Period Product provision to schools and post-16 education organisations across England

The Department for Education (DfE) has contracted a national supplier for the provision of free period products to schools and post-16 education providers across England.

The supplier will deliver the end-to-end service, including the sourcing of products, management of the user interface(s) and the delivery of products directly to organisations.

The DfE’s 2018 omnibus survey found that 83% of secondary school leaders reported making free period products available to pupils, with 41% doing so because of a reason related to pupils’ inability to afford period products. Of the secondary school leaders who reported making free products available, 78% said provision was funded from school budgets, 26% used charitable donations and 17% said teachers funded products themselves.

No-one should be held back from reaching their potential, which is why we announced a scheme to provide access to free period products in schools and colleges in England, which is fully funded by the government. On 20 January 2020, the DfE launched the national period products scheme for all state maintained schools and 16-19 education organisations. Period product scheme for schools and colleges in England – GOV.UK (www.gov.uk ↗) .

In January 2022, DfE announced that 68% of eligible organisations had accessed the scheme since it began, including 90% of eligible secondary schools. Period Products Scheme: 2021 Management Information (publishing.service.gov.uk)

This is a ‘demand-led’ service available to approximately 22,000 organisations across England, with an accessible and easy to use means of interaction and product ordering.