MP Sarah Champion backs campaign for free period products

The Communications Workers Union (CWU) highlighted the fact that basic period products will cost around £5,000 over a woman’s lifetime, and that many people who cannot afford them are reliant on charity or resort to using unhygienic alternatives. 

At the same time, it is estimated that 137,000 girls in the UK skipped school last year because they did not have the period products they needed.  

Ms Champion met representatives from the union at Parliamentary event to hear about their campaign to bring forward the day when no-one has to rely on charity to tend to their period needs.   

The Scottish Parliament plans to give universal free access to period products across Scotland and the policy will run in the same way as people currently access free condoms, which are available from health clinics and sexual health centres.   

Rotherham MP Ms Champion said: “It’s a scandal that children in Rotherham are missing school days because of period poverty, and that people here are going without these basic necessities. 

“There really is only one way to end period poverty and that's to make these products universally and freely available. 

“Scotland is leading the way on this, and we must follow their example.”

Beryl Shepherd, CWU President said: “This is a human rights and gender equality issue. 

“We will also be urging that employers be more responsive to the issues faced by many of our members, who are outdoors workers and not always equipped with what they need, or told the location of toilets when they are out and about.”