Please remember that the DfE funded free period products for schools scheme is still active.
The period product scheme provides free period products to girls and women in their place of study. It is available to state-maintained schools and DfE funded 16-19 organisations in England.
DfE has a contract with Personnel Hygiene Services Limited (phs), which allows you to order a wide range of period products and have them delivered when you need them.
The guidance contains information on:
- choosing and ordering period products
- distributing products within institutions
- tackling stigma
Period products should be available for all who need them, when they need them, so they can access education. Having periods should not be a barrier to education for anyone
The scheme is available to all:
- state-maintained primary schools with year 5 pupils and above
- state-maintained secondary schools
- state-maintained special schools and non-maintained special schools
- alternative provisions, including pupil referral units, with pupils or students in year 5 and above
Phs has the email address for each school or college that is held by
DfE. The email address is linked to your account on the phsportal.
Phs usually send an email in September with details of your new spend cap and how to order.
If you have not received an activation email this year, call PHS on 01827 255500 if you:
- cannot find the activation email
- want to change the email address linked to your account
- want to request additional log-in details
There are now sustainable and reusable options such as menstrual cups and period pants available to order and give to pupils at a time when the rising cost of living may mean that girls are reliant on the free products from school.
If you are interested in reporting on your school’s impact on poverty through participation in the scheme since it was introduced in 2021, there is extensive data which has just been published.
