Hygiene banks: what are they, why they matter and where to find them

For many of us, picking up a bottle of shampoo, a tube of toothpaste or a packet of toilet roll is something we rarely think twice about. But for millions of people across the UK, the rising cost of everyday essentials means that even basic hygiene products are unaffordable.

This is known as hygiene poverty, and it’s becoming an increasingly serious problem.

What’s hygiene poverty?

Hygiene poverty is when someone can’t afford essential personal care and household hygiene products, like shampoo, soap, deodorant, toothpaste, toilet roll, nappies, washing-up liquid and laundry products.

And it can happen to anyone.

According to figures from Boots, around 4.2 million adults in the UK are living in hygiene poverty.

While renters, younger adults, parents and people on low incomes continue to be disproportionately affected, hygiene poverty isn’t limited to those groups.

Research by The Hygiene Bank and In Kind Direct found 41% of people experiencing hygiene poverty had experienced it for the first time that year.

The research also highlighted how people who were previously financially secure, including working families and higher-income households, can suddenly find themselves unable to afford basic hygiene essentials.

The survey of 3,042 UK adults found that, among the 18% experiencing hygiene poverty:

• 47% had gone without toilet roll
• 43% had gone without deodorant
• 39% had gone without shampoo
• 38% had skipped cleaning or laundry products
• 34% had gone without toothpaste

These might seem like small everyday purchases. But when your budget is already stretched by rent or mortgage payments, food, energy bills and other essentials, even a few pounds can make a difference.

Why does hygiene poverty matter?

Being unable to afford hygiene products isn't simply an inconvenience. It can affect almost every part of someone's life.

Not having access to basic personal care products can have an impact on physical health, mental wellbeing, education, employment and social interaction.

For children and young people, hygiene poverty can also affect attendance and participation at school. For adults, it can affect their ability to attend work or interviews and can become another barrier to finding or keeping employment.

This is where hygiene banks come in.

What are hygiene banks?

Hygiene banks are community-led schemes and charities that collect and distribute essential personal care, household and cleaning products to people who cannot afford them.

People donate new, unused and in-date hygiene and household products at designated collection points. Volunteers then collect, sort and organise the donations before distributing them through trusted community organisations.

These organisations can include:

• food banks
• schools
• homeless shelters
• domestic abuse charities
• community groups
• NHS organisations
• social services
• charities supporting families and vulnerable people

The products are then given to people who need them, usually free of charge.

What are some of the biggest hygiene banks in the UK?

There are a number of organisations working to tackle hygiene poverty across the UK. Here are three of the best-known.

The Hygiene Bank

The Hygiene Bank works with volunteers, businesses, community groups and brand partners to collect and distribute essential hygiene and personal care products to people who need them. It also works to raise awareness, challenge the stigma surrounding hygiene poverty and campaign for change.

Boots is the Hygiene Bank's founding partner and official retail partner. The two organisations have worked together since 2019 to raise awareness of hygiene poverty and help close the hygiene poverty gap.

The Hygiene Bank has also worked with Boots and The King's Trust on washbag kits designed to support young people entering the workplace. The kits contain essential products a young person may need before a job interview, including deodorant, shampoo, shower gel and dental-care products.

Bare Necessities

Bare Necessities was founded in February 2018 in response to growing awareness of hygiene poverty.

The charity provides free essential toiletries to people in need, collecting, purchasing, collating and distributing hygiene products through local organisations and charities.

For many communities, organisations like Bare Necessities provide a vital link between people who want to donate and people who urgently need everyday essentials.

Beauty Banks

Beauty Banks was founded in 2018 with a belief that nobody should have to choose between eating and staying clean.

The organisation collects donations of personal care and hygiene products and gets them to people experiencing hygiene poverty through partnerships with food banks, domestic abuse charities, homeless shelters, NHS trusts and organisations supporting care leavers.

Beauty Banks also works with schools to support children experiencing hygiene poverty. Support is provided discreetly, helping to protect the dignity and wellbeing of children and families who need it.

Where can you find a hygiene bank?

Hygiene banks operate in communities across the UK, but they don't all work in exactly the same way.

You may find a collection point at a supermarket, pharmacy, workplace, school, community centre or local business. Some hygiene banks also work through food banks and other community organisations rather than operating a public drop-off point themselves.

If you're looking to donate, start by checking The Hygiene Bank, Beauty Banks or a local grassroots organisation to find your nearest collection point.

If you need help, you can also contact a local food bank, school, community organisation or charity and ask whether they work with a hygiene bank or can provide toiletries and household essentials.