Scotland Period Products (Free Provision) Act 2021

The Period Products (Free Provision) (Scotland) Act 2021 received Royal Assent on 12 January 2021 and came into force on 15 August 2022, making Scotland the first country in the world to establish a universal legal right to free period products.

The Act places a statutory duty on local authorities and education providers to make period products freely available to all who need them. Products are accessible in schools, colleges, universities and public buildings such as libraries, leisure centres and community facilities. The Scottish Government has invested over £53 million since 2018 to fund the scheme.

A Young Scot survey (2019) found that among users, 84% reported a positive impact, 83% experienced reduced worry about menstruation, and 60% were more able to continue day-to-day activities. Prior to the Act, approximately 1 in 10 girls missed school due to lack of period products; 1 in 6 had experienced period poverty. A government baseline survey (November 2022, n=1,400) confirmed access was rated as non-judgemental and met most users' needs.

Implementation has faced significant challenges: several local authorities spent only a small fraction of allocated funds (e.g., Stirling Council: £800 of an £83,000 allocation; Glasgow City Council: £110,000 of £620,000), revealing gaps between statutory obligation and real-world delivery. An independent mixed-methods evaluation covering 2022/23–2024/25 is planned for publication in October 2025.

Read the full analysis: https://www.gov.scot/policies/poverty-and-social-justice/access-to-free-period-products/