00:01Nearly one in five UK adults is experiencing hygiene poverty.
00:05That's an estimated 9.6 million people going without soap, shampoo, toothpaste or deodorant
00:12because they simply can't afford it.
00:14It's about dignity, it's about belonging and it's about opportunity.
00:19For some households, cutting back no longer means choosing cheaper brands or buying less.
00:24It can mean going without basic products such as toilet roll, deodorant or shampoo.
00:30Research from In Kind Direct and the Hygiene Bank suggests hygiene poverty is affecting
00:36people who may not previously have considered themselves financially vulnerable.
00:41Nearly one in five UK adults say their household has gone without essentials because they could
00:46not afford them, showing how pressure on household budgets can reach into the most basic parts
00:52of daily life.
00:52When you clean, you feel clean and fresh, it gives you more confidence, but if you don't
01:03then it takes your self-esteem away.
01:06The research covers the previous six months and estimates that 9.6 million people have experienced
01:12this kind of shortfall in their household.
01:15Toilet roll is the item most commonly reported as being missed, followed by deodorant, shampoo
01:20and conditioner and laundry or cleaning products.
01:24Demand has increased for food and hygiene items in the last seven years.
01:29The demographics have massively changed.
01:31It's gone from people on benefits to those in work.
01:35Very high population, very high percentage of people in work poverty that are claiming food
01:41and hygiene items, more so the hygiene items actually.
01:44We have lots of reports of people that miss work, miss interviews, miss other opportunities
01:50because they're concerned about their personal hygiene.
01:53So it is shower gels, deodorants, hand soap, all of those things are very in demand.
01:58Rents have increased, cost of living across the board has increased, so they're choosing
02:02to pay those bills rather than buy hygiene items, which sort of makes another layer of deprivation.
02:08The mental health is hugely affected for the beneficiaries using our hygiene bank.
02:14Many have reported missing work, missing interviews, missing social activities.
02:18We're sort of seeing people going back to how we were when we came out of COVID.
02:22They're frightened to go out, they haven't got those social skills anymore
02:26and they're just hiding themselves away.
02:28We had one of our long-term volunteers who also uses our hygiene bank finally got her first ever job
02:35and she stated that it was due to having a hygiene pack delivered to her.
02:40We were also able to help her with washing powder so she had clean clothes to go to her interview.
02:45That's huge, this lady's never had a job before.
02:48She's so proud of herself and we're so proud of her for being able to achieve that
02:52and that's because of partnerships that we've got and being able to make sure that they've got the life skills
03:00and the things that they need.
03:01More than a quarter of those experiencing hygiene poverty
03:04say they have gone without period products.
03:07The findings also suggest the pressure may continue.
03:1136% of UK adults expect to go without at least one essential hygiene product in the next six months.
03:18For 30%, going without has already become a weekly or monthly occurrence.
03:24Nearly half of those experiencing hygiene poverty say they feel embarrassed or ashamed,
03:29while 45% report feeling anxious or worried.
03:32More than two in five say they have avoided seeing friends or family because they lacked essential hygiene products.
03:39In Kind Direct and the Hygiene Bank say the issue is increasingly affecting households beyond those traditionally associated with financial
03:48hardship.
03:48And the problem is growing.
03:51Our research shows that 41% of those affected are experiencing hygiene poverty for the first time.
03:57And more than a third of UK adults expect to have to go without at least one hygiene product in
04:04the coming months.
04:04The organisations behind the research say the scale of the problem means hygiene poverty should be considered alongside wider pressures
04:12on health, education and household finances.
04:15Their findings indicate that 41% of people experiencing hygiene poverty say it is the first time they have been
04:22affected, suggesting the problem is reaching new households.
04:26The charities are calling for a longer term plan to reduce the need for emergency support, alongside continued access to
04:33essential products for people who cannot afford them.
04:36The figures also show how quickly a household can move from managing to having to go without.
04:41Two in five people experiencing hygiene poverty say they have faced it for the first time this year.
04:48The organisations behind the research say that includes families who previously considered themselves financially secure.
04:57And the pressure is not simply about having fewer products in the cupboard.
05:01For some people, the lack of basic essentials is affecting their confidence, relationships and ability to take part in everyday
05:09activities, adding another layer of pressure to already stretched household budgets.
