Hygeine Poverty Update

Healthwatch Barnsley undertook an engagement event during Hygiene Poverty Awareness Week 2023 to follow up on the work they did in 2022.  They held an event in Barnsley market on 6 October 2023 where residents were given a bag of hygiene products in return for completing a short survey.  139 people completed the survey.

Over two in five respondents had gone without essential hygiene or sanitary products, an increase of 10% since the 2022 survey.  Nearly two thirds said hygiene products were a must buy.  Nearly all said they had seen an increase in their latest survey.

It is clear to see that the cost of living crisis continues to have a negative impact on people’s finances. During the early part of 2023, when asked about their financial status, 30% of residents who took part in the survey said that “I have more than enough money for basic necessities and a little spare that I can save or spend on extras or leisure”. However, this had dropped to 17% in this survey seven months later. 

During that same period, Healthwatch Barnsley have also seen a change in how people are spending their money, with many now buying less food or choosing cheaper brands. There has also been an increase in people changing their shopping destinations, with cheaper supermarkets becoming more popular. 

The biggest change in how people are trying to reduce their living costs is on access to dentistry; in the original survey 13% of people said  they were avoiding dentist, but this had risen to 25% in the second survey.