Adults living alone believe they need an annual income of at least £31,536 to cover their outgoings and still afford essentials such as food, clothes and hygiene products.
But with the UK’s average salary of £29,669 somewhat short of this, many feel they are being pushed ever closer to hygiene poverty.
The scale of the current cost of living crisis has been illustrated after a survey of 2,000 adults found one in four people living alone are struggling with the current financial crisis.
As a result, 56 per cent of those have had to make difficult decisions, such as whether to pay their rent over buying food or hygiene items.
And 52 per cent of that same demographic have had to stop socialising, while 14 per cent have even gone without everyday items like toilet roll or period products.
The research was commissioned by hygiene and health company Essity, in partnership with Unilever, Haleon, Kimberly Clark and Edgewell, to launch a Tesco in-store promotion throughout April and May, where customers buy two products and a hygiene product will be donated to charity In Kind Direct.
Rosanne Gray, CEO of In Kind Direct, said: ''Many people experiencing hygiene poverty face the impossible decision to heat, eat or keep clean on a daily basis, and unfortunately more and more people are being pushed into this position.
“We know hygiene poverty disproportionately affects those already struggling, but the research shows that financial difficulties are now impacting everyone.”
But with the UK’s average salary of £29,669 somewhat short of this, many feel they are being pushed ever closer to hygiene poverty.
The scale of the current cost of living crisis has been illustrated after a survey of 2,000 adults found one in four people living alone are struggling with the current financial crisis.
As a result, 56 per cent of those have had to make difficult decisions, such as whether to pay their rent over buying food or hygiene items.
And 52 per cent of that same demographic have had to stop socialising, while 14 per cent have even gone without everyday items like toilet roll or period products.
The research was commissioned by hygiene and health company Essity, in partnership with Unilever, Haleon, Kimberly Clark and Edgewell, to launch a Tesco in-store promotion throughout April and May, where customers buy two products and a hygiene product will be donated to charity In Kind Direct.
Rosanne Gray, CEO of In Kind Direct, said: ''Many people experiencing hygiene poverty face the impossible decision to heat, eat or keep clean on a daily basis, and unfortunately more and more people are being pushed into this position.
“We know hygiene poverty disproportionately affects those already struggling, but the research shows that financial difficulties are now impacting everyone.”
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FunTranscript
00:00 Hygiene poverty is a major issue facing the United Kingdom
00:03 and it affects multiple people from multiple backgrounds.
00:06 Hygiene poverty is when you can no longer afford to purchase products
00:20 for personal hygiene such as toothpaste, body wash, shampoo
00:23 or household hygiene poverty which includes things like household cleaning items.
00:28 Hygiene poverty affects more people than you would ever be aware of.
00:32 I myself have experienced it which is why I am so happy to be championing this campaign to combat it.
00:38 The community pantry that we have at the Abbey Centre was set up in response to the cost of living crisis.
00:44 We are here to support people that are in poverty.
00:48 We source the items through Inkind Direct, donations.
00:52 It's a non-judgmental way of helping and supporting the local community.
00:56 We are based in the old wash house of South Westminster.
00:59 This area used to be known as Devil's Acre which is where Charles Dickens got his inspiration for Oliver Twist.
01:05 It's really important that we empower people to help themselves.
01:09 Not everybody has the same opportunities and to provide the basic hygiene items is an absolute given
01:17 and it's how we should all be operating and supporting each other.
01:20 [Music plays]