Launch of the £3.4 Million Tampon Tax fund

Today marks the launch of the UK Community Foundations Tampon Tax fund. Community Foundations have been awarded £3.4 million to distribute to local communities, the largest single Tampon Tax grant awarded by the Government to any organisation.

I’m really proud that Community Foundations have been chosen to distribute this fund. We support local communities and fund small and local charities who make a daily difference to millions of people. Our understanding of need in local areas means that we distribute funds to where it is most needed and where it will make the most impact.

The Tampon Tax fund will support women and girls to build skills and confidence, improve health and wellbeing and form social networks. We encourage applications from groups that are already doing great things and those want to get involved in their local areas to support women and girls, whether it’s through supporting women to get back into work, helping women and girls with mental health issues or funding projects that deal with period poverty.

We might fund a project which encourages young women to make the transition back into education, employment or training. Or one that delivers training to break into industries such as construction, particularly for women who face additional barriers such as caring responsibilities or financial disadvantage.

These are just a couple of examples. Importantly, we have set the criteria to be quite broad because we want to find out what great work is already happening in communities and how this fund can support and build on that. We aim to fund small scale interventions, which will make a considerable difference to the lives and happiness of women and girls by raising aspirations and combating the influences that affect confidence levels.

Many people have asked me why such a fund exists, and wouldn’t it be better if there was no tax in the first place on sanitary products? I completely agree that there shouldn’t be such a tax and welcome the fact that the Government is looking to end the tax in the next few years. However, whilst there is a tax and a fund, I believe that we are definitely best placed to distribute it. We know that we can, in partnership with local groups, support women and girls who are the most marginalised to overcome barriers that prevent them from fulfilling their potential.
And if UK Community Foundations can play our part in supporting women and girls to have the best future possible, then that’s something I’ve very pleased to do.