Human Right to Hygiene
Human Right to Hygiene is led by In Kind Direct. It draws on research commissioned by In Kind Direct, supported by Andrex and carried out by New Philanthropy Capital (NPC).
Our new report maps the systems behind hygiene poverty, and crucially, outlines a Roadmap to Change with concrete steps we can take to help end hygiene poverty.
Every person deserves to feel clean. But for those forced to make the daily decision whether to heat, eat or be clean, this human right is simply beyond their reach.
Hygiene poverty has a profound effect on people’s lives, but just 37% of British adults have heard of hygiene poverty. It is often a precursor to other forms of poverty, with many having already gone without basic hygiene products before going to a foodbank. It can leave people feeling shame and stigma and have a negative effect on their mental and physical health.
We believe times of crisis are when long-term change happens. With 8.4 million adults expecting to have to go without a hygiene product this winter because they can no longer afford them, the time to act is now. We must end hygiene poverty now.
In this report, In Kind Direct has developed a roadmap of actions that can have the greatest leveraging effect to end hygiene poverty. We believe the next step is the development of a practical and timebound National Implementation Plan, supported by the creation of a dedicated Hygiene Poverty Alliance.
We believe times of crisis are when long term change happens. So we’re calling on businesses, charities and public bodies to join us today.
Together, we can protect the human right to hygiene.
If you have any questions about this research, or if you would like to learn more about our systems mapping work, please reach out here
Latest Posts
View allIn Kind Direct urges Government to go further after Autumn Budget. We welcome the scrapping of the two-child benefit cap and VAT relief on donated products, but frozen tax thresholds and rising costs mean hygiene poverty persists. No child should go to school without toothpaste. We’re calling for a Child Poverty Strategy that includes hygiene essentials.
Read moreSince partnering with Common Coffee in 2024, we’ve made a meaningful impact, having so far distributed more than 1,200 cups of coffee to communities across the UK.
Read moreWe’re proud to partner with Warm Welcome Spaces this winter, united by our shared mission that everyone should feel warmth, belonging, and connection, so that nobody feels alone.
Read more