Hygiene Poverty Report 2023

Healthwatch Barnsley undertook research on the impact of the cost of living crisis on local people’s lives in partnership with Barnsley Council. In the period from January to March 2023, 506 residents of Barnsley responded to their survey.

Over a third of respondents said they have had to go without essential hygiene/sanitary products, with a majority of people saying the cost of hygiene products had increased over the last year.

Just over a fifth of respondents said they did not have enough money for basic necessities and sometimes or often run out of money. Over a third said they had just enough money for basic necessities.

As a result, 64% of respondents have used less heating or made other choices to reduce their energy bills. Half of the people who completed the survey said they had avoided doing things they enjoy such as going to the cinema or out with friends. A quarter had used a food bank and over half had reduced the amount of food they ate or bought cheaper brands.

The report also talks about how people’s mental or physical health has been affected.

As part of the project, Healthwatch Barnsley has distributed hygiene product packs to those who took part in the survey and worked with local employers to collect donations of hygiene products.