Period poverty in the UK is the lack of access to menstrual products and proper facilities for disposal and washing. It can be caused by financial constraints and other life events that make it difficult for people to afford or access period products. According to ITVX, 21% of people who menstruate in the UK struggled to afford period products in 2023, up from 12% in 2022. Period poverty can have negative impacts on people’s health and well-being, including:
- Physical healthPeople may use period products for longer than recommended, which can lead to irritation, infection, and potentially Toxic Shock Syndrome. They may also use other absorbent materials like toilet paper.
- Social participationPeople may be forced to withdraw from work and school. For example, according to Plan International UK, 49% of girls have missed a day of school due to period poverty, and 59% of those girls have made up an excuse to avoid going.
- Education Period poverty can also affect a student’s ability to participate in sports and teaching and openness around periods.
Our carers work extremely hard in the community going from house to house. This means it can be difficult for them to manage their periods. They may not be able to use or feel comfortable using public or clients toilets. The environment they are in may not be hygienic. They may not have period products on them or simply not be able to afford them.
At Stella Care we support our carers to help prevent period poverty. We provide a clean, safe environment so they can use the toilet or get changed. We provide sanitary products to suit everyone and wipes to that allow our carers to freshen up. If our carers need to take sanitary products with them for any reason then that’s supported to.
We hope that other care companies help support carers in the future and make managing periods for every woman easier.
