One in five women still can’t afford period products in the UK – even after the tampon tax was abolished. We explore why period poverty is still rife in the UK – and what needs to change
Experts are warning that period poverty remains rife the UK – despite the tampon tax being abolished.
All women menstruate, so why are period products still inaccessible for so many people in 2024? The bleak reality is the cost of living crisis has further entrenched period poverty in the UK – and the stats make for grim reading.
According to Action Aid, one in five of women and people who menstruate struggle to afford period products in the UK, a third of girls are missing school due to a lack of access to period products; and 20% of people who can’t afford period products coping by using makeshift materials, such as loo-roll or sponges.
Even though the tampon tax was cut in 2021 – the VAT put on top of the cost of tampons – women still aren’t seeing a huge price difference when they get to the till. And that’s if they can even afford to buy the products.
In 2022, a report found that the tax cut is short-changing women in reality. It showed that just 1% of the VAT savings were passed onto the customers – and the rest was pocketed by retailers. This means period products are still not much cheaper after the VAT was removed, Glamour reports.
Period poverty charity Freedom4Girls warns more needs to be done by the next government to fight the crisis. Tina Leslie MBE, founder of the charity, says there are “implementation delays” with the tax cuts. Speaking to the Mirror, she explained: “Although the law may have changed, there can be significant delays in its implementation at the state or local level. This means we are still playing catch up.”
She also says that there is little awareness around the pitfalls of the tampon tax, noting that “not all retailers may comply immediately”. Tina added: “Even with the tax removed, alternatives like menstrual cups or reusable pads might still be out of reach due to their higher cost. And some women still can’t access menstrual products at all, due to economic reasons. This can lead to health issues and social stigma, which the tax change alone cannot address.”
While Tina thinks removing the tampon tax is a significant step forward, she said additional measures are needed to ensure “menstrual equity and alleviate the broader financial burden on women.” The charity founder wants to see some big changes from the next government.
Tina says the government should introduce policies that provide free menstrual products in public areas such as schools, universities. shelters and workplaces. As well as this, she added: “They need to integrate comprehensive menstrual health education into school curriculums to break the stigma and taboo and ensure menstrual health management is part of broader healthcare services, offering guidance and support through public health initiatives.”
“There also needs to be a policy in place that provides menstrual leave and ensures that menstruation is not a barrier to productivity or employment by supplying period products in bathrooms. As well as educating managers around the different issues that menstruators may have ie Endometriosis, PCOS, PMDD.”
Tina also suggested there needs to be more aid for vulnerable women, and hopes there can be a support programme for homeless people, refugees and low-income families to ensure they have access to menstrual products and adequate facilities.
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