Calls for urgent action from government’s Child Poverty Taskforce 

Shocking new research shows an increase in school pupils across the UK in hygiene poverty, with school staff in state schools collectively spending £40 million of their own money to support them. The research shows school staff are seeing more than a third (37%) of their pupils facing hygiene poverty, with 8 in 10 claiming they have seen an increase in the number of pupils affected over the last 12 months.

Ahead of National Hygiene Week (October 2nd-8th), teachers have teamed up with challenger brand, smol, and charity, The Hygiene Bank, to rally outside Westminster to call on the government’s Child Poverty taskforce to take urgent action and support pupils across the country.

More than three in five (62%) school staff have seen children arriving at school with dirty uniforms or kits, and 4 in 10 (42%) have spotted negative changes to children’s personal hygiene- leading to significant impacts on pupils’ wellbeing and learning, with staff seeing lack of self-esteem, bullying and isolation; over a quarter of school (28%) staff have seen pupils miss school entirely, according to the research by the charity and smol.

Aston spoke to Hilary Strong, smol Suds in Schools lead.