For homeless women, the cost of sanitary products can come at the cost of food, but a new campaign seeks to change that, as Lucy Richardson reports

THERE’S nothing luxurious about having a period but - unlike flapjacks or crocodile meat - sanitary products are taxed as non essential items.

A campaign launched to help homeless women who are having to choose between food and tampons is urging the Government to make them available in shelters and its petition has now gained more than 100,000 signatures.

Started by three interns at a London advertising agency, The Homeless Period was inspired by an article they’d read in Vice magazine explaining that, in tax terms, sanitary products are classed as ‘luxury’ items.

Bar shoplifting, the options for menstruating homeless women were limited and there’s no standard practice of giving out supplies at sexual health clinics - unlike condoms.

A video on the website tells the story of a woman called Patricia, who says “When I was homeless and I used to have my periods I used to end up going in public toilets and, especially when there were no places I where you could get sanitary towels I would end up taking a cloth or whatever, ripping it up like, you know, and using that. I used to feel very depressed, it used to get me down.”

On the online petition, Jessica Farrell, from Gateshead, says “I'm signing this because I don't think the government should tax or charge women for sanitary products regardless of whether they are homeless or not. It isn't right to charge women for these products”, and Lesley Hall from Newcastle explains, “Homeless people face many indignities, but homeless women should not have to face this indignity each and every month.”

In Teesside, community activist Emma Chesworth has started collecting tampons, towels and toiletries for local food banks, donating 300 items before Christmas. The one in Stockton, run by the Trussell Trust has supported 4,000 men, women and children in the borough alone.

“The reality is that women have periods, but sanitary products are treated as non essential items. It is mad that crocodile meat and flapjacks are not taxed but sanitary products are at five per cent," she says. “If women are struggling to pay for food they are going to struggle with sanitary products. I did a straw poll with some friends and we decided that it can cost around £10 each month. If a woman has a couple of teenage daughters, it trebles.

The Trussell Trust says that one in five UK mums skip meals to make sure their children have enough food, but are suffering from going without basic toiletries as well as hunger. It argues that women deserve the dignity of having enough to eat, and of being able to care for themselves and their families.

Emma, from Stockton, adds: “If a woman has lost her job, but has the chance of an interview, then helping her to feel clean and better about herself could make a massive difference to her life.”

For more information about The Homeless Period visit thehomelessperiod.com