Period Poverty in the UK: What It Is, Who It Affects, and How to Help

Understanding the growing crisis of period poverty, its impact on education and wellbeing, and what we can all do to make a difference.

What Is Period Poverty?

Period poverty means being unable to access the menstrual products you need. It's not just about affordability—though that's a significant part of it. Period poverty also encompasses a lack of education about menstruation, limited access to hygienic facilities, and the shame and stigma that still surrounds something as natural as having a period.

For millions of people across the UK, period poverty is a monthly reality that affects their health, their confidence, and their ability to participate fully in everyday life.

The term might sound like something that only happens elsewhere, in countries with fewer resources. But period poverty is very much a British problem—and it's getting worse.

The Scale of the Problem

The numbers paint a stark picture.

According to research from ActionAid, 21% of women and people who menstruate in the UK now struggle to afford period products. That's up from 12% just a year earlier—an estimated 2.8 million people, with around one million more dragged into period poverty in a single year.

The cost of living crisis has hit hard. When household budgets are stretched to breaking point, period products become yet another essential that some families simply cannot afford.

A 2025 briefing from PolicyWISE found that 24% of women across the UK report struggling to afford products—rising to 35% among young women aged 15 to 24. In Scotland, which has led the way on tackling this issue, the figure stands at 24% overall.

These aren't just statistics. They represent real people making impossible choices every month.

Who Is Most Affected?

Period poverty doesn't affect everyone equally. Certain groups face a much higher risk.

Young People

Young women aged 18 to 24 are most likely to struggle. More than a quarter of this age group report being affected by period poverty. For students, the situation is particularly acute—research suggests 36% of UK students have experienced period poverty, with 25% of university students going without necessities including period products due to rising poverty levels.

Those on Low Incomes

Charity Bloody Good Period found that low-income households are three times more likely to experience period poverty compared to higher-income households. When you're already choosing between heating and eating, period products become an unaffordable luxury.

Refugees and Asylum Seekers

Those in the asylum system, often living on minimal support with no right to work, face particular challenges accessing menstrual products. Organisations like Bloody Good Period (which sadly closed in early 2026) worked specifically with refugees and asylum seekers, recognising the acute need in these communities.

Homeless Women

The number of homeless women in the UK continues to rise. For those without a stable home, managing a period with dignity becomes almost impossible. Many homeless charities now recognise period products as essential items alongside food and warm clothing.

The Impact on Education

Perhaps nowhere is the effect of period poverty more visible than in our schools and universities.

Around two million girls aged 14 to 21 in the UK have missed school due to their period. That's not a typing error—two million young people whose education has been disrupted by something entirely natural.

Plan International UK found that 49% of girls have missed an entire day of school because of their period, with 59% making up a lie or alternative excuse to avoid going in. Over the course of a year, an estimated 137,700 children in the UK miss school because of period poverty.

The impact goes beyond absence. Research shows that 77% of girls feel less able to pay attention in class while menstruating, with nearly a third experiencing this at least once a month. When you're worried about leaking, or uncomfortable because you're using inadequate protection, concentrating on lessons becomes almost impossible.

A study by Hey Girls UK found that around 15% of female students have experienced anxiety and depression specifically linked to period poverty and the stress it causes.

What People Do When They Can't Afford Products

When period products are out of reach, people improvise—often in ways that put their health at risk.

ActionAid's research found that among those affected by period poverty:

• 41% kept sanitary pads or tampons in for longer than recommended
• 37% used tissues or cotton wool instead of proper products
• 13% used socks or other clothing
• 9% resorted to using paper or newspaper
• 8% re-used disposable pads

Plan International UK found that 40% of girls in England have used toilet paper instead of sanitary products. These aren't safe alternatives. Keeping products in too long or using unsuitable materials can lead to infections, irritation, and long-term health problems.

Perhaps most concerning, 17% of those affected said they simply stayed at home during their period—removing themselves from work, education, and social activities entirely.

The Stigma Problem

Period poverty isn't just about money. It's bound up with the shame and embarrassment that still surrounds menstruation.

Research shows that 55% of girls and women feel too embarrassed to talk about periods. In a survey of more than 1,000 girls, nearly half were embarrassed by their period, and many were afraid to ask for help because of the stigma.

This silence has real consequences. When periods are treated as something shameful or secret, people don't feel able to ask for the products or support they need. They suffer in silence rather than seeking help.

The stigma also affects education about periods. One in seven girls (14%) didn't know what was happening when they started their period. More than a quarter (26%) didn't know what to do. If we can't talk openly about menstruation, how can young people learn what they need to know?

What's Being Done: Government Schemes

The good news is that period poverty is now firmly on the political agenda, and real action is being taken.

The Schools and Colleges Scheme (England)

Since January 2020, the UK Government has funded a scheme providing free period products to all state schools and colleges in England. The Period Products Scheme, delivered through a contract with phs, allows schools to order tampons, pads, menstrual cups, and other products—including environmentally friendly options—at no cost.

By 2023, 99% of secondary schools and 94% of post-16 organisations had ordered products through the scheme. Schools can choose from a wide range of products and have them delivered when needed, ensuring that no student has to miss education because of their period.

The scheme has been extended and is continuing for the 2024-25 academic year and beyond, with the Department for Education planning for provision from the 2026/27 academic year onwards.

Scotland: World-Leading Legislation

Scotland has gone further than anywhere else in the world. In August 2022, the Period Products (Free Provision) (Scotland) Act came into force, making Scotland the first country to protect in law the right to access free period products.

Under this legislation, local authorities and education providers are legally required to make period products available free of charge to anyone who needs them. Products must be easily obtained in a way that respects people's dignity, with a range of options available.

Since 2018, the Scottish Government has invested over £53 million to fund access to free period products across schools, colleges, universities, libraries, community centres, and other public spaces. Research found that 84% of those who used the scheme said it had a positive impact on their lives.

Northern Ireland

Following Scotland's lead, the Northern Ireland Assembly passed the Period Products (Free Provision) Act (Northern Ireland) 2022, extending similar protections.

The End of the Tampon Tax

In January 2021, the UK abolished the so-called 'tampon tax'—the 5% VAT that had been applied to period products, classifying them as non-essential items. This was a long-campaigned-for victory that recognised period products as the essentials they are.

Charities and Organisations Making a Difference

While government schemes are vital, charities and social enterprises continue to play a crucial role in tackling period poverty.

Hey Girls

Founded in Scotland in 2018, Hey Girls operates on a 'buy one, donate one' model. For every product sold, another is donated to someone in need. Since launching, they've donated over 42 million period products across the UK, working with almost 400 community partners including youth groups, food banks, women's centres, and homeless shelters.

Hey Girls is the only social enterprise to donate 100% of its profits to fighting period poverty. They also provide education resources and work with businesses and local authorities to create change.

Free Periods

Founded by Amika George in 2017, Free Periods was instrumental in campaigning for the government's schools scheme. Their joint legal campaign with the Red Box Project helped secure government funding for period products in every state school and college in England.

The Hygiene Bank

Working across the UK, The Hygiene Bank collects and distributes essential hygiene products—including period products—to people in need. They partner with food banks, schools, and community organisations.

ActionAid UK

While ActionAid works globally on period poverty, they've been instrumental in highlighting the scale of the problem in the UK through regular research and surveys that keep the issue in the public eye.

How to Dispose of Period Products Thoughtfully

When we talk about period poverty, we should also talk about disposal. Even when products are available, thoughtful disposal isn't always straightforward—especially in public toilets, at school, at work, or when travelling.

Around 2.5 million period products are flushed down UK toilets every day. Flushing isn't just bad for plumbing—it contributes to fatbergs, sewage overflows, and marine pollution. Tampons, pads, and applicators can end up on beaches and in waterways.

The reality is that many people flush because they don't have a discreet, hygienic alternative. Not all toilets have bins. Not all bins have lids. And wrapping used products in toilet paper doesn't always feel dignified or secure.

This is exactly why FabLittleBag exists. Our bags are made mostly from plants—60% sugarcane, 30% recycled plastic, and 10% cornstarch. They open with one hand, they're completely opaque, and they seal closed. No mess, no stress, no flushing.

When period products are available but disposal feels difficult or embarrassing, people are less likely to feel confident managing their period away from home. Thoughtful disposal is part of the bigger picture of period dignity.

What You Can Do to Help

Period poverty might feel like a big, structural problem—and it is. But there are meaningful actions individuals and organisations can take.

Donate Products

Many food banks now accept period products alongside food donations. Local homeless shelters, women's refuges, and community centres often need supplies. Organisations like Hey Girls can direct your donations to where they're needed most.

Support Buy-One-Give-One Brands

When you purchase from social enterprises like Hey Girls, your purchase directly funds donations to those in need. It's an easy way to make your spending count.

Check Your Workplace

Does your workplace provide period products in toilets? If not, raise it with HR or facilities. Making products freely available at work is a simple step that can make a real difference to employees who might otherwise struggle.

Talk About Periods

The stigma around menstruation thrives on silence. Talking openly about periods—with friends, family, colleagues, children—helps normalise something that affects half the population. The more we talk, the easier it becomes to ask for help when it's needed.

Support Schools

If you're a parent, check whether your child's school is using the government's free period products scheme. Encourage them to make products easily accessible in toilets rather than requiring students to ask at reception.

Campaign for Change

Join campaigns calling for better provision. Write to your MP about period poverty. Support organisations advocating for policy change. The progress we've seen—from the tampon tax abolition to Scotland's world-first legislation—came from people speaking up and demanding better.

Looking Ahead

Period poverty in the UK has worsened in recent years, driven by the cost of living crisis and widening inequality. But there's also been real progress. Free products in schools. Groundbreaking legislation in Scotland. Growing awareness and reducing stigma.

The goal should be simple: no one in the UK should struggle to afford or access the period products they need. No child should miss school because of their period. No adult should have to choose between period products and food.

We're not there yet. But with continued action—from government, from businesses, from charities, and from all of us—a future without period poverty is possible.

Further Resources

If you need free period products:

• In Scotland: Use the PickupMyPeriod app to find your nearest collection point
• In England: Students can access free products through their school or college
• Period Angels: Download the app to find GP practices and organisations supplying free products

Organisations to support:

• Hey Girls — Buy-one-give-one social enterprise
• ActionAid UK — Research and campaigning
• Plan International UK — Education and advocacy

Related reading on our blog:

• How Schools Can Better Support Students with Periods
• Period Disposal While Travelling: Your Complete Guide
• Why 40% of UK Women Still Flush Period Products

FabLittleBag is committed to the Period Supportive Movement—helping schools, workplaces, and sports clubs create environments where periods are never a barrier. Learn more about our mission.