Nearly one in five UK adults have gone without essential hygiene, toiletry or cleaning products because they could not afford them, according to new research from The Hygiene Bank and In Kind Direct.
The findings, published yesterday, to mark the start of National Hygiene Week, show that hygiene poverty is no longer a hidden or marginal issue. The new report, Time to Act: Hygiene Poverty in the UK in 2026, reveals that millions of people across the UK are being forced to go without the everyday essentials many of us take for granted, from toothpaste and shampoo to deodorant, period products and cleaning products.
“It’s just this low-grade evil that corrodes everything it touches.”
That is how one person experiencing hygiene poverty described its impact. Behind the statistics are people making impossible choices: watering down products to make them last, grating bars of soap to wash clothes, or choosing between food, heating, medication and staying clean.
The research, developed with In Kind Direct and generously supported by our founding partner Boots, found that nearly one in five UK adults, an estimated 9.6 million people, say they or someone in their household has had to go without toiletries, basic hygiene products or cleaning products in the past six months because they could not afford them.
It also points to a new face of hygiene poverty, with 41% of those experiencing it saying they have done so for the first time this year. The findings suggest the crisis is reaching people who previously felt financially secure, as rising costs continue to put pressure on household budgets.
“These findings demand not just sympathy, but action.”
The report shows that hygiene poverty can create a vicious cycle, affecting health, confidence, education, work and social participation. Among those experiencing hygiene poverty, 18% have missed work and 15% said they could not attend a job interview because they could not access the products they needed.
Throughout National Hygiene Week, The Hygiene Bank is calling on people, businesses and communities to help turn this evidence into action. Across the charity’s network, volunteers collect, sort and distribute products, businesses donate essentials and expertise, and Community Partners get products to people who need them most.
“Nobody should be excluded from everyday life because they cannot afford the basics.”
Ruth Brock, CEO of The Hygiene Bank, said: “No one should be in hygiene poverty in the UK today. It undermines people’s health and holds back children and adults from reaching their potential. Every day, our volunteers see the impact on families who are forced to choose between eating and keeping clean.”
As part of National Hygiene Week, The Hygiene Bank is encouraging people to read and share the report, donate essential products or money, volunteer, and help raise awareness using #TimeToAct and #EndHygienePoverty.
Take action this National Hygiene Week: read the report, join the conversation, donate products or money, or find out how to volunteer with The Hygiene Bank.
