200 Freedom of Information (FOI) requests submitted to councils responsible for providing the amenities.
The lack of toilets is leading to a range of detrimental effects. The RSPH cautioned that it contributes to an increase in public urination, fostering unhygienic conditions.
The research also suggests a potential knock-on effect for local businesses, as some people opt to stay home rather than venture out due to the absence of adequate facilities.
Some people are also restricting their fluid intake when out in public, putting them at risk of dehydration.
William Roberts, chief executive of the RSPH, said: “Access to public toilets is a universal need that we all have, and we shouldn’t shy away from talking about it.
“One public toilet per 15,000 people simply isn’t good enough and, without action, that figure will keep rising as we lose more facilities.
“For some people, access to a public toilet can be the difference as to whether they leave the house; for others, it can lead to deliberately restricting fluid intake to avoid the need to use a toilet.
“The effects also go far beyond the individual. Having an insufficient number of public toilets has inevitable unsanitary consequences, creating unpleasant environments that degrade our public realm.
“As a country, we can and should be doing better. We need to create public spaces that people want to spend time in, and this means giving local authorities the resources they need to provide the facilities we all rely on.”
To help boost the number of public toilets, the RSPH is calling for new strategic authorities to have a duty to ensure there are sufficient public toilets in the places people go, supported by funding from central Government.
It also said developers must do more, calling for regulations that would require public toilets to be included in any development that includes non-residential units.
At present, local councils get to decide how many toilets are needed in their area.
According to the RSPH, since 2016 there has been a 14 per cent overall reduction in public toilets across England.
In devolved nations, the situation is better, with around 8,500 people per public toilet in Scotland and 6,748 in Wales.
A spokesman for the Local Government Association said: “The lack of public toilets can disproportionately affect vulnerable groups, including older people, people with disabilities, those with medical conditions, babies and children and people that find themselves sleeping rough.
“Funding pressures have caused councils to rethink provision – the maintenance of a public toilet could cost a council £25,000 a year, a figure which is greatly impacted by the condition in which they are left by their previous users.
“Vandalism and antisocial behaviour cost councils millions of pounds a year, which means councils having to invest in more regular cleaning and better security, meaning that the taxpayer foots the bill for vandalism in this most basic of public provisions.
“Many councils have attempted to address and prevent gaps in provision, by working with businesses to develop community toilet schemes.
“However, councils are acutely aware that gaps in provision have opened despite these efforts, for instance, where businesses have closed on our high streets.”
A spokesman for the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government said: “To help councils provide public services like toilets, we’ve made over £78bn available for council finances, with local leaders free to decide for themselves how best to spend the majority of this.”
The RSPH figure of 15,481 people is based on FOI responses from 221 of 309 local authorities in England. It said 47 million people live in these areas (roughly 82 per cent of the population).
Councils were asked for the number of public toilets in their area in 2016 and 2025.
