The Government recognises the importance of women and girls being able to access the care they need for their reproductive health, including period products. That is why there are several Government schemes across England which ensure that those who are most vulnerable can access the products they need. The Department for Education’s period products scheme launched in 2020 and provides free period products to girls and women in their place of study so that nobody misses out on education because of their period. Similarly, all women and girls being cared for by the National Health Service are entitled to be given, upon request, appropriate period products free of charge. All women in prison have access to menstrual products, which are typically stored in locations that allow women to collect items themselves as needed.

We are also taking steps to ensure that products are as affordable as possible. The tax on period products has been zero-rated since 2021 and, in 2023, this was extended to include reusable period underwear.

The Department will be exploring the effectiveness of the legal duty to provide free period products under the Period Products (Free Provision) (Scotland) Act 2021.

This Government is committed to addressing the underlying causes that can make period products inaccessible for women and girls in the first place. We are protecting women’s living standards, alongside the public services they rely on, so that no one has to go without life's essentials.

We are also continuing to make free period products available through several different avenues, including in schools and hospitals, to ensure that they are accessible to those most in need.

Nobody should have to miss out on education due to their period, which is why the government provides access to free period products to girls and women who need them in their place of study. Schools and colleges are able to order free period products via an online portal with the national supplier for the scheme, Phs. The current contract with Phs is due to end in August 2026, and the department is in the process of procuring a supplier to continue the scheme.

We remain concerned by the restrictions imposed by the Myanmar military regime which limit access to essential health services and humanitarian assistance for women and girls.

UK-funded programmes, delivered through partners, are estimated to have provided essential health services to around 1.5 million people last year in Myanmar, including maternal care to 250,000 pregnant women, sexual and reproductive health to another 300,000, and the delivery of menstrual hygiene products to at least 45,000 women and girls. The UK is also supporting partners to provide specialised support to victims of sexual violence, including clinical management of rape, safe housing, mental health and psychosocial support.

However, regime-imposed access restrictions continue to limit delivery, including of basic hygiene products. We continue to press for safe humanitarian access, including in the UN Security Council and UN Human Rights Council, and we continue to support our partners on the ground to reach those most in need.

The Government recognises the importance of women and girls being able to access the care they need for their reproductive health, including period products. That is why there are several Government schemes across England which ensure that those who are most vulnerable can access the products they need. The Department for Education’s period products scheme launched in 2020 and provides free period products to girls and women in their place of study so that nobody misses out on education because of their period. Similarly, all women and girls being cared for by the National Health Service are entitled to be given, on request, appropriate period products free of charge. All women in prison have access to menstrual products, which are typically stored in locations that allow women to collect items themselves as needed.

We are also taking steps to ensure that products are as affordable as possible. The tax on period products has been zero-rated since 2021 and, in 2023, this was extended to include reusable period underwear.

The Department of Health and Social Care will be exploring the effectiveness of the legal duty to provide free period products under the Period Products (Free Provision) (Scotland) Act 2021.

The Government recognises the importance of women and girls being able to access the care they need for their reproductive health, including period products.

We know that poverty doesn’t recognise gender, and that women and girls may suffer given the cost of period products. However, we know that period poverty reflects wider cost-of-living pressures, which is why the Government is tackling the root causes of poverty, through measures to make work pay, boosting the living wage, and investing in public services, so no one has to go without the essentials.

There are a number of schemes across the Government which ensure that those who are most vulnerable can access the products they need. The Department for Education’s Period Products scheme launched in 2020 and provides free period products to girls and women in their place of study so that nobody misses out on education because of their period. Similarly, all women and girls being cared for by the National Health Service are entitled to be given, upon request, appropriate period products free of charge.

We are also taking steps to ensure that products are as affordable as possible, as the tax on period products has been zero-rated since 2021, and in 2023 this was extended to include reusable period underwear.

The Government recognises the importance of women and girls being able to access the care they need for their reproductive health, including period products.

We know that poverty doesn’t recognise gender, and that women and girls may suffer given the cost of period products. However, we know that period poverty reflects wider cost-of-living pressures, which is why the Government is tackling the root causes of poverty, through measures to make work pay, boosting the living wage, and investing in public services, so no one has to go without the essentials.

There are a number of schemes across the Government which ensure that those who are most vulnerable can access the products they need. The Department for Education’s Period Products scheme launched in 2020 and provides free period products to girls and women in their place of study so that nobody misses out on education because of their period. Similarly, all women and girls being cared for by the National Health Service are entitled to be given, upon request, appropriate period products free of charge.

We are also taking steps to ensure that products are as affordable as possible, as the tax on period products has been zero-rated since 2021, and in 2023 this was extended to include reusable period underwear.

Nobody should have to miss out on education because of their period, which is why the department provides free period products to girls and women in their place of study through the period products scheme. The scheme aims to remove periods as a barrier to accessing education and addresses pupils being unable to afford period products.

During the passage of the Product Regulation and Metrology Act 2025, the Government committed to consult on period product safety. As part of this Officials are reviewing the need for any further research and testing for harmful chemicals and heavy metals in period products to complement the consultation.

We are working closely with DEFRA who advise that studies carried out in the EU on chemicals in period products found that the chemicals identified were present only in low concentrations, with no evidence of significant risks to human health. Defra is continuing to monitor research in this area.

The Medicines and Healthcare Products Regulatory Agency (MHRA) is an executive agency of the Department and regulates medicine, medical devices and blood components for transfusion in the United Kingdom, with responsibility for ensuring medicines meet appropriate standards of safety, quality, and efficacy.

MHRA has not evaluated this report, as period products are not regulated as medical devices and consequently fall outside of MHRA’s remit. Rather, they would fall under the General Product Safety Regulations 2005, which are within the remit of the Office for Product Safety and Standards. Information on how these are regulated is available at the following link:

https://www.ahpma.co.uk/tampon_code_of_practice/

Period products are already regulated under the General Product Safety Regulations 2005 which require that only safe products, in their normal or reasonably foreseeable use, are placed on the market. There are obligations on producers and distributors to, where reasonable, sample test products to check safety. The Government employs a risk-based approach to product testing, targeting categories with a high potential for danger and do not test period products. We have no plans to independently test them.

However, during the passage of the Product Regulation and Metrology Act 2025, the Government committed to consult on period product safety, and as part of this Officials are also reviewing the need for any further research and testing for harmful chemicals and heavy metals in period products to complement the consultation.

Nobody should have to miss out on education because of their period, which is why the department provides free period products to girls and women in their place of study through the Period Products Scheme. ​The scheme offers a broad range of products for organisations to choose from, including certified organic and chemical-free tampons and pads, as well as reusable options such as period pants.

Period products are not regulated as a medical device in the UK. They are regulated under the General Product Safety Regulations 2005, which require that only safe products, in their normal or reasonably foreseeable use, are placed on the market. There are obligations on producers and distributors to, where reasonable, sample test products to check safety. During the passage of the Product Regulation and Metrology Act 2025, the Government committed to consult on period product safety.

The General Product Safety Regulations 2005 require that only safe products, in their normal or reasonably foreseeable use, are placed on the market. There are obligations on Producers and distributors to where reasonable, sample test products to check safety. The Government employs a risk-based approach to product testing, targeting categories with a high potential for danger and do not test period products. During the passage of the Product Regulation and Metrology Act 2025, the Government committed to consult on period product safety. Officials are currently reviewing the need for any further research and testing in this area to complement the consultation.

The General Product Safety Regulations 2005 require that only safe products, in their normal or reasonably foreseeable use, are placed on the market. There are obligations on Producers and distributors to where reasonable, sample test products to check safety. The Government employs a risk-based approach to product testing, targeting categories with a high potential for danger and do not test period products. During the passage of the Product Regulation and Metrology Act 2025, the Government committed to consult on period product safety. Officials are currently reviewing the need for any further research and testing in this area to complement the consultation.

All women in prison have access to menstrual products, which are typically stored in locations that allow women to collect items themselves as needed. They are then able to store them in their cells. In circumstances – such as overnight – where a woman is confined to her cell and does not have access to menstrual products, she can alert a member of staff, who will ensure that appropriate provision is made without delay.

The Government Property Agency (GPA) provides free tampons in female toilets at Birmingham, 23 Stephenson Street, Nottingham, Apex Court, London, 70 Whitehall and Coventry, Cheylesmore House. Tampons are not provided by the GPA in any male toilets.