MP welcomes end to 'unfair tax'

The Chancellor Jeremy Hunt made the announcement in November's Autumn Statement – meaning that, from next year, all period products will be VAT-free.

Sarah Champion, Labour MP for Rotherham, has been a long-time campaigner to end period poverty, including meeting with the Communications Workers Union in 2018 to discuss the financial impact of a lifetime of buying period products.

This followed research in 2017 which estimated 137,000 girls in the UK were skipping school as they did not have the period products they needed.

As well as supporting national campaigns including in the Sunday Mirror, Say Pants to the Tax, and Bloody Good Period, Ms Champion, has consistently asked health ministers to address the issue.

She said: “I’m delighted that the Government have finally listened to me and the dedicated campaign groups who have been demanding an end to the unfair taxation of essential period products for years.

“I pay tribute to the commitment of the team at the ‘Say Pants to the Tax’ campaign, who I have been working alongside to urge the Government to make this change.”She added: “But we still have a long way to go to eradicate period poverty.

“It is unacceptable to make women shoulder an enormous financial burden over their lifetime for essential products.

“We need to follow Scotland’s example and ensure that period products are freely available to those who need them.“