The Department for Education have carried out an equalities impact assessment (pdf) for the period products scheme to provide access to period products in education institutions in England.
The analysis finds:
- Data shows that certain religious groups (e.g. Muslim, Hindu and Sikh) have a greater likelihood of experiencing poverty and are therefore more likely to benefit from free period products
- The highest rates of persistent low income are found among people living in Asian and Black households. Children from these households may be more likely to access and benefit from the scheme, meaning that they are protected throughout their period and can focus on their education
- Data on the number of individuals who menstruate but identify as male or non-binary currently is not collected but the ONS are considering the inclusion of a gender identity question within the next census.