How to Get Free Period Products in the UK: A Complete Guide
Accessing menstrual products shouldn’t be a struggle—yet period poverty remains a real issue. Thankfully, the UK offers many free and low-cost options to help. Here’s how you can find assistance near you.
🌍 1. Local Councils & Apps
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Scottish Authorities: Thanks to the Period Products (Free Provision) (Scotland) Act 2021, councils, schools, universities, libraries, and community centres in Scotland must offer free menstrual products to anyone who asks nidirect.gov.uk+3freestuff.co.uk+3reddit.com+3patient.info+4happiful.com+4periodpoverty.uk+4bigissue.com+8scotland.org+8en.wikipedia.org+8.
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Northern Ireland & Wales: Similar provisions exist in schools and public buildings .
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PickUpMyPeriod App: Available across Scotland, it helps users locate free pads, tampons, cups, liners, and even period underwear bbc.co.uk+15mygov.scot+15thesun.co.uk+15.
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England: While England doesn’t yet have national legislation, several councils provide free products. Use council websites or the PickUpMyPeriod app to check local availability reddit.com+6mygov.scot+6patient.info+6.
🏫 2. Schools, Colleges, Universities & Libraries
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Many schools, colleges, and universities offer free period products in restrooms or campus bins. If yours doesn’t, raising the issue with a student union can help — several UK universities now provide them as standard periodpoverty.uk+15reddit.com+15patient.info+15.
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Libraries and community centres across the UK increasingly offer free products, including reusable options like cups and period pants — common in Scotland, England, and Wales livebreathescotland.com+2reddit.com+2patient.info+2.
🛒 3. Supermarkets & Chains
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Aldi: Since March 2025, free pads and tampons have been available in bathrooms in 70% of UK stores, with nationwide roll-out planned reuters.com+6thesun.co.uk+6moneymagpie.com+6.
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Morrisons: Ask customer service for a discreet “package for Sandy” — it includes free tampons or pads thesun.co.uk+4moneymagpie.com+4happiful.com+4.
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Lidl (Northern Ireland/Ireland): Offers monthly coupons via the app; some UK stores also participate reddit.com+4reddit.com+4mygov.scot+4.
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Some Tesco & Co-op stores partner with charities like Hey Girls for product donations reddit.com+8moneymagpie.com+8scambs.gov.uk+8.
🏥 4. Food Banks & Charities
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Food banks (e.g., Trussell Trust) often include menstrual products in essential packages reddit.com+7moneymagpie.com+7reddit.com+7.
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Charities like Bloody Good Period, Hey Girls, Freedom4Girls, and Period Angels provide free menstrual items — from disposables to reusable cups — through community centres, GP surgeries, and food banks scambs.gov.uk+5bigissue.com+5happiful.com+5.
📣 5. Public Spaces & Pilot Programs
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In Scotland, two councils funded distribution of washable pads, period pants, and cups through Hey Girls moneymagpie.com+11scambs.gov.uk+11reddit.com+11.
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Staffordshire Libraries: A pilot in five libraries now offers free pads, tampons, cups, and period pants — available with dignity and no questions asked reddit.com+2bbc.co.uk+2reddit.com+2.
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Some leisure centres, youth hubs, and GP surgeries across England, Wales, and Scotland now offer free products .
💡 Quick Start: Where to Find Help Now
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Download PickUpMyPeriod — instantly locate free products in your area.
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Check your council’s website for local provisions.
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Ask at schools/universities or public libraries.
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Visit Aldi or Morrisons and discreetly ask for free products.
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Reach out to food banks/charities like Hey Girls or Bloody Good Period.
🧷 Why It Matters
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Period stigma and affordability issues impact education, work, and mental health. UK initiatives aim to ensure dignity, equality, and access for all livebreathescotland.com+5scotland.org+5thesun.co.uk+5patient.info+1reddit.com+1.
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Scotland leads globally—others are catching up. Your voice matters: requesting these products helps build lasting change.
🔗 Useful Resources
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PickUpMyPeriod app (Scotland) reuters.com+10livebreathescotland.com+10periodpoverty.uk+10reddit.com+15mygov.scot+15nidirect.gov.uk+15
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Period Products (Free Provision) (Scotland) Act 2021 (Wikipedia) bbc.co.uk+6en.wikipedia.org+6en.wikipedia.org+6
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Trussell Trust Food Bank Map reddit.com+2bigissue.com+2happiful.com+2
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Charities: Hey Girls, Bloody Good Period, Freedom4Girls reddit.com+6bigissue.com+6patient.info+6
✅ Final Word
No one should ever have to choose between food and period products. With growing support—from apps and school schemes to clever supermarket programs—help is out there.
If you've been impacted, please share this post. Encourage community spaces to provide menstrual products. Let’s build a period-friendly UK, together.
