Hygiene poverty is a sign of crisis, says charity

The Hygiene Bank helps people who cannot afford basic essential toiletries. A new survey found that more than three million people in the UK are thought to be experiencing hygiene poverty. Volunteers at one of the charity’s schemes, in Bromley, south-east London, said a school washed pupils’ clothes. The charity receives donations from the community, which are sorted by volunteers.

34;It often the first sign that a family is falling into crisis when they can’t afford these basic essentials,’ she said. The feelings of shame, the stigma, the self-isolation, the social exclusion, and impact on mental health. In London, the charity runs projects in areas including Bermondsey, Lewisham, Waltham Forest, Forest Hill and Sydenham. The charity works with charitable organisations including food banks, mother and baby banks, homeless shelters and refuges.

It also supplies products that do not often get donated. 24% of people thought to be experiencing hygiene poverty struggle to wash their clothes. 29% had to prioritise food instead. Hygiene Bank distributed over 20,000kg of products across the UK last month.

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